January 19, 2004 -- KBA is seeking to make a big splash at Drupa, but like many others is keeping its information under tight security. However, Klaus Schmidt, head of PR at KBA, has revealed that new presses are on the cards. ”We’ve taken 3,500m2 (37,500ft2) of exhibition space in hall 16 and this will be packed with new products and processes for just about every sector we serve. Innovations in conventional and DI sheetfed offset will embrace all the press sizes we manufacture, from B3 to SLF, complete with embedded workflows such as JDF. Some, like our B3 (20”) Genius 52 and our size 9 (80”) Rapida 205, which is the biggest sheetfed format worldwide, are already on the market. Others will be unveiled at a pre-Drupa open house in Radebeul from March 23 to 26. In line with our aim to make life easier for our customers by increasing production speeds, enhancing automation and cutting makeready times, we shall also be running live demos of our new 16pp commercial heatset press, the Compacta 217. And for newspaper, publication rotogravure and corrugated packaging printers we’ll be promoting our revolutionary Cortina, a waterless minitower press that is selling well; our TR 12B, which can handle a web 4.32m (170”) wide; and our new sheetfed flexo press, the Corrugraph.”