The contract is a keystone in GDZ's strategic development. Head of technology Urs Zieri says: "Originally we had planned to replace our old web offset press with a new 16-page model, but shifts in the commercial market caused us to rethink our objectives. Price erosion in the web offset sector has accelerated sharply in recent years. Competition, particularly from across the border, is increasingly aggressive. We concluded that the only way to address these changes was to expand our commercial activities to include specialist and value-added products. There is also a clear shift towards smaller circulations and greater complexity. After conducting an exhaustive analysis we chose a high-performance ten-colour sheetfed perfector press from Koenig & Bauer, which offers us fresh and interesting perspectives."

Alongside standard features such as a DriveTronic feeder and inking units that are disconnectable from the console, the investment package for the Rapida 106 encompasses an array of automation modules that includes no-sidelay infeed, a lightweight capability for paper from 40gsm (less than 30lb book), DriveTronic SPC dedicated plate-cylinder drives (for simultaneous plate changes, sequences and processes, and thus unbeatable makeready times), DriveTronic Plate Ident for automatic preregistration, DensiTronic Professional spectral and densitometric colour measurement and control, a LogoTronic Professional server with central database for order handling, and QualiTronic inline colour measurement and control. The press is configured with an AirTronic delivery incorporating a new, high-performance venturi sheet-guide system, and is linked to a Betz ColorTrans ink-pumping system for ink drums with a capacity of 200kg (440lb) or more.