Komori Seals International Deals at Drupa 08

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—June 17, 2008—Sheetfed and web offset press manufacturer Komori today announced that drupa 2008 has been a successful platform for numerous press deals around the world. Demonstrations on the Komori stand attracted huge crowds, especially the newly launched Lithrone SX models and the System 38S web press. As well as being the only 16 page web on show, the System 38 also broke a world record during one demo, completing three different jobs under 13 minutes. The packed audience watched as 15,000 perfect sheets of each job, involving two plate changes and a format change were produced before their eyes as the press reached its top speed of 60,000 sph.

The president of Komori International Europe, Junya Shimada, commented: “It’s clear that drupa continues to expand its boundaries internationally. It’s the perfect opportunity to assess global markets in a single snapshot. From here we have a clear view of what markets are dormant, which are mature and which are buoyant and growing. We have welcomed buyers and prospects from countries that we don’t usually expect to see. The broad geographical spread is the most significant factor with buyers ranging all the way from Latin America to Latvia. The interest is strong across B2, B1 and web presses and we have made significant sales to companies around the world.”

UK based Ortek confirmed an order for a Lithrone S29 and coater at the show. This is the company’s fourth new Komori press. Managing director Craig Morris said: “Ordering the Komori LS29 was the obvious choice when renewing our older press. The speed of makeready and job to job changeover times are excellent. This is our fourth new Komori and we didn’t need to consider other manufacturers; without exception press reliability is fantastic, they just don’t break down. The Komori is a quality product that outputs a quality result.”

During drupa each customer that placed an order received a Komori Lithograph, produced on one of the first Komori machines manufactured circa 1930. Mr Yoshiharu Komori, Komori president and chief executive, presented Craig with his signed Lithograph to show the corporation’s appreciation for the order.

US commercial printer Best Press ordered two Komori LS presses, a 10-colour Lithrone S40 perfector and a six-colour Lithrone S40, equipped with UV. Stephan Carter, president and chief executive of Komori America, said: “We believe that our LS technology and Best Press’ reputation for providing high-quality printing are a winning combination and will position them for ever greater success in the marketplace.”

Finnish company Lonnberg Print & Promo ordered the country’s first five-colour B1 press, a Komori Lithrone S540 and coater with UV. The press will be used for magazine covers and is already booked up with work in preparation for its installation in August. Lonnberg chairman Pertti Valkama said: “We compared a number of manufacturers and Komori came out on top in all aspects: quality, print technology, service and spare parts, price and people.”

Komori also took an order at its stand for a second eight-colour Lithrone S840 Perfector from Paarl Print. The South African based company now has four B1 Komori presses which have replaced full and half size Man Roland machines. Once installed, Paarl Print’s machine will be used for high-end, niche magazines and commercial work for South Africa’s banking industry. Chief executive officer of Paarl Media, Stephen Van Der Walt said: “The new Komoris have been so successful that we have filled the capacity of our first LS840P and impressed our clients with the quality and turnaround in the process. However we feel it is important to always have back up, and it’s now our aim to fill the extra capacity of the new press once it arrives. We’d like to believe that one day we could standardize and become a full Komori house, and this latest purchase at drupa is a step in the right direction.”

About Komori
For 85 years, since its establishment in 1923, the Komori Group has been producing offset printing presses. The flagship products include sheet-fed offset presses such as the 40in and 29 in ‘Lithrone S Series’ and ‘Sprint Series’, web offset presses such as the ‘System 38 Series’ and related equipment and devices, as well as currency printing machinery, exclusively supplied to the National Printing Bureau in Japan for many years.

The Komori Group endeavours to improve the quality and productivity of its basic printing presses and develop printing information networks and automated integrated printing systems to respond to the recent trend of digitalisation and networking, and realise a total printing production system.