Oosterhout, June 2025
– Q.I. Press Controls (QIPC), a global leader in automation solutions for the printing industry, has successfully completed the installation of a press automation system on the Goss Universal XL press at Empresa Gráfica Funchalense (EGF) in Pêro Pinheiro, Portugal. EGF is the largest newspaper printing facility in Portugal. Based in Sintra, near Lisbon. The company produces the southern editions of all national daily newspapers, as well as the full editions of the main weekly newspapers.
A strong and proven partnership
The collaboration between EGF and QIPC is built on a long-standing partnership. This began in 2008, when QIPC’s first register systems (IRS) was installed on two Goss Universal 70 presses. Both presses are still in active operation and have been consistently optimized by the automation technology ever since. This performance, combined with the support delivered throughout the system’s lifetime, reinforced EGF’s confidence in QIPC’s ability to meet the company’s evolving technical demands. Additionally, the presence of QIPC’s local agent, PrintControl, has also been crucial to the success of this partnership, offering direct and responsive service for over a decade.
Hernani Almeida, CEO at EGF, highlights the importance of this long-term cooperation: “We have a long experience using the system. There is a long-term relationship with Diogo Alves de Sousa, Managing Director of PrintControl, and our two Universal 70 presses are already equipped with the same level of automation. We rely on QIPC.”
The Goss Universal XL press consists of four towers and one folder and has been fitted with twelve mRC-3D cameras and a GOS operator console. This configuration allows monitoring and adjustment of both color and cut-off register. The automation ensures stable production, reduces start-up waste and supports a consistent print quality.
The project was managed in close cooperation between EGF, QIPC and PrintControl, who took on the role of general contractor. By coordinating the mechanical reinstallation of the press with the integration of the automation system, the teams ensured that the press was ready to begin production immediately with the required level of automation fully in place.
Hernani Almeida: “We had no doubt about the value of this investment. The system cuts waste by approximately 30% due to a reduction in manual operator input. It is impossible to imagine our production process without a tool like this to support the performance of our press operators.”
Adapting to a changing industry
In recent years, the printing industry has been shaped by a more demanding environment. These developments have presented considerable operational challenges for print businesses across Europe. For EGF, it became clear that addressing these issues required not only investment in new equipment but also in the automation needed to maximise efficiency and consistency.
Reflecting on this, Hernani Almeida explains the reasoning behind their latest investment: “With the recent installation of our GOSS Universal XL, the challenges of shorter run lengths and difficulty in finding experienced printers are more and more demanding. The acquisition of QIPC automatic color and cut-off register control is the response to minimise the waste in each press run, while also increasing production stability by approximately 25%.”
Looking ahead
Today, all three of EGF’s Goss presses, two Universal 70s and the Universal XL, are fully automated with QIPC technology. This standardization has allowed EGF to optimise operational performance across its entire pressroom. The latest investment is expected to yield one of the fastest returns, primarily due to consistent output and reduced paper waste.
Hernani Almeida underlines the value of this approach: “The return on investment of this system is one of the quickest, mainly due to output that is twice as consistent and a 30% reduction in manual staff tasks.”
This successful installation not only strengthens QIPC’s presence in the Portuguese market but also deepens its relationship with Grupo Vicra, creating new opportunities for future collaboration.
In closing, Hernani Almeida reflects on the strength of the collaboration, noting that PrintControl worked closely with both EGF and QIPC from the very beginning to ensure the press would start production on day one with the desired level of automation in place, adding: “The return on investment of the previous systems was as expected, but we also valued the support throughout their entire lifetime.”
