KBA North America

Thomas Potzkai has taken over as head of web press after-sales service activities at KBA from Jens Maul. In his new role, Potzkai aims to strengthen KBA’s customer focus further by joining these activities with his current area of responsibility as head of division web presses and project management.

Beginning January 1, 2014, KBA North America will be the North American exclusive distributor for its newly-acquired Italian flexible packaging press manufacturer Flexotecnica. The new subsidiary will function as KBA-Flexotecnica.

Marshall & Bruce Printing in Nashville, TN, has entered into the large-format arena with the addition of a six-color, 57˝ KBA Rapida 145 press with coater and UV capabilities. The company will use the press to print high-end point-of-purchase and packaging work on a variety of substrates.

After in-depth deliberations, the KBA supervisory board has approved a new realignment concept presented by the KBA management board, that centered on sustainable structural adjustments to secure core business activities, the optimization and concentration of value creation at the various locations, and changes to organizational structures within the group, placing a focus on future growth fields.

Koenig & Bauer (KBA) has entered the expanding niche market for directly decorating luxury glass packaging and other hollow containers with the majority takeover of Kammann Maschinenbau in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, concluded at the beginning of September. Following a long period of negotiations, the majority acquisition of Italian press manufacturer Flexotecnica based in Tavazzano near Milan was finalized in early December.

Commercial printer equipment installations and other news from Printing Impressions’ December 2013 edition, featuring Sandy Alexander, Lithographix, DPI Direct, Apex Color, IWCO Direct, Japs-Olson Co.

Standard Printing in Canton, OH, has added a new six-color, 64" KBA Rapida 164 press with coater. The new Rapida 164—its first from KBA—joins four current offset presses.

In view of the much lower sales volume than expected in both business segments due to economic and market developments, Koenig & Bauer's initial target of Group annual sales of approx. €1.3bn in 2013 will not be reached and management estimates revenue of approx. €1.1bn.

Commercial printer company and personnel news from Printing Impressions’ November 2013 edition, featuring Pitney Bowes, Scodix, Nekoosa Coated Products and MagnetNotes LLC, Diversified Graphic Machinery

KBA and MBO have signed a cooperation agreement on the joint international marketing of MBO folding machines. To kick off the partnership between the two manufacturers, KBA for the first time presented not only its Rapida 75 press, but also MBO's new 2013-generation folder M80 on its exhibition stand at Pack Print International in Thailand.