The New York Times soon to be printed on ECM presses; visitors get sneak preview of equipment

Posted 6/27/01

The New York Times soon to be printed on ECM presses; visitors get sneak preview of equipment

By Howard Lestrud
ECM Online Managing Editor

One of the nationís most highly recognized daily newspapers, The New York Times, will soon be printed on presses at the ECM Publishers, Inc. printing plant in Princeton.
Plans are to begin printing Upper Midwest circulation of the newspaper at the newly expanded Princeton printing facility early this summer.

A special sneak preview of the new 21-unit press and pre-press equipment required for the business partnership between ECM and the Times was given to more than 100 invited guests at the plant on Monday night.

ìIím a pilgrim who was looking for a good print site and found it here at ECM,î remarked Jerry McCauley, group director of systems and technology for the Times.
Following a dinner and tour of the printing facilities, visitors listened to McCauley and others speak about the printing arrangement. ECM signed a 10-year printing contract with the Times that resulted in major expansion of ECMís newspaper printing facility in Princeton, a community about 55 miles northwest of the Twin Cities.

The ECM partnership represents one of 18 that The New York Times has established in the United States. McCauley explained that for some time he had been looking for a new site in the Minneapolis area and that his search mainly centered around large metropolitan newspapers and had little success until someone asked about possibilities at commercial printers.

He checked into those possibilities and said his first contacts in ECM were with Marge Winkelman, a publications manager, and Jeff Athmann, ECMís president and chief operations officer.

McCauley, who negotiated the contract with ECM, said he was excited to see the press equipment and, ìMinnesotans will have the Times delivered to their doors on time and itís going to look darn good.î

Acknowledging the many people who made this partnership possible, president Athmann said it represents an expansion of ECM's footprint. He said such growth is not possible without good people. ìThe expansion is for all of us,î Athmann said.

ìA company that is scared to grow will never survive; we were able to come together and work out an arrangement that would work for ECM and the Times,î Athmann added.

Athmann continued to compliment ECMís leadership and work forces for creating a ìvibrant cultureî that has been the difference ìbetween just surviving and thriving.î
The actual work on this project began after the contract was signed, related Athmann. ìItís really the people who have made the difference,î he continued.

If ECM Publishers founder Elmer L. Andersen, 92, ìwere here tonight, he would be telling everyone how wonderful this is for Minnesota and for our country,î president Athmann said.
Athmann complimented plant operations manager Jim Henry and printing plant general manager Tim Enger for their leadership in pushing the project ahead. ìIt takes leadership to make it all happen and now, we are facing additional challenges to keep the presses busy,î Athmann said. He also saluted ECM chief financial officer Gene Merriam and cost analyst specialist Jim Johnson for their work on the partnership project.

Manager Henry opened the program by welcoming The New York Times to the ECM family. He thanked the ECM board of directors for its support of the project and he praised Elmer L. Andersen and Eleanor Andersen for being the ìguiding forcesî for the ECM group that made this partnership possible.

Henry also conveyed greetings, thanks and congratulations from chief executive officer Julian Andersen.

ìThis has been a heck of a ride and represents a great leap of faith,î Henry said.

Henry also introduced two key equipment suppliers, Richard M. Segel, president and CEO of Pamarco Technologies, Inc. and David Romberg of Dauphin Graphics West. Pamarco owns Dauphin which manufactured the press units installed in Princeton.

Segel said Dauphin now has 54 press units on line in Princeton. ìECM is one of our most faithful supporters,î Segel said, ìand we believe this installation is the best we have done with a customer.î

Romberg presented a bronze printing plaque (showing press unit configurations) to Henry who accepted it on behalf of ECM associates, saying ìThis belongs to all of us.î

ECM is observing its 25th birthday after being founded by former Minnesota Gov. Elmer L. Andersen in 1976.

ECM employs 499 associates at 15 locations and publishes 17 weekly newspapers and seven advertising publications serving communities throughout east central and southeastern Minnesota as well as western Wisconsin. The company also provides newspaper and sheetfed printing services for its own publications and for external printing customers.

ECM distribution provides home delivery service of publications, sample products, directories and catalogs to more than 350,000 homes in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Additionally, online versions of the companyís newspapers can be accessed on the Internet at www.HometownSource.com.