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Report 39 | 2011 1

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Contents

KBAEditorial 2

SheetfedRapida 106 perfector in Zurich 3China: Lihua goes LF with Rapida 162 4Italy: Rapidas for Tipolitografica and Sa.Ge.Print 6Online press demos 9Packaging event in Radebeul 10Austrian printers opt for medium-format Rapidas 12Germany: packaging for the world 14Minimising migration in the press 16Benefits of reel sheeters 19Bangkok: Rapida 105 at CPT 20Motivating Graphics, USA, adds third big Rapida 21Rapidas on the advance in South America 22Secondhand presses a hit in Far East 26Rapida 142 for TWP, Malaysia 28KBA talks Granite’s language in UK 29UV curing systems 30

Web OffsetC46 SG debuts at Em. de Jong, Netherlands 31France’s Corlet Roto signs up for C16 32Third Compacta 215 at CTP, Johannesburg 34

NewspaperInstallation of 100th Commander CT tower 36Hybrid Cortina’s perfect start in Sweden 37KBA MaintainSoft enhances efficiency 38Comparing energy efficiency 39

UV and Coding25 years of alphaJET 40Genius 52UV’s Japanese debut 41Australia’s IBS Design Resources greens up with Genius 52UV 42

Shorts 43

2 | 2 0 1 1

CLassic H-unit version of successful CompacT series

New Commander CL to launch at IFRA Expo 2011

The IFRA Expo newspaper trade fair scheduled for mid-October

in Vienna will see the launch of our new KBA Commander CL, a more compact conventional four-high tower press requiring a mere six metres (less than 20 feet) of head room. It will be offered in a choice of automation levels to ac-commodate a wide range of specs and will incorporate non-splittable H-type printing units that stand just 2.75m (9ft) high. Alongside standard manual plate changing this mid-range press will also be available with option-al semi- or fully automatic plate changing, and can easily be upgrad-ed at a later date. The intelligent

module-based design represents outstanding value for money. Featuring MLC control tech-nology, the Commander CL sup-ports greater flexibility in news-paper and commercial production with an array of practical modules, among them a variable web width and thermal dryer. KBA RollerTron-ic automated roller locks, which enable the optimum throw-on pres-sure to be set at the console, are a standard feature. The classic ver-sion, like our high-end Commander CT, boasts cutting-edge inking-unit technology with three forme roll-ers for a first-class print. An array of other optional fea-tures which are offered with our

highly successful compact presses, the Commander CT and Cortina, are also available for the Com-mander CL. These include quick presetting via KBA PressNet and single-button start-up and run-down via our KBA EasyStart and KBA EasyStop sotware modules. Our new Commander CL’s pragmatic and cost-effective con-cept has already attracted orders from two prominent south Ger-man newspaper publishing houses, which a few weeks ago signed up for two presses with a total of eight towers. Watch this space for more in-formation on our new Commander CL.

The Commander CL with H-type printing units is a more compact version of the classic four-high tower press

P R O D U C T S | P R A C T I C E S | P E R S P E C T I V E S

Report 39 | 20112

Editorial

Stockmarket turbulence harms the real economy

A stable market environment is also vital for print

Three years after the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, which is generally considered to mark the start of the subsequent global fi-nancial and economic crisis, stockmarket turbulence triggered by the sov-ereign debt crises in Europe and the USA is once again alarming investors and consumers. Anxiety is mounting that our welfare is being determined not by elected politicians but by financial markets rife with rumours and speculation.

The emerging dominance of virtual values in place of real ones is not a healthy state of affairs. It hampers entrepreneurial projects and activi-ties in the real economy and in the long term endangers the Western world’s entire economic and social structure. There is an urgent need for resolute and coordinated political action across national frontiers. Hastily contrived multibillion-euro rescue packages that raise sovereign debt to combat market speculation provide no more than temporary relief and serve to exacerbate the issue and its consequences, not resolve them. Ba-sically the same rules apply to public budgets as to private ones: spending must not exceed income – however tempting it may be at election time. Reality has finally overtaken the leading economic powers, the USA being a prime example.

The debt crisis, a more constrained credit policy in China, the aftermath of the cataclysmic events in Japan, and the conflicts in North Africa and the Middle East are acting as a damper on the print business and press sales in many regions. Even so, in the first six months KBA posted a higher intake of new orders (€683m) and a year-on-year increase of eight per cent in sales to some €510m. While our pre-tax earnings were nega-tive, at –€11m they were half the prior-year loss. We anticipate higher group sales in the second six months and a move back into the black. For

the full year we are targeting a rise in sales to around €1.2bn, and follow-ing 2009 and 2010 – when we were the only leading press manufacturer to post a pre-tax profit – a further modest improvement in pre-tax earn-ings.

For some months now there has been a perceptible upturn in investment by packaging printers in countries beyond the longstanding high-growth threshold economies of China, Brazil and Turkey. Examples of these can be found in this issue of our corporate magazine. Among packaging print-ers KBA has long been a vendor of choice internationally, thanks to our medium- and large-format Rapidas. But in many countries we have also noticed brisker sales of commercial, book, metal-decorating and security presses. Demand in the newspaper industry, our classic core market and one in which we are the global leader, has largely centred on Europe. While our most popular model has been our innovative and ultra-compact Commander CT, some months ago a hybrid coldset/heatset version of its waterless counterpart, the Cortina, also celebrated a further successful premiere, this time in Sweden. A multi-unit Cortina press line with four thermal dryers will soon go live at the Gulf News in Dubai.

Alongside our manifold market activities we are busy preparing for the biggest industry event of 2012. At Drupa in Düsseldorf next May KBA will be exhibiting new and upgraded products and processes for a wide array of applications. Testing on some of these has already been successfully completed. As we celebrate our 195th year the new product launches will even include a digital inkjet system – a technological challenge we have taken up as a means of making print more flexible, economical, so-phisticated, efficient and sustainable in competition with other media. We would be delighted to welcome you to the KBA stand.

Yours,

Helge Hansen, president and CEO, Koenig & Bauer

Report 39 | 2011 3

GDZ opts for KBA technology

August start-up for ten-colour Rapida 106

Switzerland, already famous

for its quality products, is fast

becoming a major reference

market for KBA’s high-tech

commercial sheetfed offset

presses, more specifically our

B1 (41in) Rapida 106.

Just a few months ago Jordi in Belp (Bern) pushed the button on a Rapida 106 eight-colour

perfector press with coater. At Ast & Fischer in Wabern (Bern) there are two five-colour coater versions (one of which is brand new) with extended deliveries in operation. Zurich-based Comprinta, the prod-uct of a cooperative alliance among Neidhart + Schön Group, Druck-erei Feldegg and Bühler Druck, fired up two high-end Rapidas – an eight-colour version with coater

and a six-colour version with coater and perfecting after the second unit – at the beginning of last year. And on 1 August a ten-colour Rap-ida 106 for five-backing-five rolled into action at old-established Zu-rich printer GDZ. The contract is a keystone in GDZ’s strategic development. Head of technology Urs Zieri says: “Originally we had planned to re-place our old web offset press with a new 16-page model, but shifts in the commercial market caused

us to rethink our objectives. Price erosion in the web offset sector has accelerated sharply in recent years. Competition, particularly from across the border, is increasingly aggressive. We concluded that the only way to address these changes was to expand our commercial ac-tivities to include specialist and val-ue-added products. There is also a clear shift towards smaller circula-tions and greater complexity. After conducting an exhaustive analysis we chose a high-performance ten-

Klaus SchmidtEnquiries: [email protected]

KBA instructor Roman Lohse (l) with the GDZ press crew at the new ten-colour Rapida 106

colour sheetfed perfector press from Koenig & Bauer, which offers us fresh and interesting perspec-tives.”

Engineering excellence for ambitious aimsThe investment package for the Rapida 106 encompasses an ar-ray of automation modules that includes a DriveTronic feeder, DriveTronic SIS no-sidelay infeed, a lightweight capability for paper from 40gsm (less than 30lb book), DriveTronic SPC dedicated plate-cylinder drives for simultaneous plate changes in less than sixty seconds, DriveTronic Plate Ident for automatic preregistration, Den-siTronic Professional spectral and densitometric colour measurement and control, a LogoTronic Profes-sional server with central data-base for linking pre-press, order handling and administration, and QualiTronic inline colour measure-ment and control. The press is con-figured with an AirTronic delivery incorporating a high-performance venturi sheet-guide system, and is linked to a Betz ColorTrans central ink-pumping system.

Print Assist md Peter J Rickenmann (l) and GDZ director Urs Zieri with a model of the ten-colour Rapida 106

Prior to firing up the high-tech KBA press GDZ conducted an original poster campaign among existing and prospective customers

Sheetfed Offset | Switzerland

Report 39 | 20114

Packaging Printing | China

Five-colour Rapida 162 at Lihua Color Printing in Kunshan

Packaging giant moves into large format with KBAChinese packaging giant Lihua Color Printing (Kunshan) has made a successful move into large format with a five-colour

Rapida 162. It is the sixth KBA litho press at this major customer’s production plant in Kunshan. Its expansion into large

format reflects a national trend: last year KBA, which leads the field in this format, shipped over 30 big Rapidas to China.

Selection of Lihua Color Printing’s diverse products

T he five B1 (41in) Rapida 104 and 105 presses that Lihua Color Printing has installed

since 2000 have helped it establish a strong position among Chinese packaging printers.

Full sail ahead with Rapida fleetThe company is a fine example of soaring growth in the Chinese printing industry. Situated in Kunshan’s economic and techni-cal development zone, Lihua was launched in 1996 with a starting capital of $5m (E3.5m) and evolved with dazzling speed into one of the biggest packaging printers in the country. Early investment in cut-ting-edge Western pre-press, press and finishing technology furnished the foundations for quality excel-lence and capacity boosts to meet rising demand. By 2007 the firm had outgrown its premises and re-located to a 14-hectare (34.6-acre) site that was ten times larger.

Boom in packaging printingTo handle annual growth rates of 15 to 20 per cent the workforce was increased to more than 1,300. And even though competition is hotting up, management is target-ing substantial gains over the new few years. This autumn a dedicated packaging printing plant will be in-augurated in the city of Sui Ning (Sichuan province), creating a fur-ther 1,000 jobs. Lihua Color Printing makes four types of product: packaging, labels, instruction manuals and folding cartons. At present packag-ing is its primary line of business, accounting for 50 per cent of total output, and counting. The com-pany has cornered a big share of the market for computer and elec-tronic packaging, and its customer base includes global brands like Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, Hewlett-Packard and Acer. It exports almost its entire output. Factory director Zhengqing Liu and chief operations officer Jetson Chai value their close contacts with KBA and the regional branch of its Chinese sales and service agency, KBA Printing Machinery Shanghai. Says Zhengqing Liu: “Our longstanding experience with the Rapidas has shown that we are not the only ones impressed by

Factory director Zhengqing Liu, chief operations officer Jetson Chai and KBA sales manager for eastern China Huang Nanbiao (l-r) at Lihua’s first large-format press, a five-colour Rapida 162

Report 39 | 2011 5

their performance, quality and reli-ability: our customers increasingly specify KBA presses as a guarantee of quality and punctual delivery. What we like most about KBA is its innovative skill, the speed and cost efficiency of its presses, the qual-ity of the products they print and the competent customer service provided. In a constantly shifting market it is important to have an

electronic goods in a single pass, while extensive automation makes for easy and effective quality con-trol.”

Widespread shift to large-format presses with inline coatingBreathtaking growth in packaging sales were what prompted Lihua to reassess its strategy and targets. Mr Chai explains: “We shall focus more intently on large format as a means of serving the luxury pack-aging sector with even greater efficiency and speed. To this end we shall also be adding further in-line coating capabilities. KBA has the experience that comes from installing countless large-format presses and will play a major role in our plans for the new plant we are inaugurating this autumn in Sui Ning.”

Gerhard [email protected]

Thanks to intensive training by KBA instructors, the press crew soon mastered the new LF presses

The successful association between Lihua Color Printing and KBA started in 2000 with a five-colour Rapida 104

experienced vendor capable of delivering the technology needed to meet customers’ growing de-mands, and willing to provide as-sistance on a day-to-day basis.”

Exploiting the market leader’s unique offeringsThese were also the reasons for Lihua Color Printing’s expansion into large format. Jetson Chai says:

“KBA is the leading vendor in this format and has both the necessary know-how and depth of experi-ence. The huge jump in the num-ber of large-format installations in China is no aberration – such presses offer some unique features that enable us to move ahead of our competitors. With the new Rapida we can produce large-scale packaging for computers and other

Four Rapida 105 presses for four, five and six colours have been strutting their stuff in Lihua Color Printing’s production halls for some years now

Lihua Color Printing currently has around 1,300 employees, and when it opens a new plant in the city of Sui Ning (Sichuan) it will add a further 1,000

Following dramatic growth Lihua Color Printing in Kunshan relocated to a 14-hectare site by Lake Yangcheng in 2007

Report 39 | 20116

Sheetfed Offset | Italy

Printing plastic on a Rapida 106

Tipolitografica CS stimulates innovationAt the end of last year longstanding KBA user Tipolitografica CS in Padua fired up a Rapida 106 with a coating and drying unit, six printing units, a second

coater and triple delivery extension for UV printing on film and plastics. Tipolitografica has long been the market leader in Italy for film printing and is also

a major international player. Its plant in Via Perù prints banknotes, toy figures, telephone cards, tin cans, lenticular film and commercial products.

Company head Sergio Cecchin waxes lyrical when describing the company’s history: “In the

beginning there was the enthusi-asm of two people who wanted to establish something of their own. In 1981 a partner and I took over an existing enterprise, which at that time was a small-scale opera-tion with just two B3-format mono presses.”

Strengths of a family businessCecchin later bought out his part-ner and brought in his two sons, Alessandro and Federico. Today Federico is in charge of administra-tion and Alessandro is responsible for all financial aspects, while their father continues to dedicate him-self to technology and production. Their mother, Irose, also works in the family business, which now em-ploys 37 people. The mono presses were soon replaced by four-colour

presses which in turn made way for presses with an even greater colour capacity, all from KBA. As a result Tipolitografica CS has succeeded

in boosting its sales volumes year after year. Federico Cecchin takes up the tale: “Tipolitografica CS is based

on a business model that is typi-cally found in northeast Italy. We have adapted to market demands and expanded without sacrificing

Sergio Cecchin, Graziano Mion of KBA-Italia, Marco Greggio and Lorenzo Gardin of Tipolitografica CS and Pietro Randazzo of KBA-Italia (l-r) pictured at the Rapida 106 during press acceptance

Website: www.tipocs.com

Federico (l), Sergio and Irose Cecchin at their new Rapida 106 with special plastic-printing capabilities

Below: Sergio Cecchin’s La Gondola award from 2010 and, below it, the innovative printpad launched by Tipolitografica CS this year with the aim of stimulating new ideas in the print industry

Report 39 | 2011 7

the family character. That is one of our strengths.” The breakthrough came when the company started specialising in printing on plastic and PVC. Sergio Cecchin recalls: “We had the courage to make the transition from traditional offset products to niche offerings, and were well rewarded. That is be-cause we entered the business when synthetics were still mainly being printed using silkscreen. We were the only operation using off-set. Today there is a lot of competi-tion, but our experience enables us to offer products of a much higher quality.” The company’s business rela-tionship with KBA dates right back to the very beginning, and long years of working together have made it more like a partnership. “Both KBA-Italia and the main plant in Germany have given us out-standing service and support in de-veloping UV technology. They have proven both reliable and compe-tent in handling every investment

Manuela [email protected]

project,” says a delighted Sergio Cecchin.

Two coaters for more stunning effectsThe latest addition at Tipolito-grafica is a six-colour Rapida 106 with two coaters, a dryer and tri-ple extended delivery. In addition to a UV package and the ability to print synthetics and particularly thick substrates the press boasts automatic plate changing and Den-siTronic Professional ink-density measurement and control. “As a leading player in this sector we are determined to keep ahead in the technology stakes, so we’re upgrading our entire press fleet,” adds Federico Cecchin. “We want to boost sales by optimising how we utilise our resources. Outside Italy, most of our customers are in the Netherlands, Germany and France.” Five years ago Tipolitografica CS launched an advertising cam-paign to raise its corporate profile and promote awareness of its ca-

South Africa, this year Tipolitogra-fica brought out the printpad. The name evokes associations with the iPad, which it resembles in both format and layout. Basically it is a perpetual appointment calendar cum sketch book offering a pleth-ora of fresh ideas for the print me-dia industry within its pages. Says Federico Cecchin: “We worked on these projects with external design studios and with our suppliers. They are our partners and consti-tute a major competitive advan-tage, whether it’s a matter of raw materials or, as in the case of KBA, technology.” In 2010 Sergio Cecchin car-ried off the prestigious La Gondola award, which honours enterprises that have made their mark through innovation and unusual applica-tions or are considered exemplary representatives of their sector.

pabilities. “Initially we placed ads in the trade press, and followed this up with calendars which were popular with a lot of companies for their own promotions and as marketing instruments.” The Cec-chin family proudly displays a few examples: a photographic calendar, a “Life Seasons” calendar depict-ing the ages of man, and “Alice in Wonderland”– a small masterpiece published in advance of Tim Bur-ton’s film in collaboration with a South African design studio. This modern version of Alice’s adven-tures is illustrated in twelve hand-made plaques, each demonstrating a different technique, for example hybrid, UV, flock transfer and re-sist printing. In 2009 the company adopted a cubic form and in tan-dem with chef and inventor More-no Cedroni developed a series of Chinese boxes, all printed on PVC.

Award-winning ideasFollowing a further calendar cel-ebrating the football World Cup in

Ambitious expansion plans in packaging printing

Lucaprint Group upgrades plant in Pordenone with Rapida 106Lucaprint Group, one of Italy’s leading packaging printers, has

recently upgraded the press room at one of its subsidiaries,

Sa.Ge.Print in Pordenone, with the addition of a new Rapida

106. Established in 1953, Lucaprint employs 120 people and

posts annual sales of around E17m ($24.3m). The investment

is part of a group-wide innovation initiative.

The Lucaprint group, which has been in the packaging business for more than fifty years, numbers some high-profile companies among its customers

Report 39 | 20118

Sheetfed Offset | Italy

Based in northern Italy, along-side Sa.Ge.Print in Friuli and its own plant in Veneto

Lucaprint has a third production plant, WorkUp, which is also in Veneto. Together they offer a com-plete service from the initial draft to printing, finishing and distribu-tion. Although the packaging mar-ket did not escape the economic crisis unscathed, the Lucaprint group maintained its growth curve unperturbed. Since last year it has been pursuing plans to expand abroad. The target is to export as much as 30 per cent of its output – initially to France and northern Eu-rope but rapidly followed by Brazil and India. The Lucaprint group makes folding cartons and packaging from solid and laminated board, available with a choice of special features. Other products include shop win-dow and floor displays, catalogues, brochures, ring binders, books and other publications. It also offers a complete service for implementing internet projects. Customers come from the cosmetics, pharmaceuti-cal, optical and food processing industries. Lucaprint, which is based in Pi-anezze, specialises in large-format packaging, most of which is printed on a Rapida 162a six-colour coater press and another large-format KBA press. Sa.Ge.Print in Pordenone specialises in the production of small-format folding cartons and packaging along with high-grade commercials.

Accreditations galore“We are one of the biggest packag-ing printing groups in Italy, and our primary objective has always been to deliver consistent quality excel-lence,” stresses group president Dr Alberto Luca. “We are keen to maintain the outstanding quality of our products and ensure that we can satisfy constantly shifting mar-ket demands.” The result is a long list of ac-creditations and certificates: “We believe they are crucial – just think of food safety, for instance,” ex-plains Dr Luca. “We were among the first companies in the sector to achieve EN ISO 9001 accredi-tation back in the mid-1990s.” In 2008 Lucaprint added EN ISO

14001:2004 environmental cer-tification, and a year later its en-deavours towards food safety ac-creditation were rewarded when it

Manuela [email protected]

The equipment upgrade at the refurbished plant in Pordenone includes a six-colour Rapida 106 coater press with extended delivery and board handling capability

Website: www.lucaprintgroup.com

Alberto Luca (left), president of the Lucaprint group, and Giuseppe Augiero, a member of the Sa.Ge.Print management board, are delighted with the new Rapida 106

became the first enterprise in Italy to be granted EN 15593 certifica-tion, a major international standard governing hygiene management in

the production of food packaging. Lucaprint’s most recent certifica-tion was EN ISO 22000 In 2010. The production plant in Porde-none has been completely refur-bished and upgraded. The Rapida 106, which is a six-colour version with a coater, delivery extension and board printing capability, is just one piece of new equipment.

Business links with KBA date back 15 yearsGiuseppe Augiero, a member of the Sa.Ge.Print management board, says: “We enhance our quality standards on an ongoing basis, which is only possible with cutting-edge technology. The Rapida 106 is part of an automation strategy for our plant that will enable our en-tire production chain, from goods reception to order fulfilment and warehousing, to be managed auto-matically via the web.” When the new investment package was first tabled, enquiries were sent to a number of vendors, but Lucaprint’s positive experience with its exist-ing Rapida162a is what tipped the balance in favour of KBA. “We are totally satisfied with KBA technol-ogy. Our business links with KBA date back more than fifteen years to the purchase of a B0 press. That is one reason why we wish to con-tinue the relationship: it is a mat-ter of confidence and trust. We are glad we made this decision.”

Press operators Silverio Valent (left) and Eros Mazzer (right) with company executive Giuseppe Augiero (2nd left), sales manager Claudia Versolato and marketing manager Carmelo Raineri at Sa.Ge.Print’s new Rapida 106

Report 39 | 2011 9

Sheetfed Offset | Internet

KBA Internet-TV: online print promotion

Live transmissions of press demonstrations

How can prospects in remoter regions

see press demos without spending a

lot of time and money travelling to at-

tend them in person? What if they are

simply too busy to come and inspect

a new Rapida at our customer centre

in Radebeul or at one’s of our agents’

showrooms? The answer is internet TV,

which allows press demos in Radebeul

to be transmitted live to remote com-

puter screens, and even allows pros-

pects to influence the demonstration

sequence and content.

This entails cutting-edge tech-nology. Signals from video cameras and sound systems

directly at the press are fed into the network via a video encoder, which processes the data generat-ed during the demo and delivers a live stream which the prospect can watch after logging on to KBA’s In-ternet-TV server via a web browser.

Almost like being thereThe presses at KBA’s customer centre are filmed in such a way as to give viewers the impression that they are there, on site. This modern form of presentation can be used with equal effect during talks with customers and at trade events or fairs. The remote viewer can communicate directly with the presenter at the press, pose ques-tions and even request a change in sequences or camera settings. In recent months there have been several live transmissions of press demonstrations. Back in the spring of this year, teachers and students at the Höhere Graphische Bundes-Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt

(national college of graphic design) in Vienna watched multiple job changes on a Rapida 75E. Not long after that decision-makers from Austria’s Niederösterreichisches Pressehaus (NÖP) in St. Pölten made a quick trip to KBA-Mödling for a live-stream transmission of production on a ten-colour Rapida 106 in Radebeul, during which four jobs were printed. Dietmar Dörfler, head of NÖP’s newspa-per and sheetfed offset depart-ment, was very impressed. He said: “KBA is constantly surprising

us with world firsts, and we think this presentation model is great. The internet allowed us to observe and assess makeready, production, sheet run and quality monitoring, in other words all the key press pa-rameters.” The streaming of makeready and production sequences, flying job changes and QualiTronic inline colour control via the internet can be used to deliver real-time pro-duction images during discussions with prospects on technical and commercial aspects. This economi-

Martin Dä[email protected]

Wolfram Zehnle, head of KBA’s customer centre, hosting a print demonstration on a ten-colour Rapida 106

cal and highly efficient tool is a fine example of how online media can be exploited to promote print. Live press demos via KBA In-ternet-TV are available worldwide wherever there is an adequate in-ternet connection.

A delegation from Niederösterreichisches Pressehaus keenly watching a press demo via KBA Internet-TV on a screen at KBA-Mödling

Report 39 | 201110

Sheetfed Offset / Packaging printing

Interesting innovations at technology update in Radebeul

“Performance is the key” in carton productionOn 5 April some 300 print providers and buyers from 16 countries gathered in Radebeul for an update on innovations in

manufacturing and finishing folding cartons for food and non-food products. Organised jointly by KBA, Smurfit Kappa

Carton and Epple Druckfarben under the banner “Performance is the key”, the event focussed on consumables, print pro-

duction, finishing and logistics.

Smurfit Kappa Carton sales di-rector Steffen A Rapp set the ball rolling with a quick run-

down on the virtues of Multiprint and Twin Coat recycled board, de-scribing them as high-performance. Until now this term has usually ap-plied to board made of virgin fibres, but these two new products closely resemble coated chromo board in terms of both print performance and surface qualities. They both have a high degree of whiteness, good opacity, optimum absorbency, a smooth surface and high gloss. Layer integrity during impression is good and there is very little blanket contamination from paper dust, so cleaning intervals are exceptionally long and press capacity can be ex-ploited to the full.

New recycled board from Smurfit Kappa conserves resourcesRecycled board is a resource-friend-ly product, being made not only from renewable raw materials, but reusable ones as well. It is also far less energy-intensive to produce than virgin board, and can be used to package all types of products, even foodstuffs. So it is a viable al-ternative to virgin board. Antje Kersten, a chemist from Darmstadt University specialis-ing in papermaking and mechani-cal processing technology, gave a talk on defining, evaluating and reducing the use of mineral oils in food packaging. Research has shown that food packed in cartons may contain traces of mineral oils whose potentially negative impact for the consumer is not yet known. Such traces of mineral oil may stem from the inks used to print the car-tons, or from recycled board with a high newsprint content. Antje Ker-sten explained how the presence of mineral oils in the various offset processes depends on the composi-tion of the printing inks used. On pages 16 to 18 of this issue of Re-port there is an article on how to reduce the migration of such oils.

Low odour, migration-neutral printing inks from Epple and KBAMatteo Piller, product manager for packaging inks at Epple, gave a briefing on two migration-neu-tral ink series, BoFood MU and SensPrint MU.

Today’s migration-neutral inks are the product of a multiphase de-velopment process that started with low-odour inks (Epple’s GA series), which have excellent organoleptic (sensory) and printing properties, do not cause swelling and contain no mineral oils. This makes them suitable for non-food packaging, secondary food packaging, primary packaging with a functional barrier and primary packaging if approved by an independent body. The next step was low-migration inks such as CareFood MAW, which satisfy all legal requirements in Europe and are therefore suitable for direct-contact food packaging. But the ul-timate printing inks for food pack-aging are migration-neutral ones,

at present available solely from Ep-ple. The only potentially migratory ingredients in SensPrint MU and BoFood MU are foodstuffs or food additives. The same binding agent ensures that the ink penetrates fast and prints well. BoFood MU and SensPrint MU (which has been specifically optimised for use on Rapida presses) thus comply with all current and foreseeable legal re-quirements and demands from the food sector. Performance and cost efficien-cy in packaging printing were the subject of a talk by Jürgen Veil, KBA head of sheetfed marketing and product management. He fo-cussed on two aspects – cutting makeready times when printing

packaging on our popular B1 (41in) Rapida 106, and new features in large-format sheetfed offset. DriveTronic components for this format already include KBA’s sidelay-free Sensoric Infeed Sys-tem, which reduces makeready time by dispensing with setting and marking, and has a tolerance range of ±7mm (0.27in), more than any other pull system. This dramatically reduces the risk of stoppages. And there are no lead-ing-edge errors because the sheets are not pulled sideways and so can no longer tear. DriveTronic SPC ac-celerates the makeready process by cutting plate-changing time to vir-tually zero, since it operates simul-taneously with other makeready

300 print pros attended a “Performance is the key” technology update in Radebeul organised by KBA, Epple and Smurfit Kappa. Pictured speaking there is Dirk Winkler, head of KBA’s print technology department, who examined the benchmark tests and product advances preceding KBA’s entry into the consumables business

Hands on: attendees of examining the individual layers in specially prepared samples of recycled board

Wilfried Grieger of Walter Grieger Offsetdruck in Nettetal was one of many who took part in a lively exchange between trade pros and speakers

Matteo Piller, product manager for packaging inks at Epple Inks, gave a briefing on the development of migration-neutral inks

Report 39 | 2011 11

processes. DriveTronic Plate Ident promotes reliability by identifying the plates during the changing se-quence, presetting registration and conducting a plausibility check be-tween the plate and the job.

Simultaneous makeready processes boost output and efficiencyKBA’s CleanTronic Synchro allows the impression cylinders, blanket cylinders and rollers in Rapida presses to be washed simultane-ously – and, on the Rapida 106 with SPC dedicated individual drives, during a plate change. This can deliver a further saving of some 30 per cent. It is also possible to wash the impression and blanket cylinders simultaneously, or the blanket cylinder in half the time with two washing bars, on a large-format press, thus saving valuable time. A complete change of plates on a large-format KBA press takes around two-and-a-half minutes, in-cluding resetting register to zero. An automatic change of coating plates on a Rapida is much faster than on comparable makes of press. Plastic films to cover the ink ducts cut cleaning times during

ink changes. And a new energy-efficient dryer, VariDryBLUE, reduces heat generation and the volume of exhaust air through heat recovery. This cuts both costs and carbon emissions. Nonstop automatic sys-tems at the feeder and delivery, combined with automated logis-tics, make the Rapidas highly ef-ficient, cost-effective packaging presses. But this is a well-known fact in the industry.

KBA PressConsum: tested consumables from RadebeulAt the tech event we also offi-cially announced KBA’s entry into the consumables business. Print chemicals, blankets, inks and many other products for litho presses are now available under the brand name KBA PressConsum. All the products selected have been benchmark-tested and optimised in collaboration with the manufactur-ers. Some KBA users have already run successful tests in the press room. PressConsum consumables are also used in our customer cen-tre, for press acceptance tests, at trade fairs and for customer train-ing. This means that any quality fluctuations can be detected and remedied in good time. Packaging

printers will be interested to know that the range includes Epple’s SensPrint MU migration-neutral inks, which were developed exclu-sively for KBA. All medium- and large-format Rapidas for European customers will be shipped with a PressCon-sum starter kit complete with an order form to ensure a reliable supply. Initially this service will be limited to Germany, Austria and Belgium while we establish the necessary logistics network. Oth-er countries will be added in due course.

Two hours of high-performance packaging productionThe theoretical talks were followed by practical demonstrations at our customer centre, where members of the trade witnessed the smooth interaction of the three companies’ presses and consumable. A plinth-mounted Rapida 106 with auto-mated pile logistics printed a com-memorative poster on Twin Coat

350gsm GT carton (160lb Bristol). The press was then rapidly convert-ed to print chocolate boxes in four scale colours plus gold, with an aqueous coating. In less than one hour 18,000 sheets were trans-ported at high speed through the press from seven pallets, with the piles at both ends being changed automatically. The sequence was subsequent-ly repeated on a large-format Rapi-da 142, which first printed a poster and then applied Euroscale inks, a special green and aqueous coating to frozen food packaging made of Multiprint GD2 400gsm carton-board (250lb tag). Here, too, non-stop components and a substrate logistics system were in operation. A total of twelve piles with 15,000 sheets apiece were provided for one hour’s production. Both press-es were run with migration-neutral SensPrint MU packaging inks.


Jürgen Veil explained the sequences involved in producing food packaging with Multiprint

Wolfram Zehnle, head of the customer centre, hosted print demos during which the delivery piles were also changed automatically

Nonstop pile changes at 18,000sph on a Rapida 106 printing Twin Coat board

Attendees were seriously impressed by nonstop pile changes at the maximum speed of 15,000sph in large format, too

Report 39 | 201112

Sheetfed Offset | Specialities

Rapida 106 at Format Werk, Austria

Exercise books for EuropeShortly before 9am a party of 50 schoolchildren is welcomed to Format Werk in Gunskirchen, Austria. Over the

next few hours they will be shown around the factory that produces most of their exercise books and writing

pads, they’ll paint pictures and make some interesting things. And they’ll be fascinated by the big presses, which

include a Rapida 106. For Format Werk, this is a routine occurrence: around 3,500 children visit every year.

Format Werk is Austria’s big-gest producer of school and of-fice stationery, with an annual

output of 12,700 tonnes (13,970 US tons) that includes 35 million exercise books. Sixty per cent of its output is exported, mainly to Switzerland, Scandinavia, the Ben-elux states and Germany. The real organisational challenge lies in the company’s product diversity. In Austria a standard exercise book has 40 pages with blue ruling, in Germany 32 pages with grey ruling. There are standard and intermedi-ate formats, and long production runs alongside ultra-short ones. Format Werk produces 600 arti-cles under its own brands, 1,700 private label articles and around 2,000 calendars and diaries.

Perfect organisationFormat Werk’s key competence lies in its lean and highly automated production chain. In other words: uninterrupted makeready and changes of format, ruling, corner design, pagination, paper type etc. Format Werk has 10,000m² (107,640ft²) of production floor space, including a finished-goods store. The logistics are impressive: automated guided vehicles (AGVs) deliver the reels and bring the finished goods with scarcely room to turn. Not a single employee or forklift truck is to be seen in this sophisticated materials flow.

Fast job changes and quality excellenceThe highly automated Rapida 106 is the only litho press on the premises. It features no-sidelay DriveTronic SIS infeed, simultane-ous plate changing and an array of modules to accelerate job changes. It primarily prints covers. “The Rapida 106 represented a quantum leap in technology,” says manag-ing partner Thomas Riemer. Last year it printed around 20 million items in two-shift operation, with makeready accounting for just over 25 per cent of the total time. The previous litho press required three shifts for the same output. Covers for 36,000 A6 writ-ing pads can be printed on just 1,000 sheets with the Rapida 106, while a million exercise books take 250,000 sheets. It can print sub-

Virtually all copies are coated inline, with a cut-out for areas that are to be written on. This de-mands frequent changes of coating formes, which with the Rapida’s semi-automatic system can be ac-complished in just two minutes.

Green production a core focusThe number of eco labels relating to Format Werk’s products is huge

and varies according to the end consumers’ country, from Austria’s Ecolabel to Germany’s Blue Angel, the Nordic Swan, FSC and PEFC accreditation and climate-neutral print production. Around 25 per cent of total output is produced using ClimatePartner’s climate-neutral processes. Digital media and reading de-vices notwithstanding, paper prod-ucts are a growth market and in recent years exports have helped Format Werk boost sales substan-tially. In 2000 the firm posted sales worth E14m (at that time worth $15.4m); today the figure is over E22m ($32.6m). The company’s smart, well-maintained factory has been regularly extended to support growth. Thomas Riemer says: “One of our primary concerns is that people should enjoy being here.” He has evidently achieved this goal with new customers as well.


Website: www.formatwerk.com

Fourth-year pupils from Rose School in Attnang-Puchheim at the Rapida 106

strates weighing 70 to 300gsm (35lb book to 110lb cover). Inline colour control with Qua-liTronic was a key specification. If a shop displays five separate batches of the same product on its shelves there must be no visible differenc-es among them. Inline colour con-trol eliminates colour deviations, and the percentage of returns has tumbled with the Rapida 106.

Managing partner Thomas Riemer (r) and managing director Christian Moser experienced a quantum leap in sheetfed offset technology with the highly automated Rapida 106

Format Werk’s modern, well-maintained and regularly extended premises in Gunskirchen, Austria

Report 39 | 2011 13

Sheetfed Offset | Austria

World makeready champion in action in Upper Austria

Hs-Druck on growth curve with ten-colour Rapida 106Founded seventeen years ago in Hohenzell, near Ried, hs-Druck has evolved

from a four-man enterprise into a 60-employee business with 3,000m² (around

31,000ft²) of production space. At the end of January joint managing directors

Helmut Hörmanseder and Herbert Seidl fired up their first Rapida 106. The ten-

colour perfector press for five-backing-five boasts a high level of automation and

all the other features that define a world makeready champion.

Hs-Druck looks back on a turbu-lent past. After setting up the business, gaining a foothold

in the fiercely competitive com-mercial market proved a Herculean task. But right from the start the two founders and managing direc-tors saw themselves as service pro-viders, with timely delivery, qual-ity and a fast turnaround their top priorities. It is this outlook that has fuelled growth. Hs-Druck prints a raft of products ranging from busi-ness cards to bulky catalogues. Its main line of business is literature for the tourist trade. A fulfilment spin-off offers customised distribu-tion services for hoteliers and tour-ist associations, and mails 20,000 to 30,000 items per day. Hs-Druck can also handle logistics: its fin-

ished-goods store alone has 350 pallet slots.

Whatever the job – speed is of the essenceThe B1 (41in) Rapida 106’s hour came when Hörmanseder and Seidl started searching for a cost-effec-tive new press capable of handling both short-run work and longer runs of 500 to 50,000 sheets. It had to be a ten-colour version to allow the fifth units to be used for coat-ing, perforating or special colours for catalogues. Otherwise anything that cut changeover times was a must – for example DriveTronic SPC for simultaneous plate chang-ing and blanket washing. “Dedi-cated plate cylinder drives revo-lutionised sheetfed offset,” says a delighted Helmut Hörmanseder. “The ten plates on the Rapida 106 can be changed faster than the five plates on our other medium-format press.” A flying job change capabil-ity will streamline the production of instruction manuals, which have around 160 pages and print runs of 3,000 copies. The two partners also value the no-sidelay infeed: “We had often had trouble identifying the pull lay during the second pass and where ink densities were higher,” explains Herbert Seidl. “With side-lay-free infeed this is no longer an issue.”

Rapida 106 creates reserve shiftPreviously the company operated two B1 presses in three shifts, but now most of the work is done on the Rapida 106. As a result week-end production, which was more or less a permanent necessity, has been dropped and this has reduced labour costs substantially, which in turn has cut printing costs. Produc-tivity has also soared with the new Rapida, freeing up shift time that can be used to handle the seasonal fluctuations in business that are typical of the tourist trade. Between 31 January and mid-June the Rapida 106 printed over ten million sheets or almost 400 jobs using 550 formes. QualiTronic Professional inline quality control has slashed overcounts. For repeat jobs less than 200 sheets are gener-ally calculated, compared with 600 previously. And makeready for a perfecting job takes no longer than for a standard job. It is here that the modern, high-tech Rapida 106 demonstrates its enormous output. At present the Rapida operates with reduced levels of alcohol in the fount solution (3.5 instead of 8 per cent), but can also run alco-hol-free. Eliminating alcohol emis-sions from the press room was yet another point in its favour among production staff, who were closely involved in the choice of press. Au-tomation, ease of operation and the

reduced workload associated with integrated quality monitoring have all contributed to employees’ en-thusiasm for the new press. All-in service for tourist industry Hörmanseder and Seidl offer their customers an all-in service extend-ing from the initial concept, pho-tography, design and marketing to mailing at cheaper, high-volume rates, and personalisation via digital print. Working with allied companies in Salzburg enables the company to sustain an image as a universal provider and achieve bet-ter margins than are possible pure-ly as a printer. Tourist literature is still a growth market, and in 2010 experienced a double-digit increase in sales from which hs-Druck also benefited.

Website: www.hs-druck.at


Since relocating to its present premises in 1998 Hs-Druck in Hohenzell near Ried has expanded capacity three times

Joint managing directors Herbert Seidl and Helmut Hörmanseder examining a 4/4 printed sheet off their new Rapida 106

For press operator Andreas Strasser, printing 15,000 sheets in perfecting mode is no rocket science, and thanks to inline quality control there is always plenty of time to remove the printed piles

Report 39 | 201114

Sheetfed Offset | Germany

Rhiem Druck in Voerde trusts in cutting-edge KBA technology

Packaging for the whole worldPackaging is more crucial than ever before to the success of a product. The bewildering array of similar goods at the point of

sale (PoS) demands packaging that enhances the visual impact and creates a positive image. This in turn demands a keen

awareness by packaging manufacturers of the challenges posed, and the skill to overcome them. For the Rhiem group in

Voerde, these two qualities have contributed in no small part to its success in this sector. The group employs 480 people in

Germany and also works closely with a large number of specialist operations in the international marketplace.

The Rhiem group’s subsidiaries – Rhiem Druck, Rhiem Inter-media and Rhiem Services –

offer customers an all-in package from the initial concept and con-sultation to the finished product, using cutting-edge pre-press, press, finishing and fulfilment systems complete with inventory manage-ment, warehousing, logistics and

a raft of other services. Rhiem’s activities are not restricted to printing paper and various types of board. It also has deep-draw sys-tems, produces and laminates cor-rugated board, and makes blister packaging. Rhiem Druck, which has a pay-roll of 80, was established by Franz Rhiem and has specialised in pack-

aging since its inception. In the course of its development the com-pany has acquired a string of qual-ity and environmental certificates (DIN ISO 9001:2008, FSC, PEFC, Fogra-Zert). Franz’s two sons, Dr Stefan and Franz junior, expanded the business to embrace fulfilment services. Today, 21 years later, this owner-run company is a glob-

ally active service provider. Blister packaging and corrugated cartons are just two of the many kinds of packaging Rhiem Druck produces. It also prints commercials, advertis-ing literature, brochures and mar-keting documentation.

Flexible and innovativeThe finishing department is no less innovative than the pressroom. Cel-lophaning, laminating, window-glu-ing, blister- and carton-processing, die-cutting and gluing machines for making folding cartons dominate the scene. The carton-gluing ma-chines have a special attachment for applying hot glue plus a silicon strip and pull thread. The primary objective is to create packaging not purely as protection for the con-tents but as a promotional tool for

The Rhiem group – a service provider for every application

Established as a printing plant in 1958, Rhiem has evolved into an owner-managed fulfilment servic-es provider with headquarters in Voerde (North Rhine-Westphalia) and operations in North America, Asia and Europe. The Rhiem group comprises five German companies with a total of 480 employees: Rhiem Druck, Rhiem Services, Rhiem Intermedia, Rhiem Distri-bution Systems and PPS Solutions. The group’s activities include pro-ject engineering, printing, blister and CD/DVD production, media-on-demand, fulfilment, logistics, reverse logistics, marketing sup-port and e-commerce. Its services encompass planning, organisation, procurement, printing, finishing, packaging, storage, picking and distribution. This enables custom-ers to sell their products all over the world. Rhiem sees itself as a consultant and implementer of customer-specific solutions. It of-fers professional support from the initial idea through process defini-tion to implementation.

Rhiem Druck managing director Dirk Nondorf (2nd l), press operator Martin Storm (2nd r) and director of business development and sales Ulrich Treiber (r) are delighted with their two new Rapida 106 presses and the service provided by KBA and its representative Jürgen Fischenich (l), head of KBA’s northwest sales unit

The press room at Rhiem Druck in Voerde, where the two Rapida 106 presses have proven to be more productive than the three older presses they replaced

Report 39 | 2011 15

customers. These are essentially big industrial enterprises specialis-ing in IT, health care, pharmaceuti-cals, food and consumer goods. Their quality specs for printed products are correspondingly high, with coating and other types of finishing considered standard fea-tures. Summing up, managing di-rector Dirk Nondorf says: “Basically we fulfil customers’ wishes, which means we produce in-house every-thing required to give packaging – and thus the product it contains – a visual impact that will appeal to consumers and prompt a desire to buy.” Dr Peter Lorenzi, managing director of Rhiem Services, adds:

“We plan and devise customised, practicable concepts and provide support right through from the ini-tial idea to its successful implemen-tation.”

Cutting-edge press technologyIn addition to customary pre-press hardware and software Rhiem uses Erpa CAD software for two-dimensional packaging design and engineering, and SolidWorks for 3-D designs. The production data are sent via a Prinergy workflow system to the two B1 format (41in) ctp platesetters. The CIP4 data re-quired for press preset are gener-ated at the same time. Dirk Non-

Michael [email protected]

Website: www.rhiem.com

The equipment in the spacious finishing department includes carton-gluing machines with useful extras such as a special attachment for applying hot glue complete with a silicon strip and pull thread

dorf says: “Alongside a much faster press set-up this results in up to 50 per cent fewer waste sheets. With CIP4 we have also seen an enor-mous improvement in reproductive accuracy within each job and be-tween original and repeat jobs. The presses feature inline measuring systems, enabling us to maintain our high standards of quality, speed and flexibility during production.” These high standards are sup-ported by the two new Rapida 106 sheetfed presses: a five-colour ver-sion with DriveTronic SIS no-side-lay infeed, fully automated plate changing, a board-handling capabil-ity and inline colour pumping, and a seven-colour version with the same features plus film- and plastic-printing package. Both presses are embedded in a LogoTronic Profes-sional management information system. Installed in October 2010, they can print up to 18,000 sheets per hour and handle substrates from 0.06mm to 1.2mm thick (2pt to 48pt), so they can be used for a huge variety of products. The ad-ditional inking units allow special and metallic colours (eg gold and silver) to be printed in a single pass alongside process colours. Optional extras such as coating and UV sys-tems allow high-end inline finish-ing. The Rapida 106 presses deliver further benefits in terms of produc-tivity, operation and cost efficiency thanks to highly efficient washing systems, automated changes of coating plates, console-controlled coating feed and the ability to dis-engage inking units not required for the current job. These can cut makeready times by as much as 40 to 60 per cent, depending on job

complexity. Rhiem Druck is thus able to print shorter, more diversi-fied jobs much more economically.

The right decisionRhiem Druck installed a second-hand Rapida 105 five-colour coater press back in 2004 and retrofitted it with UV systems. The aim was to secure a competitive edge in terms of quality and turnaround by offering UV and hybrid coating to address more ambitious packag-ing specs. Management was so im-pressed by the KBA technology that the decision was made to invest in two more Rapidas, this time new-generation models. The two new Rapida 106s re-placed three older presses. Their installation enabled the company to take advantage of an energy-efficiency promotional programme. The result: lower costs, faster pro-duction, cutting-edge printing and inline coating and much greater flexibility in accommodating cus-tomers’ wishes. After well over six months of production, Dirk Nondorf is con-vinced that installing KBA technol-ogy was the right move: “Prior to making the investment we visited KBA’s plant in Radebeul and had a whole series of tests run. In daily production we found that these genuinely translated into practice. Just three days after the presses were commissioned we knew we’d bought the right kit. With KBA we have the feeling that we are treated as individuals. We have presses that are custom-built for us and our pro-duction scenario.”

The presses run up to saleable colour in just a few sheets and deliver an outstanding print quality, as Michael von Minden in the pre-press department ascertains during sheet inspection

Press operator Martin Storm, managing director Dirk Nondorf and director of business development and sales Ulrich Treiber (l-r) at the console for the Rapida 106

A machine tool for the blister packaging which Rhiem Druck produces in-house using deep-draw systems, and which is increasingly popular with customers for enhancing the visual impact of their products

Report 39 | 201116

Sheetfed Offset | Process technology

KBA’s low-migration press project

Minimising migration is not just a question of inks and coatingsThe current debate on low-migration packaging printing frequently ignores the fact that there are many causes of contamination, not just of packaging

materials but also of the goods contained. To help the producers of food and pharmaceutical packaging to achieve their ambitious goals, KBA is developing

low-emission printing presses and has expanded the debate to embrace the entire materials flow.

In packaging printing, migration refers to the transfer of unde-sirable substances from the

production process to the surface of the packaging, thus facilitat-ing penetration of the packaged goods by these same substances. In respect of critical goods such as food, indulgence products (tea, coffee, tobacco) and pharmaceu-ticals, undesirable substances are any ingredients which may impair the health of the consumer and/or the taste or smell of the packaged contents. The trouble is that many migratory substances are invisible, or only start migrating after a mat-ter of days or even weeks. So con-tamination of this kind during the printing process is not an obvious quality flaw like ink set-off in the delivery pile or smearing when the carton blanks are die-cut.

Types of migrationSubstances can migrate in a num-ber of different ways.• They may penetrate the packaging and may even permeate through it and surface on the unprinted side.• They may emanate from the layers of ink or coating and pre-

cipitate on the unprinted side of the overlying sheet (set-off).• Iftheambientorpiletempera- ture exceeds their boiling point they may vaporise (gas-phase or vapour migration); this mainly occurs where recycled fibres in the carton packaging contain traces of printing-ink oil.• The ambient atmosphere or microclimate may cause them to be “sweated out” of the substrate (condensation extraction) and recondense on both sides of the sheet.• Theymaybetransferreddirect- ly through mechanical contact between the printed sheet and contaminated press parts, powder spraying, ink misting and/or VOCs (emissions).• They may arise from residues of migration-prone inks or additives on poorly cleaned rollers, or take the form of emulsi- fied alcohol in the ink that is then transferred to the packaging, and from which it may migrate by a different means.• They may be introduced into the printing process as a result of poor hygiene on the part of the press crew.

The risk of migration increases in inverse proportion to:• the viscosity of the substance concerned, eg cleaning agents, IPA;• theshortnessofthemolecular chains – 24 carbon atoms (C24) are considered the upper risk limit for migration-prone hydrocarbons, but mineral oils in printing inks often have fewer than 24;• molecular branching, which is why the decomposition products of some UV photo-initiators give cause for concern. At all events, preventing con-tamination of the unprinted re-verse side of the sheet, ie what will later be the inner surface of the packaging, is essential. Where the folding carton is merely secondary or transport packaging, and the vulnerable contents are protected by primary packaging that forms a reliable barrier (eg pharmaceuti-cal blister packaging, bottles, am-poules etc), migration can gener-ally be ignored. However, primary film packaging can very often be permeated by these substances, in which case the outer packaging must also be migration-free.

Primary source: folding cartonsUp until now debate has chiefly revolved around inks and coat-ings as a source of migration, and the initial response was to urge ink manufacturers to develop low-migration products. This basically meant eliminating mineral oils. However, a study last year by Dr Koni Grob of the Kantonales Labor Zürich (Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich) revealed that inks and coatings are

A Rapida low-migration packaging printing press with an “emissions tested” certificate issued by the BG: PW – pallets from the washing unit; PU – ink-mist-free and alcohol-reduced printing units with non-contaminating sheet guides and efficient washing technology; VD – VariDry interdeck and end-of-press dryers, with ozone extraction in UV mode; C – contamination-free coating; ECS – Emission Clean System; RP – reduced powder application

To support migration-neutral print production KBA’s PressConsum range includes SensPrint inks and a dampening additive for reducing alcohol levels

Report 39 | 2011 17

not the primary source: packag-ing materials with a high recycled content are four times as likely to be the cause of migration. Grob es-tablished that every single type of folding carton with recycled fibres (GD, GT, GC) exceeded the refer-ence value of 0.6mg per kilogram of food for MOSH (mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons) by a mul-tiple of ten, the average being an ominous 338 mg/kg! Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), which are suspected of causing cancer, averaged a still alarming 97mg/kg. But the type of goods packaged can also facilitate migration. Dry foods such as rice, flour and salt absorb not only moisture but also undesirable substances from the ambient atmosphere. Grob warns that the hazards associated with using cartons as the primary pack-aging for such foods increase with storage. Migration is therefore not just an issue that ink manufacturers must address: carton producers and thus brand manufacturers and print buyers must also consider alternatives when selecting pack-aging materials. Composite car-tonboard with barrier layers or a smaller proportion of recycled fibre would be preferable, and best of all virgin fibre board. But there’s a snag: like low-migration inks, these types of board are more expensive.

Printers must also play their partIf other contamination risks are to be excluded, then printshop and press personnel must be fully in-

formed of the sources of migration. Personal hygiene is of the essence where folding cartons for food and pharmaceutical products are han-dled. Clean hands or fresh rubber gloves and cloths are indispensible when cleaning the press, to pre-vent contamination by unsuitable inks and chemicals. If, prior to the food packaging, a normal car-ton was printed using other inks, then the press operator must take particular care when cleaning up to avoid all risk of transfer. The stand-ard practice is to provide clean clothing for personnel, and sterile protective clothing plus antibacte-rial hand cleansers for guests. A domestic standard of cleanliness should be maintained for all the floors, walls and ceiling structures. Cartonboard must be stored in clean, climate-controlled rooms, completely separate from any liq-uids containing VOCs. All piles of printed stock must be covered immediately after impression. The

same high standards of hygiene also apply to the finishing process, for example even the carton glue must contain no migration-prone substances. The form of transport used for delivering the cartonboard and collecting the cartons must be equally immaculate. If diesel fumes from lorries are emitted in the warehouse, they must be ex-tracted. There is no point in using non-migratory virgin board if it is stacked on and printed from dirty pallets. The installation of an on-site pallet-cleaning system is there-fore advisable. It is worth noting here that while synthetic pallets cost more than wooden ones, in the long run they are cheaper be-cause they last much longer – and they are easier to clean. A further issue to be resolved with suppliers of inks, coatings, ad-ditives and washes is whether low-migration and VOC-free products are actually available. “Based on vegetable oil” does not mean that

the product concerned can be used with no further thought. Certain pigments may pose a hazard. And reducing the level of alcohol is only recommended if it can be achieved by modifying the dampening-unit design or using non-hazardous and non-migratory substitutes. Where UV inks and coatings are con-cerned it is worth asking whether the resins used – and thus the pho-to-initiators they contain and their decomposition products – are also non-hazardous and non-migratory. Powder consumption must be re-duced to an absolute minimum where food and drugs packaging is printed. It helps to keep a record when substituting consumables and op-timising the materials flow as a means of reducing migration. Mi-gration audits should also embrace drying technology, since moist or inadequately dried layers of ink and coating may continue to release undesirable substances. Measures to reduce migration should also include ensuring that extractor sys-tems are powerful enough to fulfil their allotted function.

Seven steps to a low-migration pressBecause choosing suitable materi-als only solves part of the problem, and KBA does not want to leave its customers to their own de-vices when it comes to converting to low-migration production, the group has launched a low-migration press project with the aim of ena-bling emissions-tested, migration-neutral folding carton production.

No open containers are permitted in the coating supply system for the Rapida: Harris & Bruno is just one supplier of systems for condi-tioning, pumping and changing low-migration coatings in a contamination-free environment

The need for hygiene applies equally to the pallets, and the choice of systems is huge: the photo above shows a Limex washing plant that also cleans wooden pallets, the photo on the right a stack of synthetic Schoeller Arca pallets on a Kettner conveyor in a food-processing factory

KBA’s two-stage bypass filtering unit removes particles of unwanted substances from the fount-solution circulation system

Report 39 | 201118

Sheetfed Offset | Process technology

This entails systematically analys-ing and modifying specific produc-tion conditions. Step 1: Selection of suitable consumables in accordance with PressConsum recommendations (see KBA Report no. 38). KBA re-cently started offering high-quality inks, fount solutions and other consumables for sheetfed offset under the PressConsum brand. The objective is to optimise production reliability, safety, quality and out-put. Inks and dampening additives are now available that address the demand for fewer emissions and less migration. For example, the PressConsum ink series SensPrint is equivalent to Epple’s migration-neutral BoFood MU series, in which the binding agent is itself a foodstuff and thus may safely come into direct contact with packaged goods. Step 2: Press conversion to less volatile, non-toxic H1 hydraulic oil. H1 is used in the food and pharma-ceutical industries to lubricate all the production machinery. Step 3: Selection of one or two reference types of virgin-fibre boards. Alternatives should be sought to migration-prone carton-board containing recycled fibres. Step 4: Emissions testing at the press by the BG (equivalent of the HSE in the UK and OSHA in the US) using selected consumables: VOCs (volatile organic compounds: IPA and hydrocarbons from clean-

Dieter [email protected]

ing agents, oils, inks and coatings), ink misting, ozone (extraction at UV lamps mandatory), printing powder, noise. A valid BG “emis-sions tested” certificate has been issued for the “eco” version of KBA’s Rapida 74 (the greener fea-tures were also incorporated in its successor, the Rapida 75E), for the Rapida 105, 106 and 130 - 162a (tests were run on a six-colour coater version of the Rapida 142), and also for KBA-MetroPrint’s wa-terless Genius 52UV. The Rapidas’ low-emission de-sign is largely attributable to the following features:• ECS (EmissionCleanSystem), an extractor system available since 2005, which sucks powder and paper dust out of the press;• dampening units engineered to allow low-alcohol or alcohol- free printing using non-hazardous, non-migratory alcohol substitutes (KBA has been offering reliable systems for some years now: a compact, two-stage bypass filter system removes coarse and fine particles from the fount-solution circulating system; fine filters must be changed regularly);• a dampening unit design that eliminates the risk of ink mist, even with UV inks;• automatic washing systems that operate efficiently and with no emissions, whereby

KBA CleanTronic Synchro allows plates and blankets to be washed simultaneously or one blanket faster with two bars;• powerful KBA VariDry dryers engineered to operate effectively at high production speeds – an enhanced version, VariDryBLUE, utilises the heated air in an additional module, thus reducing the volume of air required and the amount of energy consumed by the heating register;• specially selected devices for conditioning and pumping the coating to maintain a clean, contamination-proof coating supply, with no open containers allowed. Step 5: Migration studies with subsequent accreditation by recog-nised independent institutes. Step 6: Creation of guidelines for low-migration printing. Step 7: Conversion of custom-er presses by KBA’s PressAccess service personnel for low-migra-tion production.

Paradigm shiftPreviously, packaging was tested solely for organoleptic (sensory) properties, primarily odour, using the Robinson test, olfactometers and various norms, but there was often some dispute over threshold values because no low-odour inks and coatings were available. While

there is a much broader awareness of the issue today, media coverage tends to be more emotional and less impartial when instances of contamination are exposed. The number of odour-free, low-migra-tion and VOC-free products has been expanded, while measuring and testing methods have been refined. Unfortunately the attitude to migratory issues varies consider-ably on the different continents. There are still no laws or di-rectives governing migration in carton packaging. In view of the anticipated growth in demand for packaging and the fact that con-sumables are sourced from all over the world and are therefore of uncontrolled and often untrace-able origin, some sort of control procedure must be established at importers’ premises and, where necessary, at packaging printers. Current EU directives apply only to materials and articles – plastic or otherwise – that are intended to come into contact with foodstuffs (1935/2004/EC, 2002/72/EC). EU directive 2023/2006 (good manu-facturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into con-tact with food), which mentions printing inks, is a move in the right direction, as is a paper published by the EuPIA (European Printing Ink Association) in 2010, but the German code on food and animal feed (LFGB 9/2005) is much too general. What is needed is a clas-sified list of prohibited substances and components, complete with threshold values or tolerances and appropriate testing methods based on the short- or long-term expo-sure of food simulants to the classi-fied substances. While low-migration printing is sure to gain impetus and become a competitive factor, it is associated with additional costs.

The market leader in its format, KBA’s 6B (56in) Rapida 142 was the sample large-format KBA press tested and awarded the BG’s “emissions tested” certificate – a basic essential for a low-migration press

Report 39 | 2011 19

Sheetfed Offset | Technology

Reel sheeters boost output, even with critical substrates

RS 106 creates production reserves

Reel-to-sheet feeders have long been

a common sight in sheetfed offset,

mainly because paper reels are around

10 to 20 per cent cheaper than sheet-

ed stock. While commercial printers,

whose range of substrates tends to be

relatively small, have been quick to ex-

ploit the economic benefits, there are

other compelling reasons for install-

ing a reel sheeter such as our RS 106 in

a medium-format press

For jobs entailing non-DIN for-mats, the modest initial cost is not the only benefit – the pa-

per savings can often be substan-tial, too. There is no need to buy in costly special formats and there is none of the length trim waste often involved when using standard for-mats, since the cut-off length can be adjusted to the millimetre for the relevant job. This can deliver savings of between two and ten per cent on top of the lower initial price, and in some cases it may be even more (see chart). Also, the job can be printed immediately, with-out delay – you don’t have to wait for special formats to be delivered. For commercial printers operating perfecting presses in two shifts, the annual savings in paper costs can total as much as E200,000 ($285,650).

Boosting output when printing com-mercials …The RS 106 is a nonstop feeder for lightweight stock. Press stops for pile changes are no longer neces-sary, the only down time is for washing cycles. Also, it is much easier to store reels – apart from the fact that they can be stacked, they are also much less vulner-able to changes in the ambient climate. Undesirable effects such as cockling or edge curl can no longer occur. If you already oper-

ate web presses with the relevant web width, then you can often use up residual reels in your sheetfed presses.

… labels, lightweight carton and in-mould filmThe bottom-line gains are even greater in label and folding-carton production, because substrates tend to be even more expensive. The RS 106 is even suitable for complex substrates such as film, metal-coated or lightweight paper. Deactivating the suction head elim-inates the risk of double or skewed sheets in the infeed when handling sensitive materials. The result: more reliable production and fewer press stops. When printing on pa-per a reel-to-sheet feeder can deliv-er gains of around five per cent in productivity; with film and coated stock this can rise to 25 per cent. Print production is more efficient and as a rule minimising stoppages also means less waste. Some of the more sophisticated substrates are also more readily available as rolls than as sheets. A new Rapida 106 sheetfed offset press with upstream RS 106 reel sheeter at our customer show-room in Radebeul has frequently been used for print demonstrations on lightweight and label stock, 300gsm (183lb) lightweight carton and 50, 60 and 70µm (2, 2.4 and

2.7 mil) in-mould film (IMF). With a reel sheeter 45gsm lightweight paper (12lb bond) can be printed at 18,000 sheets per hour and in-mould film at 15,000 sph, whereas with sheets of the same substrates the speeds would have to be re-duced to 12,000 to 15,000sph for lightweight paper and 10,000 to 12,000sph for IMF.

Enhanced flexibilityThe addition of a reel sheeter in no way restricts the flexibility of a sheetfed press. The additional cost of an RS 106 is soon recouped and it is still possible to print sheet stock by simply moving the reel sheeter to its parked position. Changing from reel to sheet han-dling and vice versa, including for-mat adjustment and a complete job change, takes just five minutes and

so is little different from a straight job change. Time-wise, a change of reel is comparable to a pile change. And it is worth noting that a reel holds as much substrate as two to three piles. What is more, during production from the reel sheeter the paper pile can even remain in the feeder. Of course, a reel-to-sheet feed-er is not an appealing option for every litho operation: whether it would be useful and cost-effective depends the individual job struc-ture. The RS 106 was developed for our medium-format Rapida 105 and 106, but we also offer reel sheeters for our large-format Rap-ida 130, 142 and 162 and even for our superlarge-format Rapida 185.


Print production with reel sheeter on a Rapida 106 at our customer showroom in Radebeul

Difference in amount of sheet and web stock required to produce a 209 x 250 mm brochure

Trim waste Trim waste + price difference

100 %

80 %

60 %

40 %

20 %

0 % 630 x 880 mm 650 x 920 mm 700 x 1000 mm

Sheet format, inventory goods

Report 39 | 201120

Sheetfed Offset | Thailand

Seven-colour Rapida 105 at CPT in Bangkok

High-grade packaging with inline coatingBangkok-based Continental Packaging Thailand (CPT) has kitted up for the pro-

duction of high-grade coated packaging with the installation of a B1 (41in) Rap-

ida 105 with a coater, board-handling package, hybrid capabilities and a double

The 15,000sph press can han-dle substrates weighing up to 600gsm (396lb tag) and ad-

dresses a rising demand in Asia for more attractive packaging that will help to boost sales. In addition to enhancing productivity and qual-ity the Rapida has substantially ex-panded the range of products the company can offer. In conjunction with high-performance IR, hot-air and UV dryers the use of UV inks and coatings supports an array of inline processes and thus design options. The potential for add-ing value played a key role in the choice of press.

Quick and clear decisionCPT’s managing director Manit Ka-molsuwan explains: “Deciding on which press to buy was simple, and the entire process was completed in just six months thanks to the competent project management of KBA-Asia Pacific and KBA’s Thai agency, Intergraphics. We have used KBA litho presses right from the early days. Even though most of them were secondhand, they con-tributed in no small part to our suc-cess. It’s good to know that with KBA we have a mover and shaker in

packaging technology at our side. We have worked our way up from a mono press through four-, five- and six-colour presses to the new sev-en-colour model with inline coat-ing capability, which can handle all

our production demands and out-performs all our existing presses in terms of speed, makeready and ease of operation. Press commis-sioning and staff training were con-ducted with professional expertise and went without a hitch.” Continental Packaging Thailand was founded in Bangkok’s China-town in 1946 as a family business under the name of Niyom Chang Packaging. The fast-growing enter-prise started specialising in print-ing packaging at an early stage and steadily expanded both its capacity and its workforce. It later relocated to larger premises in Bangna-Trad Road, furnishing room for further growth.

All-in service with test markets and product launchesToday, with over 1,000 employees, CPT is one of the biggest packag-ing printers in Thailand and offers its customers at home and abroad a wide range of products and ser-vices. An in-house design depart-ment provides competent advice on choosing the right substrate and enhancing product appeal, and on pinpointing where cost savings can be made.

Around 75 per cent of CPT’s customers are in the food and bev-erage industries, but the company is also a highly successful produc-er of packaging for non-food and household goods. Other products include labels and sleeves. It ex-ports approximately 20 per cent of its output directly and 40 per cent indirectly. Many of the customers for which CPT provides support in test markets and with product launches have awarded long-term contracts.

The price dictates the strategyAlthough the company is post-ing double-digit growth rates in packaging for the food and bever-age industries, other sectors are stagnating and demand fresh ideas and marketing strategies. As Manit Kamolsuwan explains: “The pack-aging market is international and fiercely competitive. Cost control and timely delivery are as vital as creativity and a tight focus on qual-ity. We are out to improve our ef-ficiency still further and KBA will play a major role in the process.”


Website: www.cptthai.com

delivery extension. While medium-format Rapidas are widespread in Asia, the

multi-unit configuration that went live in January this year is less common in

Thailand.

In the course of its evolution into one of Thailand’s leading packaging printers Continental relocated to much bigger premises in Bangna-Trad Road

CPT managing director Manit Kamolsuwan, KBA Asia-Pacific managing director Stefan Segger and Jessada T Suwan of KBA’s agency Intergraphics (l-r) at the new Rapida 105 seven-colour coater press with which Continental has upgraded its press fleet

Continental Packaging Thailand (CPT) is a family-run business which was established in 1946 in Bangkok’s Chinatown

CPT managing director Manit Kamolsuwan is proud of the many awards his company has won in its 65-year history

Report 39 | 2011 21

Sheetfed Offset | USA

Motivating Graphics in Texas expands with Rapida 162

Greater automation, flexibility and efficiency in large formatSome months ago Motivating Graphics, a global printing company based in Fort Worth, Texas, started up a new Rapida 162

size 7 (64in) six-colour press. It was the third KBA press for the large sheetfed and web firm that provides packaging and

printing for the high-tech telecommunications market in North America, South America, Central America, China and Europe.

We were very excited to be adding this new KBA press to our line-up,” says Ray

Glenn Clark, president of Moti-vating Graphics. “It increases our platform of automated technol-ogy allowing us greater flexibility, shorter turnaround, less waste and additional efficiency to continue to serve our customers at the high level that they are accustomed. We also believe that it will help to grow our business into new markets.” Clark especially noted the ar-ray of new technology featured on the Rapida 162. “My sons and I saw the new QualiTronic Color Control system in action at Drupa 2008 and were very impressed with its capa-bilities,” he says. “We recognised it as a major advancement in inline quality control and see it as being an operator-friendly system for our press team. We were eager to have it featured on our new press along with all the rest of KBA’s unique highly-automated technology.”

“ Packaging – a high-potential marketWhile Motivating Graphics cur-rently offers an even balance be-tween sheetfed and web press printing, Clark sees an increased shift toward more sheetfed work in the future. “For our company, the sheetfed and packaging markets are the place to be,” he says. “Our operator manuals and guides can be easily printed on our sheetfed presses and the automation on our new sheetfeds provides us with the flexibility to print our packaging work as well as conventional print-ing.” Another important component for Motivating’s success is its envi-ronmental stance. The firm is dedi-cated to monitoring production activities using key business deci-sions, sound practices, established objectives and meeting goals to eliminate its internal and external environmental impact and pollu-tion while implementing and main-

taining a documented environmen-tal management policy. “During the past several years, we’ve seen our customers employ aggressive design styles for their packaging to promote themselves within new markets,” says Clark. “They are looking at a variety of substrates and asking for environmentally-friendly options. We’re providing a value-added service by offering an environmentally-friendly print method. Our new Rapida 162 al-lows us to reduce or eliminate waste, print even faster and use less makeready – all of which helps our environment. It’s a stance that is important to our customers as well as to our firm.”

Strong offshore businessThe new Rapida 162 joins two other KBA sheetfed presses: a five-year-old, ten-unit Rapida 105 and a Rapida 142 eight-colour perfector installed last year. There are also two web offset presses.

Clark and his management team have positioned the firm to capture new business in the future. Motivating operates three facilities in Central and South America: two plants in Reynosa and Guadalajara, Mexico, and a facility in Brazil. “Our offshore printing business has been strong,” he says, “while the US market for the past two years has been soft. But we’re see-ing a gradual pick-up within the US market and we’re very well posi-tioned.” Motivating Graphics was es-tablished in 1976 by Ray Clark Sr in Florida, and three generations of the Clark family have guided the firm for more than 30 years. In 1996 the firm was turned over to Ray Glenn Clark Jr, who is now joined by his two sons, Chris and Tim, as executive vice presidents. The firm has grown to over 900 employees globally.

Eric [email protected]

Website: www.motivatingraphics.com

Motivating Graphics president Ray Glenn Clark with his sons Tim and Chris (l-r), both executive vice presidents, on their new six-colour Rapida 162

Report 39 | 201122

Sheetfed Offset | Investments

From Argentina Grafica to Grafica Argentina

Rapida 75’s Argentine launch a big successKBA’s B2 (29in) Rapida 75 was a focus of interest at the Argentina Grafica trade fair in Buenos Aires last

October, and the model exhibited came on stream at Grafica Argentina in nearby Munro just a week af-

ter the show closed. Within a few months this compact, energy-saving world champion was attracting a

string of orders from printers in the Argentine capital, in the provinces of Santa Fe, Cordoba and San Juan,

and in Montevideo (Uruguay).

While Grafica Argentina signed up for a four-colour configuration of the less

automated C (commercial) version, Dot Press, Logro Producciones, Zampetti, Palero Impresores and Lagomarzino have expressed in-terest in four- and five-colour con-figurations of the E (economy and ecology) version, with and without coating capabilities. So following its launch at Ipex last year and brisk sales in Brazil the Rapida 75 has carried this momentum into Argentina and Uruguay. The Rapida 75C primarily tar-gets small-scale printing plants where space is at a premium. It is available with two, four or five colours, a user-friendly touch-screen display at the delivery, but no coater, and has a maximum rated output of 13,000 sheets per hour. A budget-price model, it dis-penses with automation features which for many printers are not a priority. The Rapida 75E, which of-fers the option of a higher output (16,000sph), has a KBA ErgoTronic console, automated plate chang-ing and an array of other features for reducing manual input and job changeover times. It can handle substrates up to 0.8mm (0.032in) thick. First-time Argentine user Grafica Argentina, a commercial printer established in 1996, has found that the Rapida 75C has not only enhanced product quality and reduced turnaround times but has also enabled the company to expand its product range. In addi-tion to commercial products (bro-chures, flyers, leaflets etc) Grafica

Argentina is now planning to grow its business by moving into the packaging and publishing (books and magazines) sectors.

Compelling performanceCompany head Pablo Annoni has developed the 20-employee com-pany into a dedicated provider of printing services for industrial en-terprises, the retail trade and the communications sector. He is de-lighted with his Rapida 75C: “What won us over completely were the press design and value for money. The 13,000 sheets per hour Rapida 75C is our first new press following several secondhand ones. It made a good start and in the first eight months churned out eight million sheets. It has fulfilled all our expec-tations. We can now print jobs in a much better quality.”


www.graficargentina.com.ar

Commercial printer Grafica Argentina in Munro (Buenos Aires) was founded in 1996

Grafica Argentina managing director Pablo Annoni flanked by Alberto (left) and Jonathan Tiberio of KBA’s agency Electrografica at the new Rapida 75C

Pablo Annoni is delighted with the Rapida 75C’s ease of handling

Fast job changes cut turnaround times

The Buenos Aires skyline from Puerto Maderos

Report 39 | 2011 23

Sheetfed Offset | Argentina

Argentina: new six-colour Rapida 105 at Scolnik in Santa Fe

KBA a constant companion on the road to the topArgentine packaging printer Talleres Graficos Scolnik in the provincial capital of Santa Fe has added a Rapida 105

six-colour coater press with board-handling capability to upgrade its production line. Established over 75 years

ago by the present owners, this family business is one of KBA’s oldest customers in Argentina and has operated

sheetfed presses from Radebeul since making the transition to offset in the 1960s. The last KBA press Scolnik

ordered was a six-colour Rapida 104 with inline coating, which went live in 1997. After printing 279 million sheets

this press now needs some reinforcements.

Four generations of printing packagingUnder the guidance of Jaime Scol-nik, Abraham Scolnik, the present owner Roberto and his son Roberto Bruno, who is deputy president, the company has cornered the pole position in the Argentine market by specialising in packaging print-ing. In the region around the River Parana the biggest industries are agriculture and food processing. The Scolnik family has therefore focussed on offering a complete range of services relating to food packaging. A modern press fleet with the two medium-format Rapidas from KBA at its core, and a flex-ible finishing line at two separate production plants with a combined 6,500m² (70,000ft²) of floor space provide a sound basis for fulfilling challenging print jobs on a range of different substrates. Around 440 tonnes (484 US tons) of paper and board, varying in weight from 260 to 450gsm (120lb to 205lb Bristol) are printed every month. Regular investment in equip-ment upgrades has enabled the company to keep abreast of a surging demand in the Argentine market for enhanced quality and performance. The excellent ser-vice that Talleres Graficos Scolnik and its 65 employees offer its many customers has quickly become known far beyond the province.

40 years of presses from RadebeulRoberto Scolnik says: “We laid the foundations for our present suc-cess with sheetfed presses from Radebeul soon after the introduc-tion of offset in 1965. Even back then, Planeta presses had a reputa-tion in Argentina for a fine print quality and high output. From our original two Variant-P24 two-colour presses to a six-colour Super Vari-ant installed in 1993 and the six-colour KBA Rapida 104 with inline coating and IR capability that came on stream in 1997, we have con-tinually reaped the benefits of the technological improvements that Planeta and KBA have launched on the market. The same applies to our new six-colour Rapida 105.” For Roberto Scolnik, the Rapi-das’ inherent strengths lie in their advanced level of automation,

which has dramatically shortened makeready times, their high out-put, their ability to handle a wide range of stock weights, and the finishing options they offer. “It was time to bring our production line up to the cutting edge again, and

there was no doubt in our minds that the new press would bear the KBA logo. Our positive experience with the Rapidas over a period of decades, and the excellent support we receive from KBA’s Argentine agency Dekaprint have resulted in


a continuation of this longstanding association. The press made a great start and has already printed five million sheets in an outstanding quality.”

The two medium-format Rapidas are the key component of the production line

Roberto Klöckner of KBA’s Argentine agency Dekaprint with Roberto Scolnik, his son Roberto Bruno and Scolnik CFO Roberto M Gammarci (l-r) at the new Rapida 105

Press minder at the delivery of the new Rapida

Report 39 | 201124

Sheetfed Offset | Uruguay

Imprimex in Montevideo fires up second Rapida 105

Twin powerpack for growing marketsJust two years after holding an open house to celebrate the first KBA sheetfed offset press in Uruguay, Imprimex Industria Grafica in Montevideo has fired

up a second one. Both Rapida 105s have a coater, semi-automatic plate changing and board capability, but the second has five colours instead of four and a

higher level of automation that includes KBA DensiTronic Professional. It will help Imprimex to expand still further in the growing markets of South America.

Founded in 1978, under the Rey Lottermoser brothers this fam-ily enterprise has become one

of the biggest printing operations in the country. In 1995 Imprimex relocated from the city centre to an 8,700m² (2-acre) site offering plen-ty of scope for realising the com-pany’s clear growth targets. Along-side quality enhancements its first Rapida 105 delivered a substantial capacity boost that helped drive up sales to US$14m. The second press will accelerate this trend.

Three successful business linesThe 205-employee firm has three highly successful business lines: packaging, which generates 45 per cent of total sales; commercials (33 per cent) and labels (22 per cent). Imprimex serves the food and beverages industry, publishing houses and advertising agencies, and also prints publications for government ministries. Exports – mainly to Argentina, Brazil, Hon-duras, Paraguay and Puerto Rico – account for around ten per cent of total output. Its production volume is impressive: 150 tonnes (165 US

tons) of paper and 400 tonnes (440 US tons) of cartonboard and micro-flute corrugated are processed eve-ry month. Production is subject to rigorous quality controls. Accredi-tations and countless customer awards are evidence of Imprimex’ high standards.

Spontaneous decisionRegular investment in pre-press, press and finishing equipment has raised production to international standards. Horacio Rey Lottermoser has never regretted switching from Italian, Japanese and other German manufacturers to KBA. Shortly be-fore Drupa 2008 he accepted an invitation from KBA to visit Ger-many, and was so impressed by the performance of the presses in the customer showroom and at diverse reference installations that he placed an order for the four-colour Rapida 105 just two months later.

“Since we make so many differ-ent products and frequently have to switch between carton and pa-per, we felt it was important to see what KBA was offering in terms of automation, makeready, substrate flexibility and quality control,” says Horacio Rey Lottermoser. “Maxi-mum press speed was of second-ary importance because most of our work is in the 5,000 to 6,000 sheet range. We print at an average speed of 12,000 to 13,000 sheets per hour.”

Positive verdictHe continues: “Service, training, maintenance and spare-parts ac-cessibility were also key consid-erations. KBA satisfied our crite-ria on every point, and since the first Rapida 105 went live at the beginning of 2009 our opinion of KBA has been one hundred per cent positive. Commissioning was

completed fast, the press is highly productive and easy to operate. So we very quickly decided to replace another older press with a second, five-colour version, of the Rapida 105 and are more than happy with this move. The two Rapidas run in multiple shifts twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and in ad-dition to boosting capacity have de-livered substantial quality enhance-ments while slashing makeready times. When the time is ripe we’ll be making a further productivity leap with a Rapida 106.”


www.imprimex.com.uy

Exemplary service: Imprimex director Horacio Rey Lottermoser and production manager Martin Rey Cabrera with Roberto Klöckner of KBA’s Uruguay agency Dekaprint

The new five-colour Rapida 105 with DensiTronic Professional is more highly automated than the four-colour model

Imprimex director Horacio Rey Lottermoser and production manager Martin Rey Cabrera have established the company as a printer of choice for packaging, commercials and labels in Uruguay and other South American markets

“Since the first Rapida 105 went live at the beginning of 2009

our opinion of KBA has been one hundred per cent positive.”

Horacio Rey Lottermoser

Report 39 | 2011 25

Packaging Printing | South America

Biggest KBA sheetfed customer in South America signs up for another Rapida 142

Interpack and KBA: a success story dating back half a centuryCompanies – particularly highly suc-

cessful ones – often celebrate jubilees

in a big way. But not Grupo HZ in the

Argentine capital of Buenos Aires.

Founded in 1950 by Herman Zupan

and now one of the leading packag-

ing printers in Latin America, it is the

oldest and biggest of KBA’s sheetfed

customers in South America.

For Grupo HZ, actions speak louder than words, and these have made it a mover and

shaker in the sector. For over 55 years the firm has enjoyed a close association with KBA Radebeul and its previous incarnation, Planeta-Druckmaschinenwerke. Interpack, the parent of the HZ group, commemorated its 60th jubilee in 2010 by starting up a six-colour Rapida 142. Alongside another 142 installed in 2007 the new, highly automated large-format coater press prints packaging at a production plant in Villa Luzuriaga. Grupo HZ operates a total of ten medium- and large-format KBA presses in Argentine, Brazil and Chile. Automatic plate changing, a press plinth, double extended de-livery, CX board-handling capabili-ty, DensiTronic Professional quality management system and automat-ed pile logistics are just a few of

the high-performance Rapida’s winning features. It is the seventh KBA press at Interpack since Plan-eta’s acquisition by Koenig & Bauer. Interpack’s fellow enterprises in Grupo HZ have also been highly successful with their KBA presses.

Pooling resources hones agility, sharpens response in core folding-carton marketInterpack and its two production plants in Lomas del Mirador and Villa Luzuriaga (Buenos Aires re-gion) is part of Grupo HZ’s light-weight folding carton division, along with Farmografica (Buenos Aires city), Innovapack (São Paulo) and Selecta Envases (Santiago de Chile). The five operations have pooled their capacities and thus enabled the group to become the second-biggest producer of folding cartons in Latin America. Grupo HZ itself is owned by International Packaging Group (IPG).

Packaging in all shapes and sizesOther products include corrugated packaging and displays, self-adhe-sive labels, flexible packaging and multipacks. Grupo HZ also has its own paper and board mills with recycling facilities. Joint ventures, for example with Tetra Pak, un-derscore the award-winning print group’s market standing.

Today Grupo HZ has around 1,500 employees, 450 of them at Interpack’s factories in Buenos Aires. It processes over 2,500 tonnes (2,750 US tons) of paper and corrugated board per month. All the group’s companies have ISO 9000 accreditation and comply with international quality, hygiene and safety standards.

Expanding capacity to address growing marketsAfter installing a number of Va-rimat, Varitrend and Rapida 105 presses, four years ago Herman Zu-pan switched to KBA’s large-format Rapida 142 – and with good rea-son. He explains: “We were plan-ning to upgrade our equipment, and needed to expand our produc-tion capacity and format range to keep pace with brisk growth in the Argentine packaging market. We are keen to improve efficiency and productivity on an ongoing basis. Quality enhancements, faster turn-around and new product offerings demand a modern press fleet capa-ble of meeting all our customers’ requirements.”

Advancing at a high levelSince the Planeta era Zupan has considered presses from Radebeul to be the epitome of quality and process flexibility: “These presses

were pre-ordained to print carton-board and corrugated. Over the years they have been continuously upgraded, attaining an awesome standard of output, makeready speed, automation, quality man-agement and cost efficiency that has been crucial to our success. The support that Planeta, and later KBA, have given us in project plan-ning, commissioning and training, and the on-the-spot service pro-vided by KBA’s agency, Dekaprint, have created a solid basis of trust from which we shall continue to benefit in the future. KBA is our partner in packaging printing, and one with whom we can address every market demand.”


Website: www.interpack.com.ar

Interpack md Alejandro Spitzner (r) and Diego Klöckner at the most powerful press in Grupo HZ’s ten-strong KBA fleet, the new Rapida 142 in Villa Luzuriaga

Under founder Herman Zupan, in the course of a 55-year association with Planeta and later KBA Interpack has become KBA’s biggest sheetfed customer in South America

Two medium-format Rapida 105s are in operation at Interpack’s main plant in Lomas del Mirador

Report 39 | 201126

Sheetfed Offset | Asia

In Malaysia, Thailand and many other countries

Brisk sales of secondhand Rapidas in the Far EastPrecision-engineered, solidly built presses like the Rapidas have a long service life limited solely by the cost-

efficiency and productivity gains ensuing from technological advances in automation. The quality seal “Made in

Germany by KBA” is a guarantee of this, as can be testified by a growing number of printers in the Far East who are

taking advantage of the sizeable pool of well-preserved secondhand Rapida presses on the market in the wake

of the recent economic crisis. Demand is particularly brisk for our B1 (41in) Rapida 105, which has long been a

favourite in Asia.

Here are just three of many examples in the Asia-Pacific region.

Rapida 105 for PPH Group in PenangKBA has gained a foothold at Pen-ang-based Public Packages Hold-ings (PPH), the biggest printer of packaging and displays in Malaysia, with the installation of a second-hand Rapida 105 five-colour coater press at the group’s plant in Kulim. Up until now PPH’s entire fleet of medium- and large-format presses had been supplied by another ven-dor. Alongside press technology, what tipped the scales for PPH’s decision-makers was the quality of the advice and support provided by KBA Asia-Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, and the rapid installation and com-missioning. Founded in 1976, today PPH is the market leader in Malaysia for creative packaging and dis-plays, and specialises in designing new products for customers in the corrugated and offset sectors. Over 1,000 employees work at the group’s various production plants in Penang and Kulim. Its reputation extends far beyond the national boundaries, boosted by an array of quality awards. PPH also has sub-sidiaries and sales offices in Singa-pore, Indonesia and Thailand. According to PPH managing director Ricky Tan Soo Huat, there were several reasons for choosing the Rapida 105. “We wanted a powerful, robust yet reliable press capable of printing a broad range of substrates. We keep a weather eye on the international press mar-ket. In recent years KBA has made enormous advances, both in the number of installations in Malaysia and in the quality of support and service provided. It now represents an attractive option for new and secondhand projects.” Operations manager Alvin Lau was just as impressed by the flaw-less teamwork: “KBA Asia-Pacific did everything possible to ensure a punctual press start-up. The Rapida was fired up on schedule shortly after the start of the Chinese New Year and delivers both the perfor-mance and the reliability we need. Our press crews received highly professional training. KBA has pro-

vided an impressive demonstration of its capabilities that we shall be happy to bear in mind for future projects.”

Prelude Printing in Johor Bahru upgrades with Rapida 105Prelude Printing & Packaging in Jo-hor Bahru, Malaysia, is proof that used presses can be a formula for success. Established in 1989, the 150-employee company is one of the biggest packaging printers in the south of the country. A few months ago a five-colour KBA Rapida 105

universal coater press joined the production line. It is not a matter of cost or lack of capital: Prelude CEO Koh Ann Tat studied banking and makes invest-ments with a judicious calculation. Nor has his approach been influ-enced by the global financial melt-down: attractive investments are the very core of his strategy. The capital savings achieved are then invested in product development. “Our approach to lean produc-tion can only succeed if we nur-ture a relationship of trust with

our press vendor, and we if can be confident that a secondhand press will be delivered in tip-top condition, with no technical risks attached,” explains Koh Ann Tat. “Our first KBA press was a lucky find, because it only had a few mil-lion sheets on the clock and was virtually pristine. If the service is as good as the technology then we are completely satisfied, and this was the case with KBA. KBA Asia-Pacific’s first-class service team in-stalled and commissioned the press in next to no time.”

PPH Group in Penang

PPH Printing & Packaging (Penang), the market leader in Malaysia for creative packaging and displays, has a number of production plants

Ricky Tan Soo Huat (2nd right), managing director of PPH Printing & Packaging Penang, with (from left) KBA Asia-Pacific sales manager Ooi Kee Eng, managing director Stefan Segger and sales manager Rex Teng (l-r)

KBA Asia-Pacific md Stefan Segger, PPH operations manager Alvin Lau and KBA sales manager Rex Teng at PPH’s first KBA press

Report 39 | 2011 27

Koh Ann Tat is equally de-lighted with press performance: “The Rapida is run in two shifts for a total of 14 hours a day, and its higher production speed has deliv-ered a huge productivity boost. It is used for packaging and commer-cials and has substantially reduced both makeready and delivery time-frames. Now that the euro has fallen against the Malaysian ringgit, imports are much cheaper. We shall keep a close eye on the currency situation, and next time may well go for a new press at the cutting edge of technology.” In addition to its main plant in Malaysia, Prelude Printing & Pack-aging has sales offices in Singapore and Indonesia. Although there has been brisk growth in the number of packaging contracts, the com-pany has no intention of neglect-ing its commercial business. Its order books include global players in the electronics sector, for whom it prints instruction manuals, guar-antee certificates and promotional literature. Packaging accounts for approximately 70 per cent of the company’s output, commercials 30 per cent. 70 to 80 per cent of its products are exported. Prelude of-fers a complete service from design and pre-press to press, finishing and mailing. Apart from packaging and displays its product range in-cludes gift boxes, advertising bro-chures and business reports, plus food and drinks labels.

Two presses for Thaweewat Press in BangkokWhen an enterprise posts an in-crease in sales of more than 30 per cent, there must be a good reason. Where Bangkok-based Thai printer Thaweewat Press is concerned, the purchase of two Rapidas in less than twelve months sent growth rates soaring. A well-preserved five-colour Rapida 105 and a Rapida 74 five-colour coater press that came on stream at the end of last year

have signally enhanced both pro-ductivity and quality. Thaweewat Press, which is approximately 45 years old, has a payroll of 100 and prints a broad range of products. 70 per cent of these are commercials for indus-trial and retail enterprises in and around Bangkok. Hewlett-Packard, LG and Toshiba are just some of the household names on its books. The second string to its bow, TW Inter-pack, was set up some time ago and specialises in packaging printing.


Thaweewat exports five per cent of its output, mostly to Germany, Italy and Spain. Its press fleet previously comprised two two-colour and three five-colour medium-format presses from another vendor, but was in urgent need of an upgrade. Company head Chaitawat Anuchitworawong went on a fact-finding trip to trade fairs in South-east Asia and at the last Drupa, and was instantly impressed by the Rapidas. KBA’s Thai agency, Intergraphics, initially offered him a five-colour B1 (41in) Rapida 105, shortly followed by a B2 (29in) five-colour Rapida 74 with a coater. Both presses were in a good condi-tion and could quickly be installed and put into operation. Chaitawat Anuchitworawong says: “The two Rapida presses were well worth the outlay, substantially expanding product quality and di-versity while cutting makeready and turnaround times. Today we simply could not imagine doing without them. After several weeks of training by KBA instructors our press operators mastered the press-es with ease. Our cordial contact with KBA’s agency gives us total confidence in the standard of ser-vice and maintenance provided.”

Prelude Printing in Johor Bahru

Prelude CEO Koh Ann Tat brings a banker’s training to his investment activities

From the left: KBA Asia-Pacific managing director Stefan Segger, KBA sales manager Charles Ang and Prelude CEO Koh Ann Tat at the Rapida105 universal following the successful start-up

Prelude in Johor Bahru is a major printer of packaging in southern Malaysia and successful in both domestic and foreign markets

Thaweewat Press in Bangkok

Thaweewat Press in Bangkok has enhanced its performance with two Rapidas

A well-preserved Rapida 105 five-colour press was the first move in an equipment upgrade

Jesada T Suwan of KBA’s agency Intergraphics, KBA Asia-Pacific managing director Stefan Segger and Thaweewat chief executive Chaitawat Anuchitworawong (l-r) at the Rapida 74 five-colour coater press that came on stream in December last year

Report 39 | 201128

KBA large format gaining ground in Far East

High-tech Rapida 142 for Tien Wah PressJust a few weeks after the impressive production start-up of a VLF Rapida 185 at Linocraft Printers in Malaysia, KBA Asia-Pacific booked an order

from Singapore-based Tien Wah Press (TWP) for a high-automation Rapida 142 five-colour coater press which has since been launched into action

at TWP’s production plant in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

T ien Wah Press is part of Ja-pan’s Dai Nippon Printing Group and is a new customer

for KBA. The plant in Johor Bahru, which is around 20 years old and employs more than 1,000 people, specialises in printing children’s books and trade books, which ac-count for 90 per cent of its output. The remaining ten per cent is gen-erated with packaging and other print products for the local market.

TWP – a globally active book printer for the past 75 yearsTWP in Singapore has been print-ing finely crafted books for promi-nent publishers worldwide for the past 75 years, and exports 95 per cent of its output. As well as Sin-gapore and Malaysia it has sales outlets in New York, San Francisco, London, Paris and Sydney. TWP managing director Yoichi Sanada sees a great future for KBA in his company’s production plants. He says: “The Rapidas are genuinely high-tech presses with an advanced level of automation and impressive performance data. KBA has a lot of experience in this sector and a whole string of refer-ence plants worldwide. During the project-planning phase, which be-gan well over a year ago, we sent a team to Germany to study the mar-ket and the latest technological ad-

vances. KBA’s factory in Radebeul and Rapida installations elsewhere were among the plants we visited and assessed. After that there was no doubt that KBA was the right choice.”

TWP’s pre-press/press and en-gineering managers in Malaysia, Ong See Kok and Wesley Ho, were also engaged in the project, and are confident that they made the right choice. Mr Ho says: “We had pre-

viously had no experience of KBA presses, but what the team saw in Germany and we saw at Linocraft Printers nearer to home was both compelling and confidence-inspir-ing. We expect the after-sales ser-vice provided by KBA Asia-Pacific in Malaysia to be as outstanding as KBA’s technology, so the chances of developing a close association in the future are looking good.”

Array of quality- and performance-boosting featuresThe five-colour Rapida 142 for TWP is mounted on a 420mm (16.5in) plinth and configured with one coater, automatic plate changers, VariDry IR/hot-air dryers and a double delivery extension. Other features include a board-handling package, automated pile logistics, ErgoTronic ACR autoregistration, LogoTronic data management, DensiTronic Professional and Qua-liTronic Professional inline quality monitoring and control. In addition to full commission-ing and training, the press contract with KBA includes a complete ser-vice package extending for several years, which will help TWP’s press operators to handle the Rapida with professional skill.


From the left: TWP managers Ong See Kok and Wesley Ho, KBA Asia-Pacific managing director Stefan Segger and sales director Charles Ang

Since TWP was founded in Singapore 75 years ago it has printed quality books for customers the world over

Singapore-based Tien Wah Press (TWP), part of Japan’s Dai Nippon Printing Group, is a prominent name in the international book printing market

The Asia-Pacific region has become a key market for KBA. The Marina Bay Sands Resort is a new landmark in Singapore

Book Printing | Malaysia

Report 39 | 2011 29

Sheetfed Offset | Service

UK: KBA’s stand-out support talks Granite’s language

Service and support win Southend company’s seal of approvalImpressive though KBA’s smooth delivery, installation and commissioning of their eight-colour Rapida 105 perfector within a strict window of six weeks

may be, it is the quality of the German press manufacturer’s continued support and service that is leaving a lasting impression on Granite Communications.

Marvin Paul, operations man-ager of Granite Communi-cations, Southend, explains:

“The agreement on our Mitsubishi Diamond was coming up and we needed to find a replacement very quickly. We spoke to KBA and they did everything they could to get the press operational as soon as possible. They brought their UK engineers in and flew a team over from Germany. Everyone worked tirelessly to get us up and running. “But what has been very im-portant since the press’s smooth introduction was the level of sup-port and service we have received. We had a trainer on site for the first two months giving the operators the confidence to run the press to capacity from day one.” Ease of commissioning was not the only gain made through KBA’s commitment to customer care, states Paul: “Whereas getting used to a new make of press might nor-

mally take a few months, we were up to speed very early on which is absolutely crucial when the marketplace is so competitive and every minute counts.”

Maximising productivityAs well as access to KBA’s network of UK engineers and support office, Granite Communications also ben-efits from KBA’s remote diagnostics facility: “We need to be sure we can operate 24/7,” comments Paul. “It is no good if we have a problem on press in the middle of the night and there is no advice available. If that does happen, we know help is minutes away rather than hours.” “We have been very, very pleased with KBA’s back up and support throughout. They clearly wanted the installation to be per-fect and help us be as productive as we can be. They have kept all their promises. In our experience no other manufacturer would sup-

port their product in the same way that KBA supports theirs. Having 24-hour support and access to ex-pert engineers was vital for us to go forward with the deal. “We were also keen to ensure we ran the press with the correct products to guarantee a smooth start-up and KBA recommended a full range of consumables that ena-bled us to establish a high quality result from day one.”

Exacting requirementsThe performance of the KBA press also matched Granite Communica-tions’ exacting requirements to de-liver a faultless quality product for its blue chip and high-end advertis-ing clients. Paramount was delivering col-our consistency for the ISO 12647-2 calibrated award-winning printer, which is why KBA’s innovative DensiTronic S was essential. The closed-loop DensiTronic S scanning

Catherine [email protected]

Marvin Paul, operations manager of Granite Communications, at the Rapida 105 perfector

spectrophotometer measures both the density and spectral values on the x and y axes – or anywhere on the sheet. It significantly reduces waste and spoilage while stream-lining jobs. At Granite Communi-cations, run lengths are typically around 3,000 and DensiTronic S is perfectly pitched to deliver uni-form quality throughout. Features such as fully auto-matic plate changing and automatic blanket wash also ensure swift and competitive changeovers, maximis-ing every second on press for the round-the-clock operation. Paul concludes: “KBA came up with the perfect deal – a quality press with the right specification in the time scale we needed – and it has performed beyond our expecta-tions.”

Report 39 | 201130

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Sheetfed Offset | Technology

Design and function of UV curing systems

UV LED dryers not yet mature enough for many applicationsAt present, medium-pressure mercury vapour lamps are the primary source of irradiation in UV curing systems for

sheetfed offset presses. However, there is an emerging interest in UV LED systems, and a small number of these

have now been installed, chiefly for special applications.

Conventional UV curing systems generally comprise multiple UV modules which can be in-

stalled in interdeck dryers, drying units and end-of-press dryers.

Conventional UV curingThe photo on the right (1) shows the construction of KBA’s most recent UV module. The plug-in UV lamp emits a defined radia-tion spectrum, depending on the version specified. This can be con-trolled by either conventional or electronic ballasts. The UV lamp is cooled along its entire length by an air-extractor unit with holes for the vented air flow. The radiation emit-ted is radially symmetrical and the ink on the substrate is cured both by direct radiation and by indirect radiation via a dichroic reflector. Some of the radiation is absorbed by the reflector and the housing, and this is conducted as a stream of heat to the cooling water system and expelled from the UV mod-ule via the media plug. A shutter closes the UV module when it is in standby mode. There are mechani-cal guides on the module housing to aid insertion into the press.

Big differences in UV lampsAlong with ultraviolet radiation UV lamps emit light rays that are visible to the human eye (380 to 780 nm), and also infra-red rays. Approximately 30 per cent of the power input is converted into UV radiation, some 18 per cent into light and around 12 per cent into infra-red radiation. The remaining 40 per cent is lost. The tempera-ture at the substrate is therefore raised not only by the absorption of infra-red heat but also UV radiation and light. The spectrum of a medium-pressure mercury vapour (Hg) lamp is 200 to 450nm, as shown in the chart on the right (2). The spectra of medium-pressure mercury va-pour lamps with iron (Fe) and gal-lium (Ga) additives are shown for comparison. These are known as doped UV lamps. Gallium-doped UV lamps are primarily used to harden opaque white. Ozone-free UV lamps are also available. The emission of ozone is prevented by a special glass tube

which absorbs shortwave UV radia-tion. However, this can reduce the intensity of the radiation emitted by as much as 70 per cent com-pared to a conventional UV lamp. Such lamps are therefore far less effective, and much more heat must be conducted away from the glass tube. Where enhanced efficiency, a long service life at high levels of radiation, and short ignition and warm-up times are of the essence, it is advisable to go for top-quality

UV lamps. KBA UV lamps are spe-cifically engineered for excellence and satisfy the highest quality standards in terms of materials, glass-tube and electrode manufac-ture, and the composition of the gases with which they are filled. Compared to cheaper models, the UV lamps developed and manufac-tured by KBA are not only much more efficient at curing UV inks and coatings, but also maintain this standard of efficiency over a much longer life-span.

Powder particles burnt onto the glass tube can impair irradiance by as much as 50 per cent com-pared to a new tube. It is therefore advisable to ensure that lamps are cleaned meticulously in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions. Prior to spraying powder on the sheets it is also advisable to remove any UV modules that are not in op-eration and to store them in a pro-tected environment.

Current trends in UV curingSome highly reactive UV inks are currently being tested and market-ed. The aim is to reduce both the radiant power and the number of UV modules required for any spe-cific level of curing efficiency, by increasing the number of photoini-tiators and the speed at which they react. KBA has been conducting a series of printing tests with a view to quantifying the potential savings that can be made by reducing the level of UV radiation, as a means of balancing the higher costs of UV inks. Here it should be noted that conventional UV inks and coatings require the complete spectrum of UV rays in order to cure right

1: KBA UV module

1 UV lamps

2 Dichroic reflector

3 Media plug

4 Air vents

5 Shutter

6 Housing

2: Partial electromagnetic spectrum of diverse UV lamps

Hg UV lampFe UV lampGa UV lamp

Wavelength [nm]200 250 300 350 450

Irrad

ianc

e [W

/m²]

Report 39 | 2011 31

through. If an ozone-free UV lamp is used, the absorption of short-wave radiation results in less radia-tion being available for the curing process. To offset this drawback the performance of highly reactive UV inks and coatings would have to be enhanced even further for use with ozone-free UV lamps.

UV LED curingInstead of conventional medium-pressure mercury vapour lamps, UV LED modules contain UV lamps and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). An LED is a semiconductor lumi-nescent diode operated in a con-ducting direction. The semicon-ductor in the diode is a compound of the elements gallium, arsenic and phosphorous. Applying voltage to the diode causes it to emit ra-diation. The structure of a UV LED module is shown in the photo (3). Like their conventional UV counterparts, UV LED modules have mechanical guides for easier insertion into the press. They are located on the underside of the module, and can be protected from contamination and mechanical im-pact by a glass plate. The rays can be focussed either with an optical lens directly at the semiconductor chip or via separate reflectors. If a UV LED module is to op-erate efficiently for its maximum service life, then effective heat dis-sipation is essential. The connec-tors for the water-cooling system can be seen in the photo (3). Since the high-powered UV LED lamps fitted in sheetfed offset presses have a maximum efficiency level of around 20 per cent, the other 80 per cent of the electrical power input must be conducted away via the water cooling system. The UV LED systems currently available on the market are exceptionally sensi-tive to high temperatures, so unlike their conventional UV counterparts they require a water chiller to pre-serve their long service life. Theoretically a UV LED emits radiation on a single wavelength. This is known as monochromatic radiation. But in practice it is a range of wavelengths. The upper chart (4) on the right shows the range of a UV LED module with an average wavelength of around 385nm.

The advantages of using UV LED dryers in sheetfed offset presses are that they contain no mercury and the LEDs have a long-er service life (15,000 to 30,000 hours), so they require servicing less frequently. At present a UV LED module consumes 50 per cent more energy in continuous opera-tion than a conventional UV mod-ule with the same radiant power. However, a UV LED module can be timed to switch off over the

non-image areas, and the outer diodes can be deactivated for nar-rower format widths. The ability to switch on and off at speed means that there is no standby mode with LEDs. But these advantages cannot compensate for their much poorer efficiency. A further drawback is the price, which can be many times higher than that of a conventional system, even though a UV LED cur-ing system has a much smaller radi-ant capacity.

How UV ink curing worksUV inks are hardened, or cured, by radical polymerisation. The radical required to initiate this process is generated by splitting a photoinitia-tor. A photoinitiator is a molecule with a specific absorption spec-trum for UV radiation, and this spectrum varies from one photoini-tiator to the next. The photoinitia-tor can only be split if it is exposed to an adequate level of UV radia-tion that coincides with its absorp-tion spectrum. The best results are obtained where the maximum radiation emitted by the UV lamp is the same as the maximum ab-sorbed by the photoinitiator. If the level of UV radiation applied is high enough then the ink will be prop-erly cured. A conventional UV lamp often has multiple maximum levels of emission that coincide with the photoinitiator’s absorption curve. This allows the UV lamp’s emission spectrum to be exploited to the full and an adequate level of UV radia-tion to be applied to split the pho-toinitiator. The chart bottom left (5) de-picting the absorption spectrum of photoinitiator Irgacure 651 shows that absorption occurs in a range of 300nm to 380nm, peaking at 350nm. Conventional UV units emit radiation on several wave bands. The maximum level of radia-tion emitted closely approaches the maximum in the photoinitiator’s absorption spectrum. With a UV LED, a photoinitia-tor must be found whose maximum level of absorption corresponds pre-cisely with the wavelength of the LED. There are no reserves in the form of the additional maximum levels of emission associated with a conventional UV module. The inks must therefore be formulated with absolute precision to ensure simultaneous surface and in-depth curing. If the photoinitiator is not 100 per cent appropriate or the ra-diation emitted by the UV LED is insufficient, then the ink will not polymerise completely. The LED UV inks currently on the market are not yet suitable for many print-related applications.

Dr Maik Walter, Dr Sascha Fä[email protected] / [email protected]

Radiant surface (UV LED behind glass plate)

4: Typical spectrum of a UV LED module

5: Irgacure 651 absorption spectrum (source: Ciba)

3: UV LED module

Wavelength [nm]200 250 300 350 450400 600

Irrad

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e [W

/m²]

UV LED module 385 nm

UV radiation Light

200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 500

0.1 %

0.01 %

0.001 %

Concentration of Irgacure 651

Extinction2

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Report 39 | 201132

Successful debut at Em. de Jong in the Netherlands

KBA C48 SG: maximising short-grain flexibility and performanceDutch web offset print major Koninklijke Drukkerij Em. de Jong has once again opted for new-generation KBA technology, this time in the shape of a highly

automated C48 SG (short grain) commercial press for 48 A4 pages. Engineered specifically for production flexibility and fast job changes, the press has an

output of 60,000iph on a maximum web width of 2,060mm (81.1in). The fine performance of the new C48 SG, which came on stream a few months ago,

vindicates KBA’s ambitious engineering specifications.

Em. de Jong is based in Baarle-Nassau, a thirty-minute drive from Eindhoven and not far

from the Belgian border. Founded in 1906, the 390-employee compa-ny rapidly evolved into one of the biggest web offset print operations in Europe, largely by investing in advanced technology and enhanc-ing process efficiency on an ongo-ing basis. The key to Em. De Jong’s suc-cess is a single-minded focus on printing promotional literature for the retail trade. The firm expanded into the supplements sector in the mid-1990s, starting off with two 16pp Compacta 215 commercial presses that could be coupled to-gether. Today trade flyers and in-serts dominate the order books.

Substantial press fleet supports customisationCatering to the retail trade, with its almost unparalleled diversity, has caused Em. de Jong to build up an equally diverse press fleet capable

of addressing individual customer demands fast and at a fair price. In an interview with German trade magazine Deutscher Druck-er, technical director Dr Roel de Weerd said: “Everything was very different ten years ago. There was a lot more straight-on print produc-tion. Now customers want to re-main as flexible as possible so that they can modify their products at short notice. So we need a press fleet that can handle this type of production.” Em. de Jong’s assorted cold-set and heatset presses for eight to eighty pages are almost all in KBA livery. The most recent con-tract followed the installation of a second 32pp Compacta 408 and a 24pp Compacta 318 four years ago,

and a 72pp press line from another manufacturer a little later.

Speed, cost efficiency and fast job changesThe C48 SG at Em. de Jong – the first of its kind worldwide – has a cylinder circumference of 890mm (35in) and is embedded in a Patras A automated reel-handling system that can prepare and buffer store six reels and transfer them to the Pastomat CL reelstand with no manual intervention. Like our new 16pp C16 web offset press (described in the last issue of KBA Report) the C48 SG’s four double printing units have minigaps in the cylinders and also our patented au-tomated RollerTronic roller locks, which deliver substantial savings

Em. de Jong’s technical staff, pictured here shortly after press commissioning, are clearly delighted with their new C48 SG

Em. de Jong technical director Roel de Weerd, who is the driving force behind the company’s expansion and extensive investment in recent years, has no trouble keeping the presses busy

Report 39 | 2011 33

in energy consumption and main-tenance. The C48 SG is the first KBA two-around commercial press to feature automatic plate changing: the 1.8m² (over 19ft²) plates can be changed in little more than two minutes. Other features include

Klaus [email protected]

The C48 SG’s winning features:

• 60,000iphforenhancedproductivityandcostefficiency• Minigapsreduceprint-freemargin• Automaticplatechangeinaroundtwominutes,irrespectiveofthenumberofplates• KBARollerTroniclow-maintenanceautomaticrollerlocks• Optimisedfilminkingunitsforprecise,uniforminkapplication• High-performanceKBAPastomatCLreelstand• IntegratedpaperlogisticswithKBAPatrasM(manual)orKBAPatrasA(automated)• AutomaticallyconvertibleKBAP5folder• Ergonomicanduser-friendly• AutomaticpresspresettingwithKBALogoTronic• OptionalJDFprocessintegrationwithKBALogoTronic• JobmanagementwithKBALogoTronic

KBA EasyTronic standardised push-button press start-up and run-down to minimise makeready times and waste, QuadTech register and den-sity control, an Ecoset thermal dry-er and a chain web-up system with web-up aid in the superstructure to guide the individual ribbons.

Extensive choice of products for advertisersThe superstructure allows up to six ribbons to be processed simul-taneously, and in conjunction with two formers and two KBA ribbon stitchers supports an exception-ally broad choice of products, as

does the P5 pin folder with section stitcher and two cross-fold deliver-ies. As a commercial printer Em. de Jong needs this flexibility in order to support the advertising activi-ties of a highly discerning clientele by offering a huge choice of print products in every possible format plus an equally large choice of folds that will enable them to raise their profiles in a fiercely competi-tive market. Decision-makers at de Jong are convinced that only those with the ability to handle unusual jobs promptly and cheaply by au-tomating extensively will emerge strengthened from the present structural turmoil in this sector. Which is why they have taken on board a highly advanced produc-tion management system, KBA LogoTronic Professional, which processes all job-specific preset-ting data, captures operating and machine data and networks all the company’s KBA presses.

No shortage of ordersSumming up his verdict a few weeks after bringing the new C48 SG on line Roel de Weerd said: “The Compacta 318 and the C48 SG are our most productive presses.” The 24pp Compacta 318, which has three formers and a maximum rated output of 80,000iph, runs consistently at full capacity. The new C48 SG is also well on the way towards operating at its maximum rated speed of 60,000iph on a per-manent basis. And that’s a must: according to Roel de Weerd, Em. de Jong is “working flat out”, with its main production lines operat-ing 24/7. Maintenance and clean-ing shifts are the exception rather than the rule. It is evident that the company will soon have to invest in new kit to increase capacity.

Web Offset | New products

For greater product flexibility the turner-bar superstructure and P5 gripper folder support the use of both ribbon and section stitchers

A complete automatic plate change on our new C48 SG takes just over two minutes

Our new 48pp C48 SG, like the new 16pp C16 demonstrated in November 2010 at Schaffrath, is extensively automated for fast job changes

Report 39 | 201134

Web Offset | Technology

Corlet Roto signs up for new C16 commercial web offset press

‘Makeready queen’ heading for FranceSince being dubbed the ‘makeready queen of 16pp presses’ following print dem-

os last November at prominent German magazine printer and first-time user

Schaffrath in Geldern, our new C16 has strutted its stuff at the plant in North

The C16’s compelling perfor-mance is now bearing fruit. Following a contract from

Niederösterreichisches Pressehaus (NÖP) in St. Pölten, Austria, a C16 has been snapped up by prominent French print enterprise Corlet Roto in Ambrières-Les-Vallées. While Corlet Roto is primarily a litho operation, its web press plant in Ambrières-les-Vallées did install a Compacta 215 ten years ago. The new C16 will replace another make of press. The 65,000iph C16 is engi-neered specifically to address the current shift in the price-compet-

itive commercial market towards shorter print runs and faster turnaround. It boasts a high level of automation that includes simul-taneous plate changing on all units in under sixty seconds, and a Logo-Tronic production management system with integrated EasyTronic time- and waste-saving standard-ised start-up and run-down at the touch of a button.

Marc [email protected]

Rhine-Westphalia for a string of printers from Europe and overseas. All have

been visibly impressed not just by its exceptionally short makeready times but

also by its print quality, output, reliability and ease of operation.

Pictured signing the contract for the new C16 at Corlet Roto in Ambrières-les-Vallées: KBA sales director Kai Trapp, Corlet Roto president Jean-Luc Corlet and KBA sales manager Rein-er Dluschek (l-r), watched by KBA commercial web press project manager Hubert Kistner, Corlet Roto md Pascal Bazin, KBA-France sales manager Frédéric Duquenne and Corlet Roto plant manager David Dereuddre

A simple change of signature generally takes just three minutes from the last saleable copy of the previous run to the first of the new run. A change of signature and paper (grammage and web width) takes around five minutes. Job-change speeds like this were previously unthinkable on a com-mercial press. Waste is reduced accordingly, to just a few hundred

copies. This is a big boon for pro-duction routines entailing multiple short-run jobs.

As many as 50 jobs a dayExperienced observers are fre-quently surprised at the ease with which the new 16pp press handles 40 to 50 jobs a day, some entail-ing fewer than 10,000 copies and previously the purview of sheetfed. Even when printing such short runs the C16 can accelerate fast from the deliberately low make-ready speed of 6,000iph up to its rated maximum with no manual intervention. “I can’t describe it, you have to see it for yourself,” commented one enthusiast trade visitor to the plant in Geldern.

The new C16 for Corlet Roto in France

Excerpt from a KBA LogoTronic Speedwatch log over several hours: the production curves show that each job was printed with a minimum of makeready and at maximum production speed

Record of a typical makeready sequence with LogoTronic Speedwatch: a complete job change in just five minutes redefines the benchmark among 16pp commercial web offset presses – and beyond

Report 39 | 2011 35

Web Offset | South Africa

Third Compacta 215 for CTP Printers in Johannesburg

Success is no mysteryCTP Printers Johannesburg recently fired up its third Compacta 215. This renewed investment in what has proven

to be one of KBA’s best-selling models since the original version was launched in 1997 reaffirms a longstanding

relationship that has also seen installations of KBA kit at the other commercial and newspaper production plants

owned by this pre-eminent South African publishing and media group.

CTP Printers near Isando Road is part of Caxton & CTP Pub-lishers & Printers Limited,

one of the biggest media groups in South Africa, with some 5,500 employees. Established in Pretoria in 1902, Caxton & CTP is a major player in the South African print media industry. Its Newspaper Di-vision prints a raft of titles not only in the cities but also in virtually all the provinces. Other activities include publishing, printing, book printing, stationery, packaging, la-bels and inks. The magazine and commercial arm, to which CTP Printers Johan-nesburg belongs, has production plants in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and is considered a trendsetter in its deployment of printing and finishing technology. KBA presses have been in oper-ation at Caxton & CTP’s 30,000m² (323,000ft²) 178-employee plant near Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport since 1996. Two 16pp Compacta 214s were followed in 1998 and 1999 by two Compacta 215s.

Fifteen years of proven excellenceCTP Printers Johannesburg manag-ing director Wally Blumberg was quick to recognise the Compacta 215’s impressive performance, hence his decision to order two of these 16pp presses. CTP Print-ers works director Brian Bain says: “The KBA Compacta 215s have proved their excellence in all three projects and have made a major contribution to the level of performance we can offer today. The third Compacta 215 came on stream smoothly and in a minimum amount of time. The high output and flexibility of these press lines have made KBA a key vendor. The service provided also deserves praise.” Press room manager Simon Bagnall agrees, adding: “We have gained a lot of experience with the Compacta 215 over the years. They are fast and can handle a wide choice of folds. They are cost-effec-tive for both long and short runs of commercials and magazines.” While the Compacta 215 has been one of KBA’s most popular models, in keeping with market trends it has now been succeeded

by a new, more compact model, the C16. Says Brian Bain: “We watched the C16’s market launch last year with keen interest and are confi-dent that it represents a good op-


Website: www.caxton.co.za

The 55,000cph Compacta 215 is considered an “all-round talent” at CTP Printers Johannesburg

L-r: Grant Anderson of KBA agency Thunderbolt Solutions, production director Brian Bain and press room manager Simon Bagnall at the new Compacta 215

tion for the future. Success is no mystery once you have found the right partner.”

The fully automated convertible F3 folder is exceptionally versatile

CTP Printers Johannesburg in Isando has been Caxton & CTP’s biggest magazine and commercial production plant since 1987

“The high output and flexibility of these press lines

have made KBA a key vendor.” Works director Brian Bain

Report 39 | 201136

Newspaper Production | Sweden

Bold Printing Group invests in more compact KBA newspaper technology

Commander CT clocks up centuryFollowing on from its initial decision to purchase a compact Commander CT press at the beginning of the year

(see KBA Report no. 38, pages 42-43), the Bold Printing Group, a member of the Swedish Bonnier media group, has

now placed an order for a second 96pp press of the same type comprising six reelstands, six double-width four-

high tower units, a jaw folder and automated paper logistics. The new Commander CT is destined for the plant of

subsidiary Bold/Sydsvenskan Tryck AB in Malmö.

This order takes KBA’s sales figures in Europe and North America to 21 Commander

CT installations with a total of 105 double- and triple-width towers. Several of these presses also in-corporate dryers to facilitate semi-commercial printing. One special feature of the Com-mander CT for Malmö is its eight-high configuration, which permits a significantly shorter press line at a height comparable to a conven-tional four-high tower or satellite press. This is only feasible with our compact tower design. The new press will be installed in the exist-ing building in 2012, replacing one supplied by another manufacturer in the 1990s. Leif Wiklund, managing di-rector of the Bold Printing Group and chairman of Bold/Sydsvenskan Tryck, says: “We decided to invest in a modern KBA Commander CT for our DNEX Tryckeriet produc-tion plant in Kista, near Stockholm,

after some intensive evaluation studies. Given the many benefits, it was only logical to choose the Commander CT again for the mod-ernisation of our print facility in Malmö.”

Elegant technology switchBjörn Ridhammar, managing direc-tor of Bold/Sydsvenskan Tryck, adds: “We could only consider a solution which would allow us to switch the technology in our existing building without major construction work and without significant restrictions for our cur-rent production. The ultra-compact Commander CT permits two four-

high towers to be stacked into an approximately 10-metre eight-high tower. Consequently, the exchange process in steps, with switchover from old equipment to new, will be easier with this layout. We are also really looking forward to the high level of automation on the new compact press, which will enable us to work noticeably faster and more efficiently.”

Extensive automationThe Commander CT for Malmö has been engineered for a 560mm (22in) cut-off length and a maxi-mum web width of 1,590mm (62.5in), providing for a maximum

output of 90,000 full-colour news-papers per hour in straight produc-tion. The six Pastomat reelstands are supplied automatically via the KBA Patras A integrated paper logis-tics system. The six printing tow-ers, which split down the centre for maintenance access, boast an all-embracing level of function au-tomation. Alongside the facility for automatic conversion to different page counts, optional modules for stitching, gluing and a quarter fold raise the possible product diversity. The Commander CT is controlled via two KBA ErgoTronic consoles incorporating a production-sched-uling and press-presetting system and two modules, KBA EasyStart and EasyStop, for time- and waste-saving press run-up and run-down. A proofing system is also included in the project.

Strong in print and electronic mediaTogether with TV, radio, music and film production, cinemas and the internet, print is an essential busi-ness field for the Bonnier media group, whose operations extend across Europe, Russia and the USA. Print activities cover books, magazines, daily newspapers and industry journals. The new press is to print dailies such as Sydsven-skan, Kvällsposten (a part-edition of a national, Expressen), Metro (a freesheet) and further regional titles. The remaining capacity can be used to handle third-party prod-ucts.


Pictured after signing the contracts in Malmö at the beginning of March (left to right): KBA sales manager Ulf Funke; Anna Drougge, strategic procurement manager, Bold Printing Group; Leif Wiklund, managing director of the Bold Printing Group and chairman of the board of Bold/Sydsvenskan Tryck; KBA sales director Jochen Schwab; Håkan Rundén, KBA Nordic director for Sweden; and Björn Ridhammar, managing director, Bold/Sydsvenskan Tryck

The new press is to print dailies such as Sydsvenskan, Kvällsposten (a part-edition of a national, Expressen), Metro (a freesheet) and further regional titles

The Commander CT press line for Bold/Sydsvenskan Tryck in Malmö features (on the left) two eight-high towers, a configuration option unique to KBA’s compact presses

Report 39 | 2011 37

Newspaper Production | Sweden

Brilliant production start for coldset/heatset Cortina at MittMedia

Eco-friendly quality excellenceAt the end of May our innovative compact press, the Cortina, strutted its stuff pumping out high-spec commemo-

rative prints at the official inauguration of a pressroom extension at the Sundsvall plant of MittMedia Print, part

of Sweden’s fourth-biggest newspaper group. The waterless press with heatset dryer stunned the customers and

VIPs present with its superb print quality, green credentials, minimum waste and fast job changes.

Waterless newspaper produc-tion with the Cortina has long been routine in Bel-

gium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The first four-by-one version in Finland came on stream at Botnia Print, Kokkola, in May last year. MittMedia Print is the first Swed-ish newspaper printer to exploit the Cortina’s quality excellence in both coldset and heatset with the aim of moving up the rankings.

Product differentiation with unique features“Alongside its quality benefits, cost efficiency and short makereadies the KBA Cortina offers decisive USPs compared to presses with conventional inking,” explains MittMedia Print managing director Jan Andersson. “There are none of the time-consuming ink changes that are necessary in wet offset when switching between coldset and heatset. The KBA Cortina is ideal where production entails fre-quent changes of web width and stock. It allows different formats to be printed on different substrates, and the speed at which we can switch from one job to the next would previously have been consid-ered impossible. We can now print a broad range of products embrac-ing newspapers, supplements, in-serts and magazines.” Andersson continues. “The Cortina’s repetitive accuracy and ability to reproduce 70lpc and FM screens mean there is scarcely any adjustment required when print-ing such diverse products. Its out-standing green credentials are a

major advantage with environmen-tally minded customers, while our staff are delighted to have a more pleasant working climate and fewer cleaning chores.” Press commissioning and ac-ceptance were completed smoothly within a few weeks. The new Cor-tina, which apart from the heatset dryer is configured with two Pasto-

mat reelstands, two compact “four-low” towers and a KF3 folder, went live at the end of April. It has a 560mm (22in) cut-off and automat-ic conversion from the maximum web width of 1,590mm (62.6in) to others, such as 1,260mm (49.6in) for magazine production. The press operators quickly mastered the Cortina and appreciate the benefits it delivers.

Broader product palette enhances potentialThe MittMedia Förvaltnings media group is based in Gävle and owns seventeen regional titles with a to-tal daily circulation of 280,000 cop-ies in central and northern Swe-den. Alongside its own newspaper titles and their online versions MittMedia is also active in distri-bution, contract printing and radio. Its subsidiary MittMedia Print has seven production plants. Since the Cortina came on stream up north in Sundsvall, in addition to two daily titles, Sundsvalls Tidning and

Dagbladet, Mittmedia has started printing more heatset inserts and magazines on coated stock. Jan Andersson says: “This high-tech compact press line for top-quality newspaper production in both coldset and heatset has ena-bled us to expand our print spec-trum considerably. We can now handle anything from ultra-short part editions to runs of 300,000 copies fast and cost-effectively, with a choice of inline finishing op-tions. In our finishing department, which was also upgraded, we can collate tabloids with up to 128 pages. This has given us a unique advantage in the regional markets in Sweden, and we are aiming to exploit this advantage to expand on an ongoing basis. The Cortina is the ideal press for us: as well as newspaper production it enables us to tap into a strong demand for heatset products and utilise our ca-pacities to the full.”


Alongside two daily titles, Sundsvalls Tidning and Dagbladet, the Cortina prints a raft of heatset products

User-friendly, low maintenance: the operating crew in Sundsvall appreciates the compact and innovative Cortina’s many benefits

The Cortina at MittMedia Print in Sundsvall, northern Sweden, is the eighteenth installation of this green and waterless press type

Report 39 | 201138

Newspaper Production | Service

KBA MaintainSoft

Software tool for perfect press maintenance

The advanced level of automation

incorporated in modern presses de-

mands professional proficiency in the

scheduling and execution of all main-

tenance activities. KBA MaintainSoft

is an effective software tool for web

presses.

KBA MaintainSoft contains de-tailed data on all the mainte-nance work recommended for

your press and helps you plan, ex-ecute and document the pertinent tasks. It furnishes an overview of completed, due and future mainte-nance work, enabling you to plan and utilise non-productive times to the full.

Turnkey system for quick implementationMaintainSoft is a turnkey system with a press interface. Mainte-nance instructions are based on actual press utilisation, eliminating the risk of excessive or insufficient maintenance. The configuration of your KBA press is pre-stored in the software, along with maintenance

regulations and instructions, work schedules and of course an operat-ing manual. KBA MaintainSoft can be expanded beyond your press to encompass other plant and equip-ment. You can easily key in the rel-

Thomas [email protected]

MaintainSoft structure

evant data yourself or, if you wish, KBA staff will do it for you. We provide a detailed introduc-tion and intensive training to bring your maintenance staff up to speed with your customised MaintainSoft system.

By minimising maintenance and service costs KBA MaintainSoft helps you eliminate unscheduled press stoppages and repairs, thus enhancing press reliability and availability. Expanded versions of KBA MaintainSoft include roller and blanket management, stock (in-ventory) management and order handling. Here, too, the system is extensively pre-configured; the stock management administration software, for example, includes all the core spare-parts data for your press.

Data screen for the individual maintenance schedules

Pre-press Post-pressPress Building

Core dataPress management

Counter managementCost centres

Maintenance workWork schedules

Error codesDamage codes

SuppliersSpare partsOrder dates

Maintenance/Inspection Stock management/ordering system

Reporting

Maintenance workRepair work

Maintenance schedule

Counter interfaceError-message interface

Spare-parts/stock managementStock movement

EnquiriesOrders

Shift logPress service life

Proof of maintenance

Weak-point analysisCosts

List of materialsInventory

Inventory value

Report 39 | 2011 39

Newspaper Production | Cost efficiency

When it comes to investing in new kit, there is an emerging focus on energy efficiency in the newspaper industry as a

means of cutting costs and emissions. However, consciously or unconsciously, print pros sometimes end up comparing the

systems equivalent of apples and oranges.

With a view to obtaining facts to repudiate false claims we asked an independent

consultancy to calculate the en-ergy costs of three double-width 32-page presses – a waterless Cor-tina (four towers, two folders), a compact wet offset Commander CT and a wet offset nine-cylinder satellite press – at a real newspaper printing plant in Germany. Com-parisons were made of the presses with and without the associated building services (heating, lighting, pumping, chilling, ventilation, air-conditioning etc).

Comparisons that ignore building services are misleadingIt was found that the Cortina’s en-ergy efficiency and costs could only be evaluated accurately if building services were included. Compar-ing the power rating for the motors does not deliver any meaningful statistics. This is because, unlike the two wet offset presses, the wa-terless offset Cortina’s operating temperature is controlled precisely and releases virtually no heat into the ambient atmosphere. However, in a closed circuit surplus heat can be recovered and used with relatively little effort or expense to heat the building or water, thus substantially reducing the initial capital investment cost, power con-sumption and maintenance input for building services. This has long since become routine practice. The study revealed that the annual press-specific energy costs – ie excluding supply systems and pressroom heating, air-condi-tioning and ventilation – for the waterless Cortina were a good 30 per cent higher than for the Commander CT and around 9 per cent higher than for the satellite press. This is process-related and due to the need for temperature control for the inking unit, doctor-ing blade and anilox roller. The overall cost comparison (including initial investment costs) looks very different once the cal-culations are expanded to include the pertinent building services, which are on varying scales of mag-nitude for the wet and waterless offset presses and the pressroom. This comparison reveals that the total annual cost of services to

the Cortina is 28 per cent lower than to the nine-cylinder satellite press and 13 per cent higher than to the Commander CT (see chart 1). A glance at the initial invest-ment cost of press-specific building services (chart 2) shows that it is some 30 per cent lower for the Commander CT and 50 per cent lower for the Cortina than for the satellite press. Factoring in the reduced man-ning levels, water consumption, production waste, maintenance and cleaning input etc for the Cor-tina, which has no dampeners and produces no ink mist, enhances its comparative economic efficiency still further, making it far less costly than the satellite press and comparable to the Commander CT.

Claims that the Commander CT, which with the exception of the folder is gearless, consumes more energy than a comparable automated satellite press from an-other vendor need no other com-ment than the principle of physics that moving larger masses con-sumes more power. On top of this, the serpentine web leads on satel-lite presses act as a drag, so more power is required to maintain any given web speed.

No energy issues for Cortina usersNo wonder Cortina users with experience of wet offset respond with amazement to comments on their “energy-guzzling” presses. One of them pointed to the Cor-

tina’s outstanding performance compared to wet offset operations in an energy comparison published by the bvdm (Printing and Media Industries Federation), another to substantial savings in gas consump-tion and the volume of compressed air required, while a third, having implemented a total energy effi-ciency concept, criticised the lack of substance of many observations. There is no evidence that Cortina users are in any way dissatisfied with the economics of waterless offset. On the contrary: the qual-ity and environmental benefits delivered by the Cortina continue to attract additional business from customers at home and abroad.


Left: The Cortina delivers substantial savings in energy costs and efficiency

Right: Our compact Commander CT consumes far less energy than comparable satellite presses

Chart 1 Comparison of total annual costs for building services

Chart 2 Comparison of initial capital investment cost for building services

Energy efficiency has many facetsAvoid the error of comparing apples and oranges

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

+ 28%

- 13%

Satellite Cortina Commander CT Satellite CortinaCommander CT

- 30%- 50%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Report 39 | 201140

Coding Technology | History

A success story

KBA-Metronic celebrates 25 years of alphaJET inkjet printersIn 1986 KBA-Metronic developed the first freely programmable alphaJET inkjet printer for the contact-free application of

alphanumerical characters, EAN (European Article Number) codes and logos on products and packaging. What drove the

development of a no-contact coding system was the introduction of mandatory food labelling in the EU and the increasing

rationalisation of enterprise resource planning systems. The outcome was a marking and coding system using a continuous

ink jet (CIJ) that eliminated the need for plates and was capable of writing variable texts. In the course of time the alphaJET

underwent continual enhancement.

Versatile CIJ technologyAll CIJ printers function according to the same principle. The ink is pumped at high pressure into what is called a gunbody on the print-ing head, where a piezoelectric crystal creates an acoustic wave that modulates the ink, breaking it into droplets. A stream of these droplets is then propelled through a microscopic nozzle in a pattern of wave peaks and troughs. Just before the troughs break away, the ink droplets required for the im-age are charged and deflected onto the substrate. An image can thus be created contact-free on a wide range of different materials, regard-less of whether their surfaces are even or uneven. Ink droplets not required continue undeflected to the collecting gutter and are re-turned by negative pressure to the ink-circulating system.

Virtually emission-freeThe solvent-laden ambient air is vacuum-extracted, filtered and re-turned to the integrated solvent recovery system. The condensed

solvent runs into a storage tank, thus reducing consumption to an absolute minimum. As a result the process is virtually emission-free, and this has been confirmed by an independent authority, the Frese-nius Institute. The individual printed charac-ters, letters, numbers and graphics are created using diverse dot ma-trices that can be freely combined. The ink is applied vertically, with the height of the image deter-mining printing speed. Character width is kept constant by an encod-er. Character height is determined by the distance between the print-ing head and the substrate being printed.

Customers determine the directionOver the past 25 years customer demands in the industrial marking and coding business have become increasingly sophisticated, driven by the need to adapt to ever fast-er and more complex production lines. This applies not only to the hardware and software deployed,

but also to flexibility and print quality, particularly where product design and packaging are key tools for promoting sales. The continual development from the first alpha-JET A to KBA-Metronic’s new-gen-eration alphaJET evo is founded on years of experience, an intensive dialogue with customers, many thousands of installed devices in a raft of different sectors and mar-kets, a wealth of know-how and a willingness to innovate.

New alphaJET generationAll this is reflected in the new generation of alphaJET evo print-ers with modular configurations, and the various versions derived from these. Printer capabilities – ie the font library, line-at-a-time printing, speed and software – are fully customised. We offer high-performance models for complex or highly specialised applications and economy versions with no extra trimmings. The customer chooses the printer best suited to his purposes and can then rest as-

sured that all the components will be mutually compatible and sub-jected to rigorous practical tests. The huge range of pigmented and non-pigmented inks currently avail-able on the market in a choice of colours and consistencies ensures the specified degree of adhesion.

Iris [email protected]

The three latest models have the following features:

alphaJET evo:• 48pixelspernozzle• removablepivotingdisplay• intelligentsoftwareforcom- plex systems and tasks• broadchoiceofgraphics

alphaJET into:• moderateprice,frugalcon- sumption• image1to5lines(5x5matrix)• forstandardindustrialapplica- tions

alphaJET tempo:• maximumprintingspeed 3,500 characters per second (approx. 11mps) with standard 2.5mm character width• 24pixelspernozzle

The three functional elements of the alphaJET – the terminal, control unit and printing unit – have always been integrated in a solid steel housing with an innovative design

The alphaJET is developed, produced, sold and serviced by KBA-Metronic, which is based in Veitshöchheim, Germany

Report 39 | 2011 41

UV Offset | Japan

Demonstration of entrepreneurial initiative in the wake of catastrophes

Genius 52UV makes its debut in JapanThe world is full of admiration for the discipline with which the Japanese are coping with the chain of catastrophes

that have befallen them. There have been no signs of hysteria: wherever you look, those affected are behaving in a

calm and responsible fashion. This also entails providing answers as to how future generations can maintain their

prosperity. When times are tough it is particularly important for industrial companies to set a good example – and

one such company is Osaka-based print enterprise Anri Machinery.

One of Japan’s leading pioneers of environmentally friendly technologies, Anri is now

offering sustainable print produc-tion with the country’s first wa-terless Genius 52UV. Its aim is to expand not only its general print portfolio but also, more specifi-cally, the range of non-absorbent plastics that can be printed, add-ing PVC (polyvinylchloride), polycarbonate, polystyrene, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and PP (polypropylene). The com-pany’s ongoing objective is to give its customers the highest possible standard of quality while protect-ing the environment. New quality standards are to be set in the print-ing process, as well as an increase in environmental responsibility and sustainability in the service of cus-tomers.

Why now?“When a country is in a state of emergency, there is no right or wrong time to invest. You have to look ahead. At present it is impor-tant to view new investments from an ecological perspective and thus safeguard your future business,” explains Anri Machinery president Makoto Nonoshita. The production staff in Osaka are well aware of their Genius’s ca-pabilities, which include run-up to saleable colour in just ten sheets – an asset unparalleled by any other small-format press. The printed image precisely matches the colour specifications laid down in pre-press, and inking-unit temperature control ensures that it remains stable throughout the production run. In contrast to a conventional offset press there is no need to set the ink keys, because the five short-train inking units have none. An anilox screen roller guarantees consistent ink feed. Neither water nor alcohol is required; instead, the printing plates are silicone-coated to ensure that there is a clean sepa-ration of print and non-print image areas. The result: sharp images re-

produced using ultra-fine 120lpc (300lpi) or frequency modulated screens. The absence of dampen-ing units means that the Genius delivers brilliant colour prints. A selection of print samples off the Genius 52UV also helped in-fluenced the decision in its favour, as did a visit to KBA-Metroprint’s plant in Germany. Subsequent tours of Genius 52UV reference installations clinched the decision.

Antonio [email protected]

L-r: KBA-MetroPrint md Holger Volpert and regional sales manager Pavlos Polyzogopoulos with Anri Machinery president Makoto Nonoshita, md Akio Nakama and JEPIC president Shinichi Nonoshita at Print China in Dongguan

Simply ingenious – KBA-MetroPrint’s Genius 52UV

Report 39 | 201142

UV Offset | Australia

Simple, green and innovative

Genius 52UV demonstrates green credentials in AustraliaAustralia: fascinating, unique and the world‘s sixth-largest country with a total area of some 7.7 million

square kilometres (3 million square miles). A continent that is home to countless exotic species of plants

and animals. Where else could climate protection and nature conservation play such an important role?

Reducing carbon emissions is therefore a major issue in the manufacturing industry

– which naturally includes print production – and is causing a lot of printing companies to rethink their activities. One of them is IBS Design Resources, founded in 1996 and based in Nerang, Queensland, not far from the city of Brisbane. Not long ago a second waterless Genius 52UV from KBA-Metro-Print was put into operation there. It not only expanded the compa-ny’s product range but also made a significant contribution towards greening up production. For IBS and its eighteen em-ployees it was evident that the Genius 52UV is the perfect tool for opening up new business avenues

Antonio [email protected]

Website: www.ibscards.com.au

IBS Design Resources managing director Scott Siganto with Jack Malki of Jet Technologies, KBA-MetroPrint’s agency in Australia, at the handover of the Genius

in offset printing. The aim was to expand into markets where com-petitors had difficulty establishing a foothold.

Quality excellence in ecological offset?One of the Genius 52UV’s many assets is that it prints with UV inks that cure in the delivery sec-tion immediately after impression. Another is that this innovative B3 (21in) press requires neither wa-ter nor dampening additives like isopropyl alcohol or other pollut-ing stabilisers. The Genius 52UV thus delivers an outstanding off-set quality using one of the most environmentally-friendly printing processes. IBS is keen to expand its range of standard and business products, so one of its top priorities is maxi-mum flexibility in the range of sub-strate thicknesses and the length of job runs that it can handle. “We want to offer our customers every-thing from a single source, cost-ef-fectively and to high quality stand-ards. With the Genius 52UV, we can now respond rapidly to shifting market situations and can even print ultra-short run lengths eco-nomically and with ease, deliver-ing an unrivalled level of substrate flexibility,” emphasises IBS Design Resources managing director Scott Siganto. The waterless printing process, in conjunction with the Genius 52UV’s short-train inking units, means that start-up waste during run-up to saleable colour is kept to a minimum. This is in sharp con-trast to conventional offset presses. It makes no difference whether the substrate being printed is 80gsm (55lb book) paper, cardboard or 0.8mm (32pt) thick plastic. “We were looking for an at-tractive printing system that saves time, money and, above all, re-sources, with no compromises in terms of quality of the finished printed product,” says Scott Sigan-to, adding proudly: “and we have managed to find such a system in the Genius 52UV.”

A few days ago IBS fired up its second waterless Genius 52UV, expanding its product portfolio and burnishing its green credentials

Report 39 | 2011 43

Shorts

KBA aids Marshall & Bruce Printing after devastating flood in Nashville

When the Cumberland river burst its banks in May 2010

the press room at Marshall & Bruce Printing Company, a com-mercial printing, packaging and fulfilment specialist in Nashville, Tennessee, was flooded to a depth of three feet (almost 1m). The 145-year-old firm sits just across the street from the river, which reached nearly 12ft (3.6m) above flood stage and topped out at 51.9ft (15.8m) before the waters finally began to recede. “One of our em-ployees, Casey Johnson, came to our

facility in the middle of the night and cut the electric,” says presi-dent Chip Smith. “That was a key decision and helped to save our company.” “The most pressing problem was our Rapida 105,” Smith recalls. “KBA provided an incredible team of mechanics and electricians who stayed with us for seven weeks. They came into a very difficult situ-ation, had great attitudes through-out the process, and saw the job through to completion. I am con-fident that we would not be back

on our feet today without the focus and support from KBA.” Other key equipment had to be replaced. Marshall & Bruce lost its platesetters, computer systems and bindery equipment. Damage to its materials, paper and finished goods was significant. Luckily, the firm uses a three-tier storage system and only the first tier was damaged. In all, the firm’s loss was assessed at $2 million. It took two months for the company to become fully opera-tional again. During that time the

As if the flood had never happened: today, the press is fully operational again, thanks to the help of KBA mechanics

firm moved from being a printer to a print broker. This allowed Marshall & Bruce to service its customers and maintain good rela-tions with them. “When the press was first able to be turned on af-ter the flood, we celebrated,” says Smith. “When the press printed its first sheets again, we celebrated. When the main computer began to work again, we celebrated. Our en-tire company revolved around our Rapida 105 and the high quality of work we produced. It’s the linch-pin of our business.”

The Rapida 105 sheetfed press pictured after the flood water had receded

Further Rapida 142 for Malnove in Florida

In spring this year Malnove, the largest independent fold-

ing carton manufacturer in North America, equipped its Jacksonville, Florida, facility with a new Rapida 142 seven-colour coater press with delivery extension. “We installed the first large-format Rapida 142 in the US at our Omaha plant in 1997,” says presi-dent Paul Malnove. “We have con-tinued to support a strategy based on a common press platform across all of our facilities. The benefit to our customers is that we are able to produce any carton, for any cus-tomer, in any plant with the same quality and pictorial results. The Rapida 142 supports that strategy.” The new press has brought many dynamic strengths and ben-efits to the Jacksonville facility. In

addition to its KBA Densitronic Pro, a combined density and colour measuring system for quality con-trol both during and after printing, the press is equipped with a full array of automation, including a system that changes all the plates on the press simultaneously, thus increasing productivity and reduc-ing makeready. Malnove plans to continue its growth in UV printing and its new Rapida 142 is UV-ready. “Inline UV is a growth market op-portunity for Malnove,” says KBA director of technology Chris Travis. Founded in 1948, Malnove designs and converts high-quality folding carton packaging at its three plants in Omaha (Nebraska), Jacksonville (Florida) and Clear-field (Utah). Malnove is commit-ted to delivering sustainable value

through three tenets – intelligent packaging design, continuous pro-cess improvement, and speed to market.

A new seven-colour Rapida 142 is part of a move to enhance cost efficiency through automation

Website: www.malnove.com

Report 39 | 201144

Shorts

KBA trio shines at packaging specialist Jiangsu Zhongcai Printing

The trio is complete. At the end of last year Chinese packaging

specialist Jiangsu Zhongcai Print-ing in the city of Danyang fired up a seven-colour Rapida 105 UV coat-er press that now prints the luxury packaging for which the company is acclaimed. It joined two medi-um- and large-format six- and five-colour KBA presses that went live In 2003 and 2002 respectively. Jiangsu Zhongcai Printing was established in 1994 and together with Shanghai Jiacai Printing is part of the tnp (The National Press) group, a specialist producer of top-quality packaging. Alongside seven offset presses the group operates an array of flexo and gravure press-es at two big production plants employing around 1,000 people. The 15-hectare (37-acre) site in Danyang offers over 86,000m² (926,000ft²) of production space, so in conjunction with a well-equipped pre-press and finishing departments there is plenty of ca-pacity for other types of packaging in addition to upmarket products. The ISO 9001:2001 and ISO 14001:2004 accredited enterprise is managed by two brothers, Jiao Xiao Lin and Jiao Xiao Ping. Sales total around $71.1m (€50m) and are set to climb steeply in the next few years. In addition to quality the

primary focus is on environmen-tally friendly manufacturing pro-cesses. General manager Jiao Xiao Ping says: “We have a large number of long-term delivery contracts with top national and international firms in the tobacco, electronics, medi-cal, household goods, food and drinks industries. They include Panasonic, Siemens, Motorola,

Philips, McDonald’s, KFC, Colgate and Castel, reflecting our high-powered capabilities. We help our customers develop new, more at-tractive packaging on an ongoing basis.” Technology played just as im-portant a role as marketing strate-gies in the company’s success. Jiao Xiao Ping says: “The fact that we opted for KBA presses again after

Deputy general manager Jianping Bao, general manager Jiao Xiao Ping and KBA sales manager Huang Nanbiao (l-r) pictured at Jiangsu Zhongcai’s third KBA press, a seven-colour Rapida 105 with UV capability and a coater

Shanghai Guichao Fashion Accessories: tags and labels for haute couture scene

Following brisk demand in China for our medium- and large-for-

mat Rapidas, our B2 (29-inch) Rap-ida 75 is gaining a keen following. For example, Shanghai Guichao Fashion Accessories is using a Rapida 75 to address a lucrative niche market. The innovative 80-employee company, which specialises in pro-ducing quality tags and labels for fashion brands, has built up a fine reputation internationally since be-ing established in 2004. The choice of price, size, product description and manufacturer labels is impres-sive, as is the range of substrates used. Around 90 per cent of the company’s customers are in Eu-rope, mainly in Italy and Spain, but it also exports to the USA and

Japan, and has a growing domestic base. Chief executive Tang Gui Chao took a close look at the market

prior to choosing the 75: “When we launched the project in 2009 there were very few Rapida 75 press lines in China, but we had

“The KBA press offers us enormous benefits and the opportunity to expand our customer services.” Tang Gui Chao

a considerable interval is no coin-cidence. In recent years KBA has drawn ahead of the field. This ap-plies not only to technological in-novations but also to performance and, not least, after-sales service. We value the trust engendered in the course of our communications with KBA, and are open to any new advances that may help us drive growth.”

no doubts that we had made the right choice. Quality, productivity and product diversity have been materially enhanced with the new press. March to August is our busi-est period, and we made the most of the extra capacity by increasing the daily running time from eight to twelve hours.” 2012 will bring far-reaching changes. As Mr Tang explains: “We’re relocating to an 8,000 square metre site – twice the size of our present one – and we are already busy working out how to raise our market profile most effec-tively with further investments.”

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Half-format Rapidas gaining ground in Switzerland

Half-format KBA presses are fast winning hearts and minds in

Switzerland. Alongside the out-standing print quality they deliver this is due in no small part to their energy- and space-saving design, which addresses the needs of many small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). Wohler-Druck in Sprei-tenbach, not far from Zurich, has signed up for a 530 × 750 mm (20.86 x 29.53in) five-colour Rapida 75E press with a coater, a delivery extension and an unparal-leled level of automation as part of a strategic expansion project that includes a new production plant. A five-colour Rapida 75E was also the press of choice for Gutenberg Druck in Lachen, on the upper reaches of Lake Zurich. Both print-ing plants have a reputation for agility and innovation. Also worth a mention is a 480 x 660mm (19 x 26in) Rapida 66 ordered by Druck-erei Steckborn Louis Keller, a 120-year-old family enterprise in Steckborn. Here the preference was for a convertible four-colour perfector, which sends a signal to the industry that a “genuine” half-format press is not always essential for success in the technologically sophisticated, fiercely competitive Swiss market, with its rigorous quality standards. The five-colour Rapida 75E coater press at Wohler-Druck is to be equipped with a QualiTronic inline colour measurement and control system along with a spec-tral and densitometric colour meas-urement and control system. It will also feature ErgoTronic ACR auto-matic camera register control. The press will be capable of handling substrates from 0.04 to 0.8mm (15 - 32mil) thick at a maximum out-put of 16,000 sheets per hour. The integral anilox coater boasts semi-automatic plate changing, automat-ic coating feed and an automatic cleaning system. The press also in-cludes LogoTronic Professional – a server with a central database (job list, PressWatch, SpeedWatch, re-ports, VisuTable, pile card, master data) and interfaces to dedicated software.

No-frills design gets the nodThe Rapida 75E for Gutenberg Druck has a similar configuration, except that the colour measure-ment and control system had to be embedded in the existing InkZone application supplied by Digital In-formation. A key factor influencing the choice of press was its ultra-compact design. Managing director Andreas Grüter explains: “We took a close look at the presses available on the market and realised that pressroom architecture would have

to be an important consideration. The compact Rapida 75E was the perfect fit for the restricted space available. What also struck us for-cibly when comparing presses was the Rapida 75E’s much lower ener-gy consumption. The decision was by no means easy because we were satisfied with our existing presses and the support provided by the vendor. However, Print Assist and KBA offered us highly competent advice and their presentation made us keen to know more about the

technology. A trip to KBA’s plant in Radebeul completely won us over. The Rapida 75E is a successful combination of simplicity, sensible automation and high performance, underpinned with cutting-edge press technology.” Martin Keller of Steckborn Louis Keller said of his decision to buy a Rapida 66 four-colour perfec-tor: “The Rapida 66 is an all-round press combining value for money and an exceptionally high degree of flexibility. The GrafiControl con-sole, DensiTronic colour control system, integration in the pre-press workflow via a CIP3/JDF interface, semi-automatic plate changing and automatic blanket washing reduce job changeovers to a minimum. Al-though it’s only an A2 format the Rapida can handle a good 80 per cent of all our 50/70 work as well.” Following the success of KBA’s Swiss subsidiary Print Assist in Höri (near Zurich) in the Swiss medium- and large-format sectors, these sales are evidence that of-fering the Rapida 75E and Rapida 66 as interesting alternatives has enabled the company to expand its share of the half-format market as well.Happy with his new Rapida 66: Martin Keller,

owner of Druckerei Steckborn Louis Keller

Seated, l-r: Arnold Kessler and Andreas Grüter of Gutenberg Druck. Standing: Peter J Rickenmann of Print Assist and Sascha Fischer of Koenig & Bauer

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Semi-commercial excellence for Oceano with new Comet

A few months ago longstanding KBA customer Oceano in Ca-

jamar, near São Paulo, Brazil, fired up a new Comet whose heatset ca-pability enables it to print tabloids, school textbooks and magazines as well as newspapers. At an open house in March organised with the

support of our Brazilian agency, Deltagraf Representações Comer-ciais, the press printed a heatset magazine on 65gsm (43lb book) stock. Hercilio de Lourenzi, head of Grupo Escala which controls Oceano, stated that the Comet and

an identical pressline at another group production plant down south in Criciúma underscore Oceano’s impressive growth and are the culmination of a highly successful association between Oceano and KBA that dates back to 1997 and the installation of a 16pp Compacta

Deltagraf managing director Luiz Cesar Dutra, Grupo Escala owner Hercilio de Lourenzi, Oceano financial director Claudia Santos, KBA sales director Kai Trapp, Oceano plant manager Marcos Salles and KBA sales manager Fernando Ramos (l-r) pictured at the open house in Cajamar

215 commercial web offset press. It was followed by three more presses of the same type, two 48-page Compacta 618s and several KBA litho presses. KBA sales director Kai Trapp thanked Oceano’s executives and staff for their confidence in KBA. He said: “The two Comets are the perfect addition to Oceano’s exist-ing fleet of presses for the econom-ical, environmentally friendly and high-quality production of books, advertising inserts and magazines.” The four-high Comet presses at Oceano have a cylinder circum-ference of 1156mm (45.5in), a maximum web width of 1,000mm (39.37in) and a maximum rated output of 75,000cph. In addition to the heatset package with over-head hot-air dryers and chill-roller stand, press specifications included a double turner bar with one for-mer in the superstructure, a KF 3 jaw folder with semi-commercial capability and high-tech consoles with production scheduling soft-ware and RIP interface.

Comet a high spot at SWUG 2011 in Hobart, Australia

Hobart, Tasmania’s capital and an hour’s flight from Melbourne,

was the venue in late March for the 25th Single Width Users Group (SWUG) annual conference, an Australian and New Zealand news-paper industry event. Held at the Wrest Point Conference Centre, it drew some 220 delegates and fo-cussed on trends and innovations in newspaper production. The traditional printing-plant tour this year was to Davies Broth-ers in Glenorchy Technopark, north of Hobart. Bob Lockley, chief ex-ecutive for web printing at Fairfax Media and longstanding SWUG president, said: “The printing plant was a great site to visit and a good opportunity to see one of the most

modern single-width presses in Australia in action.” Owned by Australian media major News Limited, Davies Broth-ers uses a six-tower Comet with a double KF3 folder to print a local title, The Mercury, along with the Sunday Tasmanian and part-editions of the Australian and the Herald-Sun. Following installations in Mo-lendinar (2004) and Hobart (2009) the Comet for Darwin is the third press of this type at a News Limited plant. The West Australian in Perth has a duplex press line comprising a hybrid Comet and a double-wide Colora.

The Comet installed in May 2009 at Davies Brothers in Hobart can print full-colour tabloid copies with up to 96 pages

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Shorts

Ecuador’s president visits Editogran’s new production plant

In early April the president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, visited

state enterprise Editores Gráfi-cos Nacionales (Editogran) in Guayaquil, the biggest city in Ec-uador, where a new Colora news-paper press line went live several months ago printing two national dailies, El Telégrafo and PP El Ver-dadero. Mr Correa was accompanied by El Telégrafo director Edwin Ulloa, media consultant José Orús and plant manager Michael Hanisch on a tour of the factory, where he witnessed the Colora’s high-tech capabilities at first hand. Speaking at a press conference after the tour, Correa emphasised

the importance of the govern-ment’s investment in what is the most advanced newspaper press in the country. “While there was no doubting the quality of its content, El Telégrafo was experiencing tech-

nical problems with its old press. Now Editogran has a new produc-tion plant, a highly advanced print-ing press and technology that is of a world-class standard,” Correa de-clared.

The president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa (centre), pictured during a tour of Editogran’s new production plant

The new 75,000cph Colora has dramatically cut both printing time and production costs for the two daily titles. The press line, which is fed by two Pastomat C reelstands with Patras M reel loading, is con-figured as two four-high towers with two turner bars and one KF 5 jaw folder. Automation modules include colour and cut-off register control to enhance image quality. The 30,000m² (323,000ft²) site houses production halls, a warehouse and mailroom. A total of 310 staff are engaged in the production of the two daily titles, which are among the oldest in the country.

Two Rapida 75E presses debut at Pro-Print in South Africa

Following installations in Europe, Asia and Latin America, a few

months ago two Rapida 75E press lines went live at South African printer Pro-Print in Congella, near Durban. They are the first in the firm’s 47-year history, and join 16 Komori presses. Pro-Print, which specialises in top-quality pharma-ceutical packaging, has won nu-merous accolades, including the Sappi African Printer Award.

Proprietor Barry Roberts took over the helm from his parents, Ernest and Doreen, who in 1964 acquired the printing arm of Allen Hanburys, now Glaxo Smithkline. Since then Pro-Print (short for Professionals in Print) has built up a reputation for quality excellence and outstanding customer services. Its 3,000m² (32,300ft²) premises in Hannah Road have witnessed its evolution from modest beginnings

into a modern and well-equipped printing plant. Last year Pro-Print’s 160 employees generated sales ex-ceeding €11m ($15.8m). With the two new KBA Rapida 75E presses the company is gearing up for fu-ture growth by burnishing its eco-nomic and environmental creden-tials. Alongside international phar-maceutical companies Pro-Print’s clientele includes prominent adver- Website: www.proprint.co.za

Barry Roberts, his daughter Yvette and Greg Young of KBA agency Thunderbolt Solutions (l-r) are delighted at the successful debut of the two KBA presses

tising agencies and a host of retail, industrial and tourist enterprises. In choosing the Rapida 75E Pro-Print has opted for the ener-gy-saving champion in B2 format. In addition to a higher maximum output of 16,000sph and a wider range of stock thicknesses (up to 0.8mm or 32pt) the press features a raft of new advances. Barry Roberts says: “It may come as a surprise to many in the sector that as a longstanding Ko-mori user we brought a new ven-dor on board, but the spontaneous decision made at Ipex 2010 in fa-vour of the two Rapida 75E presses was based on solid facts. It was the small footprint, the array of fea-tures and the quality of the service provided by KBA’s South African agency, Thunderbolt Solutions. We installed a four- and a five-colour version, both of which boast auto-matic plate changing, blanket wash-ing and ErgoTronic consoles. Their makeready times and energy effi-ciency are highly competitive, and they are extremely reliable. Their ability to print alcohol-free makes them exceptionally eco-friendly.”

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Successful Interpack for KBA-Metronic

Impressive attendance figures, some highly promising talks and

a good number of contracts were the outcome of KBA-Metronic’s ap-pearance at Interpack 2011. The world’s definitive trade fair for the

packaging industry, Interpack has long been a must for KBA-Metronic as a systems provider for marking and coding equipment. With 2,700 exhibitors from 60 countries and all 19 halls of the Düsseldorf ex-

Visitors to Interpack expressed keen interest in KBA-Metronic’s innovative marking and coding systems

KBA-Metronic at CosmeticBusiness in Munich

C osmeticBusiness, Germany’s one and only trade fair for the cos-

metics industry and an annual event held in Munich, is attracting increasing numbers of exhibitors and visitors. Companies from the vast variety of sectors that supply the industry are keen to show off their products and services, which range from product development, design and R&D to the manufacture

of cosmetics and aerosols, produc-tion equipment, filling machines, packaging of all kinds, contract packaging and labelling to procure-ment and logistics etc. “Anyone who is anyone in the industry was at CosmeticBusiness 2011. The vitality and dynamism of the cosmetics sector were pal-pable,” said Frank Richter, propri-etor of CosmeticBusiness. This

The udaFORMAXX is a flexible yet precise coding system that can be expanded with any or all of the current coding devices

hibition site booked to capacity, this year’s Interpack was one of the most successful events in the show’s 53-year history. The focus of KBA-Metronic’s activities were new features relat-

was also evident from the origins of trade visitors to the show, with major international players rubbing shoulders with representatives from mid-cap and small-scale enter-prises. For KBA-Metronic the event furnished a good platform for pro-moting optically appealing coding systems for high-grade packaging in a variety of batch sizes and formats.

The udaFORMAXX, for example, is a standalone separating unit that allows contract packaging enter-prises to produce in quick succes-sion and individually code multiple short to medium runs of folding cartons and blanks. The alphaJET evo inkjet press with a wide choice of inks (eg UV-visible) is ideal for product coding because it offers the option of using TrueTypeFonts.

ing to and advances in industrial coding technology. These included a udaFORMAXX separating unit, which succeeds the UDA-150 S; a new hot-stamping device, hpdSYS-TEM, with ingress protection factor (IP) 54; new-generation laser cod-ing techniques; a much-discussed system for marking laser-activated labels; and a new generation of our highly successful alphaJET inkjet printers in a choice of different ver-sions. For the first time staff from our parent company, Koenig & Bauer AG were present on the KBA-Metronic stand to provide informa-tion on current high-performance sheetfed offset techniques and pro-cesses currently available for print-ing packaging.

There is a vast choice of cosmetic packaging

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Rapida 106 joins C16 at Schaffrath

After celebrating the inaugura-tion of a new 16-page KBA web

press model, the C16, late last year, German print and media enterprise Schaffrath in Geldern followed it up in April by pushing the button on a high-performance Rapida 106 B1 (41in) sheetfed offset press. Schaffrath is a specialist printer of catalogues, trade and consumer magazines, and informative litera-ture for associations. The company has streamlined its production pro-cesses and kitted up with cutting-edge technology in order to max-imise efficiency. It prints 25,500t (28,000 US tons) of paper per year, entailing 45 million adhesive bind-ing and 55 million stitching and ad-dressing sequences. The new five-colour Rapida 106 is the first sheetfed press at Schaff- rath to feature a coater. It is predom-inantly used to print a wide array of additions to web-printed prod-ucts, for example covers, bound- in inserts, postcards and special publications. Magazine-related jobs are often printed without using the

coater. But there are plans to deploy the new Rapida for other lines of business as well, which is why along with the coater the press package also included a board-handling ca-pability. The Rapida 106 really cuts the mustard in terms of print output, colour measurement and control

technology, and automation. Quali-Tronic inline colour control has slashed production waste, while in conjunction with automatic ink pumping, nonstop systems, Drive- Tronic SIS no-sidelay infeed, re-mote-controlled suction rollers and LogoTronic networking it has al-lowed manning levels to be opti-

mised with no impairment of out-put and quality. Management has calculated that the Rapida 106 at Schaffrath will pay for itself in just three-and-a-half years. “That is pretty short for a big-ticket item,” claims managing director Dirk Devers. After three months of operation the press had clocked up 6.1 million prints, equivalent to some 25 million sheets per year. “Our sheetfed de-partment has grown enormously with the Rapida 106,” says a de-lighted Devers. And, of course, the Rapida 106 operates alcohol-free. Schaffrath uses no-alcohol fount solution ad-ditives from KBA’s PressConsum range of consumables.

Rudolf Sturme (l), head of technology at Schaffrath’s printing plant, and press operator Ulrich Stelzer are delighted with their new Rapida 106

Website: www.schaffrath.de

Druckerei Kliewer: speed and innovation with digital and offset

German printer Kliewer in Sieg-burg, near Bonn, has made a

name for itself as a one-stop shop for all kinds of printing needs. Managing director Miroslaw Eich-berger, who took over the com-pany from Klaus-Dieter Kliewer in autumn 2009, prefers to produce everything in-house because it ena-bles him to optimise turnaround times and handle rush jobs. But this business model demands state-of-the-art technology to maximise speed and efficiency. The 32-employee firm oper-ates three sheetfed offset presses alongside a digital machine. Miro-slaw Eichberger explains: “The two types of process belong together, and we frequently use both offset and digital for the same product. For example, the HP Indigo 3050 digital press is used to print person-alised covers while a half-format offset press prints the inside pages. Every job has its own methodol-

ogy.” Print jobs can be switched easily from one press to another because they all share the same colour management system. The Rapida 75 five-colour press with coater and delivery extension also took up its new position in autumn 2009. By the end of July it had printed almost 35 million sheets. Average output is calculat-

ed at 12,000 sheets per hour, with a rated maximum of 15,000. That is up to 200,000 printed sheets per day. Which is why Kliewer has adopted the slogan “Formula 1 speed and innovation” for its web-site. What Eichberger likes most about the Rapida 75 is that it runs up to saleable colour in a minimum of time, is exceptionally stable in

production and delivers a dot-sharp print. Any job entailing solid colour and a high colour content is there-fore automatically assigned to the Rapida. Kliewer’s customer base main-ly comprises advertising agencies, firms and private customers from the Cologne/Bonn area and from other conurbations such as Ham-burg and Frankfurt am Main. The company’s two production shifts are kept busy even without the efforts of a dedicated sales team. Eichberger and Klaus-Dieter Kliew-er, who still plays an active role, deal personally with all their cus-tomers, offering them a complete package that includes address man-agement, personalisation, P&P opti-misation and mailing.

Kliewer has expanded its press fleet with a high-output B2 Rapida 75

Website: www.druckerei-kliewer.de

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InterTech Technology Award 2011 for KBA Flying JobChange

KBA’s unique Flying JobChange technology has won the pres-

tigious 2011 Printing Industries of America InterTech™ Technology Award, which will be presented at a gala on 11 September at the Mar-riott Chicago Downtown during Graph Expo. During the past six years, KBA has captured three InterTech Awards: in 2005 for the 9B (81in)

KBA’s unique Flying JobChange technology won the prestigious 2011 InterTech Technology Award from Printing Industries of America (PIA)

Related website: www.printing.org

technological impact in the market; it allows offset’s quality, offset’s wide substrates range and offset’s speed, all within digital press tech-nology changeover times. It is the optimum production technology. No other sheetfed press manufac-turer offers this technology – it is a technological breakthrough.” The plates for each new job can be changed on the fly at an impres-sive speed of 10,000 sheets per hour, then the press can be accel-erated back to its production speed of 18,000 sheets per hour (depend-ing on the configuration). So there is no makeready downtime and the production can be completed with-out interruptions – useful when

Flying JobChange is the fourth KBA product to win the Printing Industries of America coveted InterTech Technology Award following the VLF Rapida 205, small-format Genius 52UV and DriveTronic SIS no-sidelay infeed

printing polyglot imprints in in-struction manuals. Flying JobChange technology includes automation modules for simultaneous plate change and Plate-Ident which checks whether the correct plate is in the correct unit and also sends job data to the press for presetting functions. This leads to higher output, better print quality and greater substrate and format flexibility. A number of European printers are already successfully deploying this award-winning technology. The first user was AZ Druck und Datentechnik in Kempten (Allgäu) in 2009.

Route 75 roadshow in Brazil and Peru

Following its success in Germany, the Route 75 roadshow dedi-

cated to our half-format Rapida 75 was recently replicated in Brazil and Peru. The show was launched at the end of June in the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo, where packaging printer Grafijor Embal-agens has been operating a four-colour Rapida 75 coater press for the past five months. Proprietor Sebastião J Freitas related to the 90-strong audience his company’s history and his rea-sons for choosing the Rapida 75. A corporate profile of Global Siste-mas Gráficos, KBA’s Brazilian sales agency for small-format presses, which employs 20 sales and service staff, was provided by Robson Pád-ua. KBA print instructor Benjamin Nelles then printed three jobs on

different types of paper and board while Wolfram Zehnle, head of KBA’s customer showroom in Rade-beul, explained the inline coating effects that are possible. From São Paulo the roadshow moved on to Curitiba and Ordem

Rosa Cruz, which has a four-col-our A2 (26in) Rapida 66. The event attracted over 50 print pros from 20 plants, keen to find out more about this, the smallest Rapida in the KBA stable. Here, too, Benja-min Nelles and Wolfram Zehnle

expounded the many virtues of the Rapida 66 along with those of the Rapida 75E. A large number of at-tendees enjoyed the event so much that they stayed on long after it had closed. The final stop was at Forma e Imagen in the Peruvian capital of Lima, where 20 or so representa-tives of major print enterprises in and around Lima witnessed pro-fessionally presented demonstra-tions on a Rapida 75 five-colour coater press that highlighted its many winning features – foremost among them its compact footprint, user-focussed automation and low energy consumption.

A typically open KBA event: following the press demonstrations at Grafijor Embalagens the print pros present had a rare opportunity to take a look inside the Rapida 75

Rapida 205; in 2006 for the Genius 52UV offset press; and in 2007 for the Rapida 105’s unique SIS side-lay-free infeed feature. “We are very proud to receive the highly-acclaimed 2011 Printing Industries of America InterTech Technology Award,” says Mark Hischar, president and CEO of KBA North America. “KBA’s Fly-ing JobChange makes a significant

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Formula One run for Italian customers

In mid-July 50 Italian print pro-fessionals gathered at our cus-

tomer showroom in Radebeul for an update on the latest advances in sheetfed offset automation and quality control, with demos on the Rapida 106, the world makeready champion. As well as longstand-ing KBA customers like Mondadori Printing and G. Canale & C., print enterprises working with non-KBA presses were also represented. The first press to be fired up was a ten-colour Rapida 106 with DriveTronic SPC dedicated plate-cylinder drives which printed four challenging jobs in five-backing-five perfecting mode using a total of eight formes. The first job was a cookery book printed on 135gsm (36lb) matt art paper, with simul-taneous high-speed plate changing, washing and makeready for the dif-ferent signatures. For the next jobs the press operators also changed the substrate and format, printing on 70, 80 and 400gsm (30, 37 and 186lb Bristol) art paper. The demo concluded with flying job changes entailing four different language versions for a four-colour catalogue. The plates for each language plus black were changed in alternately disengaged units 4 and 5, and the

relevant unit re-engaged electroni-cally. In keeping with the Formula One event theme the sheets were displayed by Eurospeedway Lausitz’ Miss Quarter-Mile. Attendees also had the chance to test their own skills – with or without a pit stop – on a go-cart track outside the hall. The six-colour Rapida 106 was used to demonstrate inline finish-ing. First of all it printed package leaflets on 60gsm offset (16lb bond) paper from an RS106 reel-to-sheet feeder. After conversion to sheet production matt-gloss ef-

fects were created with a partial application of oil-based varnish and subsequent high-gloss aqueous coating. There followed a surprise run with gloss-coated images taken at the event, plus shots of Dresden and Radebeul. To finish up a run of packaging for stollen (German Christmas cake) was printed on GT1 cartonboard. The event closed with a guided tour of Dresden, and the Italian delegation returned home after two days with a wealth of new im-pressions.

Getting that Formula One feeling at the console for the 18,000sph six-colour Rapida 106

A high spot: label printing using an RS 106 reel-to-sheet feeder

Flying job changes on the Rapida 106 make pit stops superfluous, but visitors were still happy to accept freshly printed sheets from Michaela, Eurospeedway Lausitz’ Miss Quarter-Mile

Reportis the corporate magazine issued by the Koenig & Bauer Group (KBA):

Koenig & Bauer AG, WürzburgFriedrich-Koenig-Strasse 497080 Würzburg GermanyTel: (+49) 931 909-4336Fax: (+49) 931 9094101Web: www.kba.comE-mail: [email protected]

Koenig & Bauer AG, RadebeulFriedrich-List-Strasse 4701445 Radebeul GermanyTel: (+49) 351 833-2580Fax: (+49) 351 833-1001Web: www.kba.comE-mail: [email protected]

KBA-MetroPrint AGBenzstrasse 1197209 VeitshöchheimGermanyTel: (+49) 931 9085-0Fax: (+49) 931 9085-100Web: www.kba-metroprint.comE-mail: [email protected]

KBA-Metronic GmbHBenzstrasse 1197209 VeitshöchheimGermanyTel: (+49) 931 9085-0Fax: (+49) 931 9085-100Web: www.kba-metronic.comE-mail: [email protected]

Publisher:Koenig & Bauer Group

Editor in chief:Klaus Schmidt, KBA director of communications,Würzburg

Layout:Pia Vogel, VOGELSOLUTIONS.COM

Translation:Christina Degens-Kupp, KBA

Printed in the Federal Republic of Germany

A Rapida 106 with DriveTronic SPC set the world makeready record at Drupa2008 by completing 15 job changes in one hour, 500 good sheets per job.At Ipex 2010 it was topped by a Rapida 106 featuring our unique FlyingJobChange technology.

This stunning performance was only possible with our extensive automationfeatures.

The outstanding technology and versatility of the B1 Rapida 106 place itway ahead of the field. It can slash makeready times by up to 60 per centcompared to other presses in this format. Come and see for yourself at ourcustomer showroom.

KBA Rapida 106 SPCOur B1 flagship

KBA.

R.63

3.e

KBA Sheetfed Offset

Koenig & Bauer AG, Sheetfed Offset Pressesphone +49 351 833-0, [email protected], www.kba.com

LogoTronic Professional – press management system with JDF/JMF interface,central colour database, links to DensiTronic and QualiTronic

DensiTronic Professional – combined density and colour measurementwith dynamic ink-key adjustment

DensiTronic PDF – scans printed sheet and matches to PDF

QualiTronic – inline sheet inspection (in perfectors on both sides of sheet)

QualiTronic Color Control – includes inline density measurement and control

QualiTronic Professional – inline sheet inspection with colour density measurement and control

DriveTronic Plate Ident – optical plate recognition: eliminates register pins, pre-registration and plausibility control via data matrix code

ErgoTronic ACR – automated lateral, circumferential and diagonal register corrections

ErgoTronic – quick-start function, ink run-up, job storage, job changeover

FAPC – fully automated plate-changing system

DriveTronic SPC – simultaneous plate changing with dedicated plate-cylinder drives, parallel washing processes

Single train inking – quick response, low maintenance

CleanTronic Synchro – simultaneous washing of blanketcylinders, impression cylinders and rollers

CleanTronic Multi – Multi-circuit washing system for different solutions (UV, conventional)

DriveTronic SISSidelay-free infeed system

DriveTronic InfeedRemote adjustment of feed line and front lays

DriveTronic FeederFour independent drives for all movement functions, presettable

Automated coating forme change (SAPC)

VariDry high-performance dryersIR, hot air and UV, quick-change interdeck cassettes

AirTronic deliveryMulti Venturi sheet control

Automatic suction-ring positioning (ASP) Remote positioning of the suction rings in the delivery

Perfecting – automatic conversion from the console

Rapida 106 SPC_nurfuerReport_d,e,i,f,s:Layout 1 04.08.2011 9:44 Uhr Seite 1