Early this year management at Unipack Fort in Pavlikeni, Bulgaria, signed a contract for a high-tech KBA Rapida 106 six-colour B1 (41in) press with two coaters, KBA DriveTronic SPC dedicated plate-cylinder drives and a raft of automation modules. The press is scheduled for shipping in April.

Pavlikeni-based Unipack is one of the biggest packaging printers in the country. The company's press fleet, which includes both sheetfed offset and flexo machines, prints folding cartons for the food-processing, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and tobacco industries. At present its production plant in Pavlikeni houses a Planeta-Variant alongside presses from another German vendor. The new Rapida 106 will primarily be used to print packaging for the cosmetics industry.

In addition to conventional inks the new high-performance press will be capable of applying UV inks. Its two coaters will enable it to apply a range of different coatings - both conventional and UV - in either single or multiple applications. The Rapida 106 for Unipack will have five ports for interchangeable interdeck UV dryers that can be positioned and relocated according to the type of job being printed. Washing systems for the different types of ink are included in the press package. Since the Rapida will mainly print short and medium runs management opted for fast, simultaneous plate changing with DriveTronic SPC. Image quality will be monitored by inline QualiTronic colour density controls, DensiTronic Professional with spectral measurement and ErgoTronic ACR (automatic camera register) control. Equipment also includes a board-handling package plus nonstop systems at the feeder and delivery.

Following its installation the new KBA Rapida 106 will arguably be the longest and most extensively equipped sheetfed offset press line in Bulgaria. There is an urgent need for investment among Bulgarian printers, and at present financing is facilitated by grants from the EU. KBA is therefore confident of booking further contracts from this region, especially in view of Bulgaria's favourable situation as a direct trade link between Serbia and Greece.