KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Williston, Vermont, and Dallas, Texas, announces that MIR Printing, a Los Angeles-based commercial printing firm, has expanded its capabilities by installing a new KBA Rapida 105 Universal five-color 41-inch sheetfed press with UV capabilities, coating, and a full automation package. The installation took place in mid-2008, and more than 90% of the firm’s work is now being produced on the new press.
 
“The purchase of our new KBA press is a perfect fit for our company,” says Robert Mirzakhanian, president and founder. “We needed a press that would provide the quality that our customers desire as well as the quick turnaround that we want to offer. Our Rapida 105 delivers on both counts. While the economy around us is slowing, we’ve been growing. Last year, we grew by 50% and our sales haven’t slowed at all.”
 
What are the secrets to MIR’s success? Quality, service, and price. First, the company provides the highest-quality printing it can by specializing in full-color promotional products such as business cards, postcards, flyers, brochures, catalogs, presentation folders, posters, trading cards, door hangers, CD/DVD inserts, letterhead, notepads, and envelopes. Second, the firm offers low prices on its products by utilizing the slew of automation on its new KBA press to cut makeready and waste. The company’s solid base of happy customers refers MIR’s work to new clients, which makes having a sales force unnecessary.
 
Fast turnaround and makeready; high-quality color
 
“By having the press equipped with UV capabilities, we’re able to print and UV coat the job inline where it is immediately dried and sent right away for cutting and delivery,” explains Mirzakhanian. “That’s made a huge difference in our turnaround time. The entire automation package on our press, including the fully-automatic plate changer and CIP3 system, is allowing us to cut our makeready times dramatically! The KBA Densitronic S closed-loop system ensures that we’re matching our customer’s logos and providing them with the highest quality color possible.”
 
Mirzakhanian was drawn to KBA after visiting its booth at Print 05 in Chicago. There, the company had a large-format press on display; Mirzakhanian was impressed with the high quality of the sample materials being printed. When he began shopping for a new press last year, he visited a few KBA customers to see how they liked their presses.
 
KBA presented honest, assured vision of its press models
 
“The other press manufacturers did not make me feel comfortable with the quality and reliability of their presses,” recalls Mirzakhanian. “KBA’s sales representatives were honest and self-assured with their press line. It all made me feel good about purchasing their press. Plus, their service has been excellent.”
 
MIR Printing was founded in 1997 one year after newly-immigrated Robert Mirzakhanian arrived from Iran with no job prospects or skills. By chance, he was hired at a printing company to work in the bindery where he learned about folding and collating. The work fascinated him and he enjoyed the art and design aspect of printing. To continue his education, Mirzakhanian took classes in PhotoShop and later enrolled in the printing department of Pasadena City College while gaining more on-the-job training at larger print shops. Finally, he purchased his own small press and began printing from his garage, later moving the business into the rear of an automotive body shop. With business growing and Mirzakhanian working 24 hours a day, he purchased two larger presses–first a two-color and then a five-color–and hired extra help. Today, Mirzakhanian’s business is situated in a 28,000-sq-ft facility in Canoga Park, outside Los Angeles.