The People's Republic of China has been a major market for KBA litho presses for many years now, and there is brisk demand among commercial, book and packaging printers for its medium- and large-format Rapidas. Now the B2 (29-inch) Rapida 75 is gaining a keen following in the main business centres. One example in the Shanghai metropolitan area is Shanghai Guichao Fashion Accessories, which uses its KBA Rapida 75 to address a lucrative niche market.

Shanghai Guichao Fashion Accessories has built up a fine reputation in the international fashion industry in the seven years since it was established. The innovative 80-employee company specialises with considerable success in the production of quality tags and labels for fashion brands. The choice of price, size, product description and manufacturer labels is impressive, as is the range of substrates used.

Around 90 per cent of the company's customers are in Europe, mainly in Italy and Spain, but it also exports to the USA and Japan, and has a growing domestic base.

Confidence in technology and service
Shanghai Guichao Fashion Accessories started up with Chinese mono presses and later added a number of secondhand machines. In 2010 it purchased a new KBA Rapida 75 which came on stream just under a year ago.

Chief executive Tang Gui Chao took a close look at the market prior to choosing the 75: "We consulted all the major vendors and soon opted for KBA. A step like this demands confidence in press technology and the on-site service provided. An open information policy, convincing reference installations and an impressive service presence have made the Rapidas a brand name."

He goes on: "When we launched the project in 2009 there were very few Rapida 75 press lines in China, but we had no doubts that we had made the right choice. Quality, productivity and product diversity have been materially enhanced with the new press. March to August is our busiest period, and we made the most of the extra capacity by increasing the daily running time from eight to twelve hours."

2012: a year of change
2012 will bring far-reaching changes for the company. As Mr Tang  explains: "For a start, because a Disney Entertainment Park is being constructed here in the region we'll be relocating to an 8,000 square metre site that is twice the size of our present one. On top of that we are already busy working out how to raise our market profile most effectively with further investments. We are keen to build on our positive experience with KBA Printing Machinery Shanghai during project management, installation and commissioning."