In July last year, just a few weeks after making its Brazilian debut at the Expoprint trade fair in São Paulo, the first KBA Rapida 75C in South America came on stream at Tempo Grafica in Viamao, in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Management had already drawn up a contract for a press from another German manufacturer, but made a snap decision to purchase the Rapida on the KBA stand. This sudden change of mind was prompted by the 75C’s impressive performance, its cost efficiency and the prospect of a quick delivery.

The 13,000 sph B2 (29in) Rapida 75C is distributed in Brazil by KBA’s small-format agency, Global Sistemas Graficos in São Paulo, and targets small printshops with limited budgets.
 
Young and successful

Tempo Grafica is a young family enterprise that was established in 2002 and moved to its present location in Viamao in 2007. Managed jointly by Jose Fernando Schneider and his cousin Cleber da Silva, the company has twelve employees and has carved out a niche in the Porto Alegre conurbation. Most of its customers are supermarkets, but it also prints folders, brochures and business cards for the retail trade and industry. Prior to installing the KBA Rapida it operated secondhand two- and four-colour presses from other manufacturers. The new press furnishes the basis for further growth.
 
Jose Fernando Schneider says: “At Expoprint we visited the stands of all the potential press manufacturers, and it was KBA’s demos that most impressed us. We were labouring under the misconception that KBA presses, while technologically excellent, are relatively expensive. But after talking to KBA and its agency Global Sistemas Graficos we changed our minds. What clinched the decision for us was the thought of taking delivery of this compact, cost-effective and technologically advanced press just a few weeks later.”

Impressive results in practice

Tempo Grafica management confirms the Rapida’s exemplary performance since July. “The Rapida 75C got off to a perfect start and has more than doubled our productivity. In 70 days we printed 700 jobs totalling 6.5 million copies – a level of output that speaks for itself. Also, the service package provided by KBA-Grafitec and Global Sistemas Graficos gives us the security we need. We have never regretted investing in the Rapida 75C: within a very short period of time it attracted a stream of new customers.”