KBA to Emphasize Solutions, Opportunities in 10 Market Segments at GRAPH EXPO

WÜRZBURG, Germany—August 25, 2015—KBA will be emphasizing solutions and new opportunities among 10 different market segments at its dynamic, informative and interactive booth at GRAPH EXPO 15. The open layout of the booth allows attendees to learn about KBA’s latest initiatives, its wide range of printing presses, its solutions for commercial, packaging, digital, newspaper, metal decorating, and flexible substrate markets, and its unique automated systems and services all in an effort to help printers seize upon new expanded business prospects. KBA will be conveniently located in Booth 213 at the front entrance to the show floor. GRAPH EXPO 15 and the co-located CPP EXPO are scheduled for Sept. 13-16, 2015, at Chicago's McCormick Place South.

“We are proud to be exhibiting at GRAPH EXPO 15 and demonstrating our strong support of the industry,” commented Mark Hischar, president and CEO of KBA North America. “Every year, we look forward to attending GRAPH EXPO and affording our knowledgeable team of sales, technical and service representatives to talk one-to-one with our customers and prospects and show them why KBA is the leading press manufacturer in the graphic arts industry. This is an important once-a-year occasion to demonstrate our wide range of equipment, including digital and large-format presses, and our many popular services, such as Service Select. KBA is in a healthy, strong financial position, the undisputed leader in large-format sheetfed and packaging presses, and continues to grow its market share.”

Since KBA continues to dominate the offset packaging market with new installations across the United States, a large part of its booth at GRAPH EXPO 15 will be focused on this important and growing market. KBA boasts over 250 large-format installations in North America. Over half of the large-format press installations in North America are KBA. It offers a wide-ranging portfolio of large-format press options—from 51-81" (the largest press in the world) equipped with unique technology not found on any other press.

Being unveiled at GRAPH EXPO 15 will be KBA’s new Rapida 105 PRO, a new medium-format sheetfed offset press model that was just launched in June 2015. At 17,000 sheets/hr., the new press delivers a slightly higher level of performance in terms of production, a larger standard sheet format of 740x1,050 mm, shorter makeready times based on more automation and a new operating concept, plus it offers more equipment flexibility and greater scope for customization. One of the Rapida 105 PRO’s key features, according to KBA, is the full preset capabilities from the feeder through the printing units to delivery. All of the settings at the feeder and delivery can be stored according to job type, which can be leveraged with repeat jobs or orders printed on the same substrate.

For the digital press market, KBA will be highlighting its new RotaJET 130 L and RotaJET 168 VL digital inkjet models. These popular new presses serve an enormous range of applications for book, advertising and publications printing as well as additional industrial application fields, like decorative and packaging printing. KBA RotaJET presses feature robust engineering combined with an intelligent web guidance system over two large cylinders without turner bars, which result in optimum web tension and a high print and register quality even on thin paper. The modular RotaJET L platform is available in five different web widths from 35.2-51.1" and can be upgraded to the maximum printing width and color content or configured to suit all fundamental application areas in the high-volume digital printing segment. Retrofitting future generations of printing heads is also possible allowing users to react quickly and economically to changing demands. Along with the new 89-130 series based on the RotaJET L platform and the RotaJET 76 (max. printing width 30.7") for book, commercial, magazine and newspaper printing, KBA has built the RotaJET VL inkjet range with a printing width of over 5.2 ft. or even over 6.6 ft. for industrial applications.

KBA will continue to demonstrate its growth into new markets with the continued success of its KBA-Flexotecnica subsidiary for flexible packaging. KBA is expanding its strong market position in the folding carton market into this growing packaging segment. KBA-Flexotecnica develops, builds, distributes and services central-impression flexographic presses for printing on flexible packaging materials.

On the web offset market side, KBA will be promoting its web service retrofit/rebuild program, which offers preventative change-over installation from discontinued drive components from AMK and BRC on an existing web offset press to new proven technology. The Buffalo News has just ordered a retrofit for nine reelstands from KBA (they have a total of 18 reelstands), which will begin in mid-September 2015, and a Canadian customer has just ordered two retrofits, and they have a total of four reelstands. Earlier this year, KBA performed a BRC retrofit on a KBA Comet press and in October 2015 KBA will perform a retrofit on a KBA Colora press. KBA will also be discussing its partnership with Tensor International, the premier U.S. manufacturer of single width web offset press systems serving semi-commercial, insert and newspaper print markets worldwide. Tensor’s product line is an excellent enhancement to KBA’s own line of web offset presses.

KBA will also be introducing VariDry LED-UV, the industry’s fastest-growing low-energy drying technology. Designed for commercial and packaging printers from small to large format, the instant cure-to-print system offers very low energy costs to power LED-UV, flexibility to easily move LED-UV lamps interchangeably on press, as well as environmental and safety benefits. KBA is the only large-format press manufacturer that can offer LED hybrid presses using both traditional UV and LED-UV processes. It is also the only large-format press manufacture that produces its own dryer; this means the KBA VariDry system is fully integrated into the press allowing for easy operation no matter if it is infrared, hot air, traditional UV, HR UV or LED-UV.

A portion of the KBA booth will be designated for printers who would like to learn how to further optimize their print operation. It will be manned by KBA’s expert Service Select team of highly-trained technicians who will be demonstrating live press analysis for both sheetfed and web throughout the entire show. This comprehensive support team cannot be duplicated by any other manufacturer. Attendees will learn about Service Select, a complete line of customized service products designed to maximize the productivity and profitability of a customer’s KBA press, how a printer can measure and improve upon their OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), how it helps KBA customers identify critical function areas that may be influencing productivity using press historical data and how they can ensure that every KBA press gets more net sheets on the pressroom floor every shift and that all KBA product features are being optimized throughout the manufacturing process.

“The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) is proud of the broad support that GRAPH EXPO has been receiving from KBA and the supplier community with its solid commitment to the industry by exhibiting in Chicago this year,” relayed Ralph Nappi, president of GASC. “KBA has an impressive record and commitment to our industry by being a consistent supporter of trade shows and our industry’s customer base for many years.”

KBA will be welcoming customers and guests to its comfortable lounge atmosphere serving complimentary cold German beer and hot tasty brat. On the outer perimeter of the booth will be 10 free standing walls showing the different market segments that KBA serves. The 10 segments will furnish information on commercial printing, folding carton packaging, flexible packaging, metal decorating, newspaper, plastic cards, security printing, digital printing, signage/ POP and service and support. Private conference rooms will be available for speaking one-to-one with customers.

About GRAPH EXPO 15
Recognized as the most innovative and comprehensive exhibition in the Americas of inkjet, digital, offset, flexo, gravure and hybrid technologies, products, and services for the commercial, transactional, converting and package printing, publishing, mailing, in-plant, photo imaging, marketing and industrial printing industries, this year's "Transform" themed GRAPH EXPO 15 offers an exciting show-going experience for a diverse spectrum of attendees. The industry event presents the latest graphic communications technologies in live equipment demonstrations across the exhibition floor, plus education on the most in-demand products and newest profit-making opportunities. GRAPH EXPO 15 offers more than 70 interactive learning sessions and 50+ co-located events for attendees across 12 key market segments.

About KBA North America
KBA North America is located in Dallas, and is a member of the KBA Group. Established almost 200 years ago in Wuerzburg, Germany, Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) is the oldest and second largest press manufacturer worldwide. KBA's banner, 'People & Print', reflects its dual focus as a leading innovator for print entrepreneurs. The group's product range is the broadest in the industry; its portfolio includes sheetfed offset presses in all format classes, commercial and newspaper web presses, inkjet systems and presses, flexographic presses, special presses for banknotes, securities, metal-decorating, smart cards, glass and plastic decorating.

Source: KBA North America.