Sound Publishing is searching for Coldset Web Press Operator professionals in Washington State to run our computer-controlled Goss/Manroland Universal 70 press at our Lakewood, WA Facility. Our press has eleven towers that can produce over 13 million pieces per month. (Upwards of 264 million pages.) It can run as several individual presses or as one, maximizing efficiency. Equipped with automated ink, water, and registration controls, the U70 produces a quality product.

Press Operator Job responsibilities include:

• Handling production of the printed materials, including the printing and palleting process, to ensure it meets the specifications and is ready on schedule
• Reviewing job orders to make the calibrations to the job specifications

Job brief

We are looking for a Press Operator to operate Goss/Manroland Universal 70 press at our new Lakewood, WA facility. As our Press Operator, you will be able to read and comprehend press work orders and be well versed in setting and adjusting press rollers and folders. Ultimately, you will work in a team of general workers and roll tenders to flawlessly execute each job from setup to properly labeling the product for distribution.

Responsibilities

• Setup and calibrate machinery for all types of printed product.
• Operate machinery to adjust ink and water balance, set color to proof and gray bar, set register of four-color printing and adjust web tensions
• Handle production of the printed materials, including the printing and racking process, to ensure it meets the specifications and is ready on schedule
• Review job orders to make the right adjustments to the printing machine
• Install parts and supplies such as ink rollers and printing plates according to the job specifications
• Check printed material for proper color and other aesthetics
• During run, fine tune and always check last copy when press goes down.
• Pull the three best copies of every pressrun
• Keep quality at a maximum and waste at the minimum
• Completely fill out all forms pertinent to shift.
• Contact Press Manager if problems arise that you are unable to fix
• Ensure all pallets are neat + bundling and counts are accurate
• Make sure all pallets and boxes are labeled correctly and quantities match run-list
• Ability to work safely and understand safety procedures involved in the operation of printing presses
• Calibrate and conduct repairs and modifications on machinery
• Follow all safety protocol
• Ensure proper maintenance, safety, and functioning of all equipment

Requirements and skills

• Proven work experience as a Press Operator or similar role
• Proficiency in operating heavy machinery
• Ability to interpret and understand complex documents
• Keen attention to detail
• Relevant training and/or certifications as a Press Operator

Frequently asked questions

What does a Press Operator do?

A Press Operator sets up each job, adjusts calibration as needed, does quality checks, has full-knowledge of the roll tender and general worker roles, and ensures that the pallets going out are neatly stacked and labeled correctly.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a Press Operator?

A Press Operator has many responsibilities, such as preparing, operating, and calibrating machinery and presses for printing and other tasks.

What makes a good Press Operator?

A good Press Operator must have good attention to detail, as they need to be able to test the quality of presses and the product each job produces to meet the needs of their customers.

What are the specs of this immaculate machinery?

Goss/Manroland Universal 70

• Press speed 70,000 / 35,000
• Cut off: 21.0”
• Width: 39.3” (max web width 39” – min web width 18”)

Towers

• 11 towers 4/4 and 1 tower 5/5
• 11 Unit level shaftless drives
• Open fountain under shot ink fountains with Goss remote inking
• Spray bar dampening – Technotrans
• Tri-Services fountain solution chillers
• Infeeds entrance of each tower
• Web severer protection entrance of each tower
• Anti-wrap roller at exit each tower
• Support products ink levelers each fountain

Splicers

• 18 Enkel autoweb flying pasters (stacked) with dedicated web guide for each web

Folders

• Four folders with 5-fold couples
• Folder 1 – 2:3:3 single former / ½ fold and ¼ fold / Enkel ribbon deck (1 in 3 out) with double plow attachment
• Folder 2 – 2:3:3 single former / ½ fold and ¼ fold / Enkel ribbon deck (1 in 3 out) with double plow attachment
• Folder 3 and 4 – 2:3:3 double couple folder / double wide with 3-high formers – half-fold only with over under delivery
• Folder 5 – 2:3:3 folder / ½ and ¼ fold / upper former / skip slitters on lower former

What benefits are offered?

• Sound Publishing offers benefits, including medical/vision/dental/life/long-term disability insurance, wellness and employee assistance programs, 401k with an employer match, and paid leave (vacation/sick).
• Sound Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workplace.

What is it like living in Lakewood, WA?

Lakewood, WA’s average rental rate was $1,285 in 2020, making Lakewood the second most affordable community in all of Pierce County. Compare that to the average rent for an apartment in Seattle at $2,334 per month.

It is home to one of the most robust International Districts in Pierce County, influenced by Korean, Vietnamese, Latino, and other cultures.

Named one of the nation’s “One Hundred Best Communities for Young People” by America’s Promise Alliance six years in a row with world-class school districts, transportation and healthcare.

Do you have an affinity for the outdoors? The area has five lakes totaling nearly two miles of water area fantastic for water sports like skiing, rowing, and fishing.

Love to golf? Lakewood has three golf courses: Oakbrook, Tacoma Country and Golf, and American Lake Veterans Golf Course. It is also minutes from Chambers Bay where the 2015 U.S. Open was hosted.

340-acre Fort Steilacoom Park is the crown jewel of Lakewood and draws over 1 million visitors each year from across the region.

Explore Lakewood, WA and the surrounding area at traveltacoma.com

Do what you love

Citing volume declines in a challenging retail environment exacerbated by the pandemic printing plants in Sarasota, Milwaukee, Port St. Lucie, Bowling Green, Highland (Illinois), Wausau, Appleton, Louisville, Sioux Falls, Asbury Park, Maple Grove, Minnesota, and Baltimore have left many jobless. We invite press operators from around the country to tour our Lakewood facility and meet our team. We have lots of work for you with our diverse mix of local, national, and international accounts.

Where you work is an important decision that affects all aspects of your life. Sound believes that success comes in creating an environment for our employees to personally and professionally thrive. If you want to work as a Press Operator on the largest cold-set web printer in the five-state region of Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon apply today. We invite you join our team!