Claus Bolza-Schünemann, president and CEO of Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA), announced a positive verdict on group performance in the first seven days of Drupa. The high level of attendance and keen interest expressed in the many new products and unique technical features unveiled on the KBA stand far exceeded expectations, which given the current economic issues in some key foreign markets were modest. With customers coming from some 30 countries around the world, KBA booked a string of orders for sheetfed offset presses in all format classes. They included numerous long presses in every format and some major contracts: from SEDA International Packaging Group in Italy for three medium- and large-format Rapidas with a total of 27 printing and coating units, and from Chinese print group Beijing Hongbo Haotian for 23 Rapida 105 medium-format printing units. KBA also booked some web press orders from printers in Germany and elsewhere.

Bolza-Schünemann described the total value of the orders placed in Düsseldorf as highly satisfactory, but was unwilling to give specific figures because in many cases the financing has not been finalised, particularly where leasing agreements are being negotiated. He said: “We have signed contracts with several existing and a lot of new customers. But it will be weeks, or even months, before all the financing has been clarified, customer prepayments have been received and we and other exhibitors can assess our true performance at Drupa 2012. Looking at the many projects initiated at the fair, we anticipate some brisk post-Drupa business.”