On 16 March management of Bulgarian packaging printer Ideal in Plovdiv signed a contract with KBA for a new-generation Rapida 105 six-colour coater press with extended delivery, a film-printing package plus hybrid and UV capability. The mid-size family enterprise, which was founded in 1990, will take delivery of the new press at the end of July.

Ideal produces packaging and displays along with labels, posters and commercials. In future it is also planning to print in-mould film. After running print tests on diverse presses management was particularly pleased with the quality and performance delivered by the Rapida 105 when printing film. In addition the Rapida 105, which is based on the same technological platform as KBA's high-end Rapida 106, also offers QualiTronic inline colour control for essential quality monitoring throughout the print run. The fact that KBA's sales and service agency Dominov Konsumativ, which enjoys a high reputation among Bulgarian printers, is also based in Plovdiv, helped to clinch the deal in favour of KBA. Launched late last year, the new Rapida 105 will replace a medium-format press from another manufacturer.

Ideal is a one-stop packaging vendor whose services span design, printing, coating, hot-foil stamping and finishing (die-cutting, gluing, folding). It has installed cutting-edge CTP software, five- and six-colour medium- and large-format litho presses with coaters, plus die-cutting, hot-foil stamping and gluing devices from Bobst, Kama and Jagenberg alongside laminators and other equipment.

The contract from Ideal is the second that Bulgarian printers have placed for a highly automated B1 (41in) KBA Rapida within a short period of time.

Website: www.ideal-as.com