October 17, 2007 -- One of the biggest commercial printers in Italy, Rotolito Lombarda, has followed up the installation of a 72-page KBA Compacta 818 and 48-page KBA Compacta 618 with an order for a second Compacta 618 which will mainly print books.
Rotolito Lombarda, which has grown steadily since being founded by Paolo Bandecchi in 1976, now has a payroll of around 400 and generates annual sales worth €150 million, with exports accounting for 35%. In recent years it has invested heavily in pre-press, press and post-press. The company has four production plants - in Pioltello just outside Milan (administration, sheetfed offset, coldset), Cernusco (web offset), Nova Milanese (gravure) and Capriate San Gervasio (book-binding). Its sheetfed operation has run medium- and large-format Rapida presses for many years.
As quality specs for books become more rigorous, an increasing number of printers have started switching production to commercial presses. This was the reason why Rotolito installed a Compacta 618 last year with one reelstand, two double printing units, a dryer and folder. The company's satisfaction with the 618 has now prompted an order for a second one that is slated to come on stream in Cernusco in the second half of 2008. The new press will have a cylinder circumference of 1,240mm (48¾in) and print a web width of 1,450 mm (57in). It will have four printing units instead of two, semi-automatic plate changers and special V5-B variable-format book folder. This will enable it to print both books and commercial products. It will be erected as a right-to-left configuration alongside the Compacta 818.