Bolger Vision Beyond Print Installs Next-Generation Long Perfector

MINNEAPOLIS—November 29, 2006—KBA North America, a leading sheetfed offset press manufacturer based in Williston, VT, is announcing that Bolger Vision Beyond Print, a 220-employee, $30 million printer based in Minneapolis, has installed the first-of-its-kind press configuration of a KBA Rapida 105 ten-color perfecting press that prints and coats both sides of the sheet at once using UV inks. It also features coating towers after the fifth and tenth unit for special effects.

“In our intensely-competitive industry, it’s critical to differentiate ourselves from the competition, “ exclaims dik Bolger, executive officer at Bolger Vision Beyond Print, a 220-employee, $30 million printer based in Minneapolis. “In April 2004 at Drupa, we began to look for a new press and we looked at KBA’s Rapida 105 41-inch ten-color perfector press with UV curing and coating. But we weren’t sure it was the right press for us. After researching the entire press market---both straight and perfecting, we kept coming back to the KBA Rapida 105 ten-color perfector press. This press configuration, with coating towers after the fifth and tenth unit, is the first of its kind in North America. It surely does differentiate us from our competition and it is surely pushing the technology envelope.”

Bolger’s KBA Rapida 105 is a ten-color long perfector press - five colors plus coating over five colors plus coating. The press has two individual coating towers with interdeck UV dryers between printing units, and it will run hybrid inks. A video camera follows the sheet’s path through the press to ensure speed and accuracy. The press is also configured with automatic plate changing, sidelay-free infeed, single-suction belt tables, and adjustment-free gripper bars. Operational information is fed into Bolger’s MIS for later data analysis.

“We’re experienced with sheetfed perfectors,” says Bolger. “We have two existing perfectors from different press manufacturers: a 2/4 used for matte paper and a 1/1 generally used for uncoated paper. With those two presses, we’d have marking if we didn’t allow for gutters. The Rapida 105’s special smooth cylinders after the perfectors as well as its UV drying on both sides of the sheet eliminate these issues. There’s no marking with the Rapida 105 and there is no difference in the dot structure from one side to the other. The UV curing gives us better trapping and no dot gain. Our printed sheets are dry in the delivery of the press and ready for the bindery.”

“This is our first KBA press,” says Bolger. “What attracted me to the company is that it seems to be more innovative than other press manufacturers. KBA has a ‘can-do’ attitude and it is able to build unique configurations for its customers. KBA is the best press manufacturer that can print five colors, coat and perfect and then do five colors and coat all with UV (in this configuration).”

Bolger is also impressed with KBA’s friendly, direct management style. “From the very top executive in Germany, Albrecht Bolza-Schuenemann, to the chief executive officer and president here in the US, Ralf Sammeck, we’ve had visits from everyone to make sure our press is up to our standards. I’m very impressed with the organization and how they care about their customers.”

The new press has replaced two of the company’s four existing 40-inch, multicolor presses. Bolger says the new Rapida 105 long perfector is perfectly suited for the short- to mid-range multi-form market of run lengths of 1,000 to 60,000.

In mid-November 2006, Bolger Vision Beyond Print invited 300 customers to an open house where the key event was the print production of the new Rapida 105 ten-color perfector. Customers, says Bolger, like the fact that they can cut makeready in half by coming in for one press check on the Rapida 10-color perfector to check both sides of the sheet at once rather than two press checks if they had to run the sheet through another press twice.

Founded in 1934 by John and Genevieve Bolger, Bolger Vision Beyond Print (www.bolgerinc.com) is a 220-employee, $30 million printer in Minneapolis. The family-run company, with owners dik Bolger overseeing sales and marketing, and Charles Bolger, overseeing manufacturing, has expanded beyond its offset printing base to offer a full range of services from design through fulfillment, including 180 Creative, the company’s branding strategy agency.

About KBA North America
KBA North America is a leading supplier of sheetfed offset and digital presses located in Williston, VT. It is a member of the KBA Group, a leader in the manufacture of sheetfed offset, digital offset, web offset, rotogravure directory, security, and newspaper presses. www.kba-usa.com