Customers Praise KBA for Its Wide-Ranging Portfolio of Large-Format Press Options

KBA North America says it has received praise from customers for its wide-ranging portfolio of large-format press options – from 51–81” (the largest press in the world). At the most recent Drupa 2012, KBA introduced its newest rising star in the large-format category: the Rapida 145—a high speed large-format press with the shortest makeready and fast job changeovers along with simultaneous plate changing using KBA DriveTronic SPC. The Rapida 145 has exceeded KBA sales expectations.

“We let the facts speak for themselves,” said Mark Hischar, KBA North America CEO and president. “KBA has over 250 large-format installations in North America with well over 100 installed in the last 10 years and the most knowledgeable and skilled technical support teams within North America. Over half of the large-format press installations in North America are KBA. For over 80 years, we’ve been the leader supplying large-format presses to the packaging industry. Our design team has clearly kept pace with the needs of our customers by developing the technology that established the KBA product line as the industry pace-setter In the end, though, it is our profitable and well-known customers and what they have to say about KBA that means the most. No other press manufacturer comes close to having the largest number of installations including the deepest penetration of packaging printers, high customer satisfaction and most honored press technology for this sector.”

The 81” KBA Rapida 205 press is the largest sheetfed press in the world, according to KBA. It is the first press of its size to offer a wide range of automated technologies that provide for extremely high print quality and low make-ready times. This “one-of-a-kind” configuration offers a high degree of automation, bringing massive efficiencies to the production of printed sheets; and with its UV drying capabilities, it will print on any substrate. In 2005, Printing Industries of America awarded KBA the prestigious InterTech Award for the Rapida 205. No other press manufacturer can match KBA’s large contingent of successful well-known printers in the United States using the 81” KBA Rapida 205 press.

“With nearly 200 years of experience and a stellar reputation as the leading innovator among its customers, KBA is a stable, profitable partner,” said Eric Frank, KBA North America vice president of marketing and product management. “It’s no secret that we are the leader as the large-format press manufacturer. We don’t rely on no-name research and unidentifiable data; our highly-visible customers assert to our lead as well as the proven data. We will continue to maintain this position and work with existing and potential customers as we introduce even more technologically-appealing models to the market.”