As in previous years, KBA has pulled out all the stops in its formidable inline coating repertoire to create a calendar for 2007 that illustrates the unusual and stunning effects possible with the hybrid technology that the group has done so much to make an established feature of sheetfed production. Colourful and bright, the calendar will cheer up any wall. KBA brought out a calendar featuring pictures by Horst Kordes just two years ago. While that calendar was also printed using hybrid inks and coatings, and the effects were pretty spectacular, a comparison with this latest effort reveals that even in such a short space of time the process has advanced in leaps and bounds. And as far as the coating effects are concerned, KBA has really excelled itself. Two passes for gold, ECP and hybrid In the first pass a matt water-based coating was applied to the reverse sides of all the calendar pages to stabilise the paper and prevent the individual pages from buckling, warping or curling at the edges when the calendar is hung on the wall. These are quality impairments that are bound to occur sooner or later even with the most superbly printed calendars - and irrespective of whether the paper is printed with or against the grain - if the page is only coated on one side. In the second pass a gold metallic coating was applied to the front of the sheets using nyloflex plates. After that the background was printed in a special Pantone color using hybrid inks, and the images printed on top of the original metallic coating, also using hybrid inks. An oil-based overprint varnish was subsequently added, followed by a final UV solids coating to create the contrasting matt and gloss effects that are a typical feature of the hybrid production process. For the images, Petzold Concept's Exact Colour Print (ECP) software was used in pre-press to make the colors more intense. ECP eliminates the need for special inks by allowing a much bigger color spectrum to be printed in CMYK. This, in tandem with metallic gold and matt/gloss coatings, imparts an added brilliance to the image. The calendar was printed on a Rapida 105 six-color press with two coaters at KBA's experimental printing centre in Radebeul. Colour throughout the year Horst Kordes was born in Austria in 1958 and at the age of 17 made the acquaintance of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who became a major influence on his work. After studying in France, Italy and Germany Horst Kordes made D¸sseldorf his artistic base. Commenting on the calendar, he said: "This marvellous calendar, which embodies cutting-edge printing technology and unparalleled expertise, could only be created with people who feel art deep in their hearts. That is where art originates, that is the source of all ideas and colors." The 14-page calendar measures 485 x 695mm (19 x 27Ωin). The corrugated mailing sleeve is equally elaborate. Following distribution to KBA's customers and business contacts worldwide a limited number of calendars will be available in January on a first come, first serve basis. Orders may be placed with Ilka Demuth in the marketing department at KBA's Radebeul facility (tel: +49 351 833-2685, [email protected]). There is a token handling charge of Ä10 in Germany and Ä20 to all other destinations.