Koenig & Bauer was the only major press manufacturer represented at this year's Poligrafia in Poznan, Poland, where its Warsaw-based subsidiary KBA CEE (Central Eastern Europe) underscored KBA's leading position in the Polish small-format market with print demonstrations on paper and board with a B2 (29in) Rapida 75E and on plastic film with a B3 (20in) Genius 52UV.  

All the demos drew a packed audience. KBA last hit the headlines with some spectacular new installations of medium- and large-format presses – two sectors in which it has traditionally been strong – at Polish packaging printers.

KBA Rapida 75E and Genius 52UV

The KBA Rapida 75E has already made its successful debut in Poland. The press exhibited, a five-colour version with a coater and delivery extension, printed high-grade posters on 130gsm paper (90lb book) and 300gsm board (110lb cover). The demonstrations highlighted the 75E's practical level of automation, fast job changes and low energy consumption. After the fair the demo press was delivered to Gutenberg in ?ód?.

With its anilox keyless inking units, fast, low-waste run-up to colour, high-speed job changes and superb print quality, the waterless Genius 52UV coater press built by KBA-MetroPrint also made a big impression at Poligrafia. What most appeals to prospects and users alike, of whom there are a growing number in Poland, are the additional business options it supports by virtue of its ability to handle a wide range of substrates, from standard paper to Chromolux metal-coated stock and 0.8mm (32pt) board to biodegradable PVC. Technical staff from Germany were also on hand to provide information on KBA's commercial and newspaper web presses.