KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Dallas, Texas, proudly announces that Koenig & Bauer AG, its parent company, is ranked 27th among the top 50 in the annual update of The Patent Board's Patent Scorecard for manufacturers of heavy industrial equipment in 2011. The update appeared in the Wall Street Journal on May 17.
 
In the Patent Scorecard, Koenig & Bauer was granted 44 U.S. patents.
 
"This high ranking reflects the group's consistent focus on innovation as a pioneer of press engineering for the past 194 years," says Mark Hischar, president and CEO of KBA North America. "KBA had the highest ranking of the three German press manufacturers. We're very proud of our continuing lead in this prestigious ranking."
 
The Patent Board's Patent Scorecard is based on companies and private research firms that are grouped by their Patent Board technology strength ranking which is based on the scale, quality, impact, and nearness to core science of a company's patent-based intellectual property. This overall strength rating factors in both qualitative and quantitative aspects of a company's patent portfolio. The charts help to spot the leaders in each group and across the board. All indicators based on 13-week rolling averages.
 
KBA North America is located in Dallas, Texas and a member of the KBA Group. Established 194 years ago in Wuerzburg, Germany, Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA), the parent of the KBA group, is the oldest and second largest press manufacturer worldwide. KBA's banner, 'People & Print', reflects its dual focus as a leading innovator for print entrepreneurs. The group's product range is the broadest in the industry; its portfolio includes commercial and newspaper web presses, sheetfed offset presses in all format classes, special presses for books, inserts, banknotes, securities, metal-decorating, smart cards; CDs and DVDs plus inkjet and other coding systems. For more information visit the company's web site at www.kba.com