KBA North America, a leading sheetfed offset press manufacturer based in Williston, Vt., has promoted Steve Korn to Director of Book Markets as well as assigning several national accounts to his portfolio of responsibility. Korn will also continue to work in his sales territory in Illinois and Michigan. "We are proud to recognize and promote Steve to his new position,” says Ralf Sammeck, president and CEO of KBA North America. “During the past year in Illinois and Michigan we at KBA have grown our revenues over $50 million in installed equipment. This includes all types of printers --- digital, commercial, large format, and packaging. All have become more and more profitable due to KBA’s unique partnership programs that helps them focus on lowering their production costs and increasing their production yields. This is our formula for success and what makes KBA extremely different in today’s market." Here’s a brief overview of some of KBA’s customers in the Michigan – Illinois territory: All Out, Inc., a new start-up general commercial printer located in Woodridge, IL., who seized the large format market and differentiated itself from the 40-inch market by installing a new KBA Rapida 142 56-inch five color + coater press. McNaughton & Gunn, originally formed in 1975 by five partners from various book manufacturing companies in the Ann Arbor, MI area., installed a Rapida 130 51-inch 2 color large format perfector press with a roll-to-sheet-feeder. Triumph Packaging, Bolingbrook, IL, is currently underway installing a Rapida 162 64-inch 7 color + coater large format press. Friesens Corporation, one of Canada’s leading independent companies, specializing in book manufacturing and printing, is installing a Rapida 130 two-color convertible perfecting press for either doing two colors on one side (or) one color on each side; depending on the mode selected when operating the press. The D.B. Hess Company, a book, catalog and directory manufacturer headquartered in Woodstock, IL with a second manufacturing facility in DeKalb, IL., manufactures over 100 million books, catalogs and directories, while employing in excess of 400 people. The firm installed a Rapida 105 41-inch six-color plus double coater for book cover manufacturing. Lithographic Industries Inc., Broadview, IL, an industry leading blistercard printer specializing in combination gang runs. The 30-employee firm purchased a Rapida 105 41-inch 11-color perfector for running high quality blister cards. Visant Corporation, a leading North American specialty printing, marketing and school-related affinity products and services enterprise that was formed in October 2004 through the consolidation of the Jostens, Von Hoffmann, Lehigh and Arcade Marketing companies through a transaction with affiliates of DLJ Merchant Banking Partners III, L.P. (DLJMBP) and affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (KKR). Visant installed a Rapida 142 56-inch 8-color perfector for book production. The Mallard Press, Lombard, IL, recognized as one of America’s Top 50 fastest growing printing companies, installed a Genius 52 UV waterless press The Garvey Group, Niles, IL, continues its expansion by installing three KBA presses within the past two years. The firm, a network of facilities providing integrated services for the design, printing, internet applications and supply chain management of printed materials located throughout the Midwest, has installed a KBA Rapida 105 41-inch ten-color + coater perfector press with UV and hybrid ink capabilities inluding an inline roll-sheeter, a KBA Rapida142 56-inch, six-color machine with tower coater; and a Rapida 205 81-inch sheetfed press with tower coater.