Williston, Vt., announced a number of major new initiatives at its Graph Expo press conference on Monday October 16, 2006. •Integration of web and sheetfed division into one operation for sales and service •Press sales of the Rapida 142, Rapida 105, Genius 52 UV, and 74 Karat •A new pressroom consumables division •Major investment of installation of the first large format sheetfed press in its demo center in Vermont (and the only large-format press in a demo center in North America) •2007 introduction of new waterless, keyless 29-inch perfecting press Award-winning Genius with more options available The firm’s booth at Graph Expo, dominated by its award-winning Genius 52 UV digital sheetfed offset press, hosted large record-setting numbers of show-goers who were curious to view the Genius 52 UV press up close and amazed at the unique jobs being printed on a variety of substrates, including plastic and lenticular. The new version of the Genius 52 UV, which was named the 2006 GATF InterTech award winner, features an optional raised kit to allow both commercial and packaging printers the ability to increase pile height during the operation of the press. This higher pile height allows printers to utilize a variety of substrates, such as lenticular, paper, board, and plastic, in larger amounts and as a result less pile changes. Another new option for the Genius is inkjet printing personalization. The new innovative personalization option is available through the in-line alphaJet C continuous inkjet system for single sheet marking with variable imprints, such as letters, numbers and barcodes. The inkjet system is an economical way to produce personalized messages on the Genius 52 UV with low consumption rates. Integration of web and sheetfed divisions Ralf Sammeck, president and CEO of KBA North America, made the dramatic announcement of KBA’s intention to integrate its sheetfed and web divisions into one operation for sales and service. The decision came from KBA North America Inc.’s supervisory board, which felt the integration would better serve KBA’s customers to transfer web press sales, service and parts activities from York, PA, to KBA NA’s sheetfed division, which has been based since the early 1990s in the Burlington suburb of Williston, Vermont. “Our ultimate goal is to offer all North American customers the most technologically-advanced printing presses in web and sheetfed supported by the industry’s best direct parts and service teams. By combining the synergies of both organizations under one roof we can optimize customer service and overall satisfaction thus ensuring all printers have one contact point for all their needs. Since KBA is the only press manufacturer to offer sheetfed presses from 20 - 81” along with commercial, newspaper and rotogravure web products we can analyze a printing company’s overall strategy and then offer them a customized solution – this is only available from KBA,” says Sammeck. The new combined sheetfed and web company will continue as a wholly-owned American subsidiary of Koenig & Bauer AG, Wuerzburg, Germany under the company name KBA North America Inc. Variety of press sales Graph Expo also marked the sales of a variety of KBA’s most popular presses: the Rapida 142 56-inch, Rapida 105 41-inch sheetfed press, 74 Karat, and the Genius 52 UV. For instance •an Ontario based printer purchased a Rapida 105 six-color •All Out Printing, Palos Park, Ill. purchased a Rapida 142 six-color •H & H Enterprises, Las Vegas, purchased a Genius 52 five-color •A Midwest printer purchased three 74 Karat presses and •BL Litho, Montreal, Quebec, purchased a Rapida 105 eight-color perfector press BL Litho, a leading Montreal, Quebec printer, purchased a Rapida 105 41-inch eight-color sheetfed perfector press with UV option. The new press is due to be delivered in December 2006 with a planned start-up date of February 2007. The Rapida 105 was sold in cooperation with KBR Graphics Ltd., the eastern Canadian distributor for KBA North America. Martin Marchand and Renee Therrien of BL Litho met with Ralf Sammeck at Graph Expo to finalize the sale of the KBA Rapida 105 41” eight-color sheetfed perfector press. New waterless, keyless 29-inch perfector press At the press conference, Sammeck also noted that in 2007 KBA will market a waterless, keyless 29" press capable of coming up to color within eight sheets. The Rapida 74 G uses KBA’s Gravuflow short inking system, which was successfully implemented in other KBA presses – 74 Karat, Genius 52 UV and the KBA Anilox-Colora and KBA Cortina (both web-presses) over the last six years. In addition, the show was marked with the relentless pursuit of KBA’s 81-inch maps of both the United States and the world. Show-goers came early and waited in long lines to take home the popular colorful map samples printed on the KBA Rapida 205 81-inch sheetfed press. KBA gave away more than 5,000 81-inch world and US maps at the show. The maps were printed by Edison Litho & Printing of North Bergen, NJ. on their Rapida 205 81-inch sheetfed press. New Consumables Division At Graph Expo KBA launched its new consumables division. By partnering with a well known consumables-supplier KBA is entering into the pressroom consumables market. KBA is offering a full line of ink additives, UV and dispersion cleaners, coatings and varnishes, fountain solutions, solvents, and spray powders. KBA’s partner is a leading company in the consumables businesss, that manufactures high-tech, environmentally-friendly coatings, washes, and pressroom chemicals for the graphic arts industry. “This furthers our goal of addressing all of the needs of our customers,” says Sammeck. “Our web site for on-line ordering is up and running and we will expand it even greater in the next few weeks. We will have separate press releases on our consumable efforts by early November.” KBA about to open its Large Format Center of Competence KBA is also the first sheetfed press manufacturer to install a large format press - a Rapida 142 56” press - in its newly-renovated customer center in Vermont. This major investment makes its corporate office the Large Format Center of Competence in North America. At this new and unique center KBA will educate printers in all sizes and segments on the benefits of large format. KBA will be able to do comprehensive demonstrations for commercial and packaging printers, test new substrates, inks, coating, and specials applications. The new large format Rapida 142 56-inch sheetfed press will be up and running by early 2007.