At Pressgrannar, belief in the power of print is more than a statement, it is a strategy. The Swedish newspaper printing company continues to invest in technology to meet the evolving needs of its customers, confident that print remains a vital and trusted medium. With ECO3 as a long-standing partner, Pressgrannar ensures its production is reliable, efficient and ready for the future.
Pressgrannar serves around 60 customers, printing everything from daily newspapers to monthly magazines and niche publications. The company runs two sites at Linköping and Luleå and is part of NTM Media. The media group also operates companies in audio production, advertising, marketing, telecom and e-commerce.
Pressgrannar's Manroland Regioman coldset press, installed in 2011, can handle up to 96 pages and deliver 75,000 copies per hour. The press operates in two shifts, from early morning to late evening, producing a wide range of formats including tabloid and broadsheet.
To meet customer demands for more refined formats, Pressgrannar also offers trimmed newspaper editions with full bleed. By trimming the pages beyond the standard tabloid size, they eliminate white margins and achieve a cleaner, more modern look. This allows them to deliver a product that stands out—visually and professionally.
Newspaper printing with precision and flexibility
Pressgrannar prints both internal titles and external jobs, with free weekly newspapers becoming an increasingly important segment. Titles are produced for cities across Sweden, from Östergötland to Skåne, serving local communities and advertisers. One standout example is Made in Båstad, a publisher launching new local papers in Halland, Småland, and Skåne, reflecting a shared belief in the relevance of print.
In 2024, Pressgrannar upgraded its prepress department with two new CtP lines featuring ECO3’s Advantage N-PL HS system. The solution includes automatic plate loading and integrated processing, allowing full pallets of plates to be loaded without manual handling.
"It's a very convenient and ergonomic solution, being able to set up a whole pallet of printing plates instead of loading them by hand. The automatic plate loading saves us a lot of back strain," says Markus Blohm, Prepress Operator.
The new lines produce around 600 plates daily, each marked with QR codes for accurate placement in the press. With speeds up to 180 plates per hour, the system has significantly increased capacity and reduced maintenance time.
Pressgrannar has partnered with ECO3 for over 25 years, a collaboration that began in the days of Agfa Offset Solutions and has grown into a reliable, long-term relationship. ECO3 supplies the company with its printing plates, CtP systems and Arkitex workflow, ensuring a stable and efficient prepress environment.
Jonny Björk, Head of Prepress, says, “They’re very accessible and provide excellent service. ECO3 offers 24/7 support, which we’ve chosen to have here. It’s a reassurance for us—and for our customers—that help is available quickly if needed. That said, the systems are extremely stable. We rarely experience anything that causes downtime.”
“It works really well,” adds Markus Blohm.
“You feel secure having ECO3 as a supplier because you can reach them easily. They’re knowledgeable, and it feels like there’s a short path to the developers and system technicians.”
Growth through print
Pressgrannar continues to grow by expanding its work with external customers, which now plays a key role in the company’s overall stability and ability to invest. “Our ambition is to grow further,” says Jonny Björk. “We want to be a printing company that lasts. There is quite a negative tone surrounding newspapers and newspaper production but we don't really recognize ourselves in that."
"Fundamentally, we believe in print.”
Recent investments in modern equipment—including the CtP upgrade with ECO3—are part of a long-term strategy to stay competitive and responsive to market demands. “We’re committed to print and to being here for years to come,” adds Markus Blohm. That belief continues to guide Pressgrannar as it adapts to new opportunities and customer needs.
Abbreviated version of an article previously published in Sign&Print.
Original text and photos by Felix Alnemark.
Pressgrannar website
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