Following intensive market research and production analyses the group opted for four-by-one nine-cylinder satellites featuring KBA’s patented ribbon-splitting system, which reduces press height and shortens makeready times by eliminating the need for turner bars. The new presses will print RCS’s most common format, tabloids. RCS chose nine-cylinder satellites for their precise registration, and one-around plate cylinders for their product flexibility and reduced plate costs.

The four KBA Commander presses have a cylinder circumference of 620mm (24½in), a maximum web width of 1,800mm (70¼in) and a maximum rated output of 75,000 64-page full-colour copies per hour. Two of the four presses will ship to Pessano near Milan as part of a move to upgrade Gazzetta dello Sport to full colour, another is earmarked for Rome and the fourth for Padua. Production start-up is slated for spring next year.

The RCS media group employs 5,200 people and in 2005 posted sales of around €2.2bn. It is the leading player in the Italian newspaper market, accounting for 20 per cent of total copies sold. Gazzetta dello Sport, with a daily circulation of around 400,000 copies and 3.7 million readers, is Italy’s most popular sports title, while Corriere della Sera, which was founded back in 1876 and has a circulation of some 675,000 copies and 2.9 million readers, is Italy’s biggest national daily. In 2001 RCS expanded into the frees market with City, more than 600,000 copies of which are distributed throughout the country. RCS’s activities also embrace magazines, books and new media. A good 30 per cent of sales are generated abroad. Grupo Unedisa, a Spanish subsidiary, publishes the country’s second-biggest daily title, El Mundo, which has a circulation of over 300,000 copies.