April 16, 2007 -- KBA North America, a leading press manufacturer based in Williston, Vt., is announcing that 1-800-Postcards, a fast-growing New York City sheetfed, web, and digital printer, has agreed to purchase its third KBA press: a Genius 52 UV. The new press, being installed in April 2007, is part of a major multi-million dollar expansion at the firm’s SOHO location and New Jersey facility. The new Genius 52 UV press, the first of its kind in Manhattan, will join a new generation KBA Rapida 105 41-inch eight-color four-over-four perfector press and a KBA web press. “Our plan is to offer our clients the newest technology to produce their jobs in the most effective and economical manner possible,” says David Moyal, president of 1-800-Postcards. “We’ve got every solution possible—from commercial sheetfed to digital to large-format to web. By installing the Genius, we give our customers the ability to produce short-run jobs on different substrates, such as plastic and lenticular. Now a customer can bring us an entire campaign—from brochures to trade show displays to marketing tools---and we can produce the jobs under one roof in a fast time-critical manner.” One of the key features of the Genius 52 UV that attracted Moyal is its ability to produce 3D and lenticular printing. Lenticular printing is a special technique that involves printing an image on the back side of lenticular plastic, allowing the eye to simultaneously view alternating sections of multiple images to give the impression of 3-D, flip, or motion. Lenticular printing can be used for a variety of different print jobs, such as packaging, point-of-purchase, direct mail, collectibles, premiums, magazine covers and inserts, art posters, and large format jobs creating an eye-catching pitch and an additional revenue booster. Moyal is planning to add lenticular printing to his host of print services with the installation of the Genius 52 UV press. Genius 52 UV offers differentiation and diversification Moyal estimates that the firm has spent from $10 to $12 million in this recent expansion phase, which raises the firm’s capabilities and expertise to the same playing level as the major New York area printers. “By purchasing the Genius 52 UV, we will be differentiating ourselves among our competition by having the first press in New York City,” says Moyal. “The press fits our business model in that it produces a high-quality, fast turnaround, short makeready job for the typical New York City customer that wants everything yesterday. We were attracted to the press because of its conventional workflow and Gravuflow inking system allowing our press operators to easily train and use the press. We see a vast amount of work that can be put on the Genius, including credit cards, gift cards, plastic folders, marketing items, and other high-end pieces.” While most printers have fled Manhattan to the outer boroughs due to high rents and increased costs of doing business, 1-800-Postcards has maintained its presence on Varick St., print’s well-known traditional home in New York City. The firm owns 50,000 sq ft of space spread out over five floors. In addition, the firm has increased its space by adding 60,000 sq ft in Jersey City, NJ, just across the Holland Tunnel to accommodate its KBA heatset web press and to existing web presses as well as a full bindery department. The New Jersey location has 38 employees while the Varick St. location has over 100 employees. “We believe that KBA is similar to 1-800-Postcards because we’re able to offer a wide variety of printing presses to our clients for whatever their need,” says Ed Heffernan, KBA Sales Representative. “After purchasing three presses from KBA, we believe we have forged a true partnership with 1-800-Postcards.” Continuous expansion Nearly three years ago, 1-800-Postcards began its first expansion phase, spending nearly $8 million in new equipment. In 2004, 1-800-Postcards installed the KBA Rapida 105 four-over-four sheetfed press, giving the firm its first perfecting press as well as 15,000 sheets per hour. Moyal purchased it with an aqueous coater and perfector between units four and five. Features on the press include semi-automatic plate changing systems, remote stock thickness and format settings, single-train ink feed for quick makeready, and push-button perfecting conversion. Moyal purchased 1-800-Postcards in 1999 as an adjunct business to his magazine publishing business. It produces postcards, brochures, posters, and magazines using commercial offset presses as well as digital printing, 3D, and full motion printing up to eight-color capabilities. It is the printing operation for Next magazine, a weekly publication owned by Moyal for the past 15 years.