Rolling Meadows, IL, May 15, 2008 – Komori America Corporation, a premier manufacturer of sheetfed and web offset printing presses, today announced it has installed a six-color, Lithrone SX29 (LSX 629) offset press at Keefer Printing, the company's second Komori press.  Established in 1914, this fifth generation commercial printer has a state-of-the-art facility in Fort Wayne, IN that delivers a host of printing and bindery capabilities to clients in the manufacturing and advertising industries.  Challenged to reduce costs, companies are keeping smaller inventories that now require shorter job runs.  Keefer chose the LSX 629 to give them a competitive edge with small to midsize print requests. 

As the largest half-size press on the market, the fully automated LSX 629 offers a 24/29 sheet capability that allows the company to capitalize on short runs and ultimately speed time to market.  Another key driver in the purchase decision was the intuitive technology that enhances makeready capabilities, due in part to the program-controlled pre-inking and removing function that creates the proper ink film thickness on the ink rollers for printing, enabling faster start-ups.  Since installation, Keefer reports it has drastically reduced its makeready time from 90 minutes to an average of 30 to 45 minutes, which plays an instrumental role in Keefer's short-run work profitability.  Additionally, the LSX 629 allows Keefer to stay committed to the company's green initiatives by using less paper, a water soluble chemistry, and inks that are low in VOCs.

"Our 40-inch Komori LS 640 press was running at full capacity and we saw the need to expand our press room capabilities to meet the growing demand for short-run jobs," said Rick Keefer, president, Keefer Printing.  "Given the success we have had with our existing Komori, adding the LSX 629 press was a natural complement to the LS 640.  Now, we have both presses running at the same time, enabling us to meet all of our clients' needs even faster than before."

The LSX 629 also possesses an aqueous coating feature, resulting in a smooth, consistent sheet flow not susceptible to sheet curl.  This substantially reduces the possibility of scuffing due to fewer gripper changes and also enables significantly higher registration accuracy, decreasing sheet damage and front/back print differences. 

"To stay competitive, it is critical for every printer to offer the latest printing technologies to accommodate the short run times clients are demanding," said Mark Hopkins, regional manager for Komori's Central East territory. "We are pleased that the addition of the LSX 629 press is helping Keefer increase time to market and productivity."