Copyright caymancompass
Compass Media’s newspaper press could be considered something of a national treasure. After all, it has been part and parcel of recording Cayman’s history ever since the newspaper began publishing in 1965. The weekly paper was originally printed on a Heidelberg letterpress, which was also used for commercial print jobs as the company expanded through the years. The press was put to greater use when the newspaper went from weekly to twice weekly, and additional publications came on stream. In 1981, the Caymanian Compass went daily, printing five times a week. In the late 1980s, the company was again looking to expand its operations and began searching for a printing press with greater capabilities. Publisher Brian Uzzell’s long-time relationship with Goss Printing Press Company proved beneficial – a tip from an engineer at the company helped him source a four-unit Goss Community press from Panama. It was a good bargain as it was in excellent condition – Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega’s strong-arm tactics with the media meant the printing press hadn’t been used much during his reign. The expanded printing capacity of the Goss Community press enabled the company to grow its business – including its commercial print division – to become Cayman’s only offset four-colour printing facility. Additional printing units were later added to boost printing capabilities – for a total of 16 units – with the Goss Community continuing to print the newspaper to this day. Keeping pace Donovan Nelson, head of printing at Compass Media, says skilled technicians – and some creative problem-solving – has kept the press in good condition through the decades. “Our experience over the years has helped a lot,” he says. “We’ve maintained a good standard of printing.” Nelson adds that the company has been able to keep pace with industry changes in print technology, thanks to its technicians, and investment in equipment. The press uses sophisticated computer-to-plate production (CTP) technology, which has been central to the process of moving traditional offset printing into the digital age. It is a web-fed press, and paper that is printed on it comes on huge rolls weighing around 1,000 pounds. The paper is fed from the roll and as it unwinds, it forms a continuous ‘web’ through the 16-unit press. The high-speed press is capable of printing 20,000 copies of the newspaper per hour – and it is something to see in action. It can print 32 pages in full-colour in one press run. Company changes In 2023, the company sold its commercial print division, Compass Print, although the division still operates on-site at the Compass Media building on Shedden Road. Long-time employee Walwin Clarke – who started at the newspaper in 1971 – continues to work in the print shop. The Goss Community press is now used for printing the weekly Cayman Compass, the Camana Bay Times, Fun News and special Compass Media newspaper publications. Compass Media’s press team includes Anthony Stewart, who joined the company full-time in 2020. Long-time employee Khefri Ua assists with printing part-time, as required, and continues to work in the commercial print division. Nigel Ebanks, who works full-time in distribution, also assists with a few duties in the press room, when necessary, with Jordan Wright assisting in the press room, part-time. Nelson tackles multiple roles, including quality control of the newspaper and other print publications, staff supervision, sourcing paper and materials, and overseeing press repairs and maintenance. He also took on the role of overseeing the commercial print division for several years after the late Trevor Hills retired in 2019. Now with the company for more than 18 years, Nelson started his career at a small print shop in Jamaica. He spent 17 years at The Gleaner Company, upgrading his technical skills through various courses. After a stint at the Royal Gazette in Bermuda, he joined the Compass in 2007. “It has been good working here – I have no regrets,” he says. “I’ve been able to use what I’ve learned over the years, from mechanical training to printing.” He says the Goss Community printing press has served the company well over the years. “It is still one of the most economical formats for producing a large quantity of high-quality newspaper,” he says. Nelson credits the dedicated press team – and all the company’s departments – with the fact that the Compass has been able to keep Cayman up-to-date and informed for 60 years.
