They are the specialists during the installation of new machines and systems, they offer competent help on the hotline when production is interrupted and they are in particular demand when a machine stops: the service technicians of the printing press manufacturers and the ancillary industry. The experts of both sectors work in close cooperation to achieve the seamless transition of their interdependent areas of expertise.

The variety of peripheral units for printing presses has steadily increased. Apart from the necessary units for dampening solution preparation, air supply or temperature control, there are now additional filtration units, water preparation units or systems for recycling solvents that play a considerable part in lowering costs and stabilizing the printing process. Usually such optional extras are not provided by the printing press manufacturers, but by their suppliers. Consequently the service personnel of the press manufacturer are not that familiar with the technology involved. Sascha Rose is a technician normally manning the hotline at technotrans, however he is also responsible for customer training and workshops, with the focus on the know-how of the experts from the printing press manufacturers. “Naturally we can service our machines at the customer site anytime this is required“, he explains. “It is mainly a question of time and costs for the print shops, who do not necessarily want to deal with different service technicians for different peripheral units. Also our colleagues from the press manufacturers do not want to be at a loss if a printer, for example, requires details regarding the control unit of a technotrans filtration system.“

In this case a group of system technicians and regional service technicians from manroland attended a two-day workshop on dampening solution preparation units and filtration units for web offset presses. Participant Bernhard Bader sees a further, positive aspect apart from the professional training. “During the course of such a training session there is a natural exchange of practical experience. Each one of us is given new, helpful information for example on the service-friendliness of the unit, which can even help to discern possible improvements.

“His colleague Josef Schmid adds a further insight: “Normally we service technicians deal with most aspects of our daily work via telephone or e-mail, especially amongst ourselves. Such a meeting of experts, as offered by technotrans, gives colleagues an opportunity to put a face to a name. Knowing each other personally is always an advantage.“ As far as Sascha Rose is concerned, competent service also upgrades the products. “Our customers are not just buying a machine that reduces workload or costs. They are also purchasing the assurance that someone is there, quickly, long-term and up-to-date, to answer questions about the operation of units or to carry out necessary maintenance work, either at technotrans or directly via manroland at the customer site or at the Print Technology Center in Augsburg.“