HARLAND Simon plc is a world leading newspaper production system specialist with more than 30 years' experience. Based in offices in Milton Keynes and having a US base in Chicago, it has an impressive reference list.

Almost all of Britain's national titles are produced using Harland Simon equipment and in North America, newspapers including The New York Times, The Dow Jones, The Chicago Sun-Times and The Toronto Star rely on Harland Simon for their daily production.

The company has a particular area of expertise in management information systems covering the areas of pre-press, press and mailroom.

It also has a long and successful history of producing high quality, intuitive press control consoles and other control equipment.

Newsquest chose Harland Simon to upgrade the controls of the press it purchased from the Washington Post.

Harland Simon's PRIMA system is at the very heart of the production process.

The press is controlled by the latest generation of the PRIMA control system based on standard Siemens equipment which brings improved performance and reliability.

The control system includes four new PRIMA 5000 control desks, a development of the popular PRIMA 4000.

The 5000 makes good use of the new technology with much improved diagnostic facilities and a re-vamped user interface.

Harland Simon has also replaced the drives on the press with its own Digital DC Drive.

The system also interfaces to the Spraybars and Digital inkers.

Sitting above all of the new press hall equipment is arguably the most sophisticated press management system in the newspaper business.

Harland Simon has added some exciting new modules to the industry-acclaimed PRIMA range of computer products, spreading the company's influence on production into plate-making and product planning.

The PRIMA system now receives image files directly from the CTP line.

These files are used not only for presetting the press, but also to provide high quality image proofs. The order for Wingates was placed with Harland Simon in 1999.

It came at the start of a busy year for the company which saw turnover and profits rise noticeably on the back of improvements in technology and an increased emphasis on project management. The future looks bright, too, with

significant order input now coming from its American operation.

Harland Simon is well-placed for the coming wave of newspaper investment.