Happy faces after signing the contract (left to right): Jean-Marc Peltier (managing director, Courvoisier-Gassmann), Sylvain Villars (production manager, Courvoisier-Gassmann), Peter J. Rickenmann (CEO, Koenig & Bauer (CH)), and Christophe Renggli (head of sales and member of the management board of Courvoisier-Gassmann)

Long-established Swiss company convinced by technology from Koenig & Bauer

• Rapida technology for high-quality print production
• Short makeready times, ultimate print quality, outstanding operating convenience
• Inline PDFCheck for significant quality improvements

Courvoisier-Gassmann, which has its headquarters in Biel/Bienne and is one of the most modern and most prolific printing companies in Switzerland, is investing in an eight-colour Rapida 106 X with a perfecting unit for 4-over-4 production and an additional coating tower for inline finishing. The company and its 40 highly motivated employees are primarily known for the quality of their print products. Many of the country’s renowned watch manufacturers can be found on the list of its loyal and long-standing customers.

Sustainability and high print quality

Investments in the company’s printing facilities are guided by a determination to satisfy customer demands in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner. In addition to technological expertise, a passion for fine craftsmanship is shared with those customers. And it is similarly traditions reaching back more than 200 years that have forged the bond between Courvoisier-Gassmann and Koenig & Bauer.

Use of effective and innovative technologies

The highly automated Rapida 106 X for medium formats up to 750 × 1,060 mm is engineered for short makeready times, ultimate print quality and outstanding operating convenience.

The highlights include the extremely fast and highly precise inline measuring and control system QualiTronic ColorControl and the TouchTronic operating and console concept with AutoRun functionality (autonomous production of a prepared job list). The incorporation of QualiTronic PDFCheck (PDF comparison with subsequent image inspection during production) lends a considerable boost to quality and enables the timely detection of any errors or quality defects, thereby helping to reduce waste significantly. At the same time, automatic PDF comparison makes the task of quality control much easier for the printers. The press also features the sidelay-free infeed system DriveTronic SIS and inking units that can be disengaged when not in use. The press uses the simultaneous plate changing system DriveTronic SPC to handle unbent printing plates.

Following installation of the press, a team of specialists from Koenig & Bauer will carry out full integration of the Rapida 106 X into the company workflow via the production management system LogoTronic. The LogoTronic Cockpit offers the print management team at Courvoisier-Gassmann a real-time overview of key performance indicators – for analyses or KPI benchmarking. The Rapida LiveApp (ErgoTronicApp) even allows the press to be monitored and controlled using mobile devices.

The modern technology, high print quality, exceptional performance capabilities and fast makeready of the Rapida 106 X convinced the decision-makers at Courvoisier-Gassmann that this was the right choice of press. They were equally impressed by the service concept at Koenig & Bauer with its 24/7 remote maintenance function and a comprehensive package of services provided by a local team of Swiss technicians and project engineers.

www.courvoisiergassmann.ch/de