July 14, 2004 -- KBA North America, a leading sheetfed offset press manufacturer based in Williston, VT, is announcing the sale of a 74 Karat digital offset press with coater to Blanks Printing and Imaging, Inc., a commercial sheetfed printer located in Dallas, Texas. This will be the first 74 Karat press in the state of Texas. The new press is due to arrive in August 2004. “There are many reasons that we decided that the KBA 74 Karat digital offset press was right for our company,” says Leron Blanks, president. “First, we currently have two 40” sheetfed offset presses, an eight-color perfector and a six-color CD press, both with aqueous coating. We count many large nationwide retailers as our customers who, in addition to the longer run commercial work, have small,short-run, quick-turnaround jobs, under 10,000 sheets that are perfect work for the Karat. In addition, we feel the Karat will allow us to generate more business for our larger presses in that we can make the first short run on the Karat and then make the subsequent larger run on our 40” equipment, both printed offset and both printed in the most efficient manner. "We have some current work from our larger customers that can be transferred to the 74 Karat,” says Blanks. “This work fits better on the Karat than our large 40” sheetfed presses. By switching this work from one press to another, it will eliminate overtime on our larger presses and be very helpful to our bottomline.” “Thirdly,we were careful to choose a new press that would generate a new revenue stream to our business,” says Blanks. "The 74 Karat is moving our business into waterless printing that enables us to provide plastic and lenticular printed items to our customers. We like the fact that waterless is both high quality and environmentally friendly. The 74 Karat uses real ink not toner-based like some other short run presses.” Another attraction for Blanks was the 74 Karat’s ability to produce plates on press.“We did not want to buy another press that mandated the need to make more plates,” says Blanks. “We have a computer-to-plate system for our two 40”sheetfed offset presses. If we installed another press that added three million dollars in volume, we’d have to buy another computer-to-plate system. With the 74 Karat, we don’t have to buy another CTP system. We can image the plates right on press. Plus, we can perform a complete makeready, which includes blanket washing, plate changing, imaging, and plate cleaning in just 15 minutes.” The Blanks management team examined a 74 Karat press in actual production at an out-of-state printer’s facility. They were impressed with its very high quality and quick turnaround. “Our marketplace is extremely curious and interested in the 74 Karat press,” says Blanks. “They see a lot of possibilities for the press. Plus, it is the first one in Texas.” Blanks Printing & Imaging, Inc. was established in 1941 by Roy Blanks, Leron Blanks’ father. Leron Blanks has been the president since 1978 and the single owner since 1982. The firm employs 100 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Its nationwide customers include many large retail businesses that require signage, posters, point-of-purchase materials, advertising materials, store opening materials, catalogs, brochures, and annual reports. Blanks Printing provides premier prepress, printing, bindery, photography, fulfillment, and shipping to its customers. Please find a downloadable version of this PR including photos at: http://www.kba-print.de/vt/headlines/digital2/ 2004-07-09-03-0407-030_blanks_printing_purchases_74karat.html