Just two years after holding an open house to celebrate the first KBA sheetfed offset press in Uruguay, Imprimex Industria Grafica in Montevideo has fired up a second one. Both Rapida 105s have a coater, semi-automatic plate changing and board capability, but the second has five colours instead of four and a higher level of automation that includes KBA DensiTronic Professional. It will help Imprimex to expand still further in the growing markets of South America.

Founded in 1978, under the Rey Lottermoser brothers this family enterprise has become one of the biggest printing operations in the country. In 1995 Imprimex relocated from the city centre to an 8,700m² (2-acre) site offering plenty of scope for realising the company's clear growth targets. Alongside quality enhancements its first Rapida 105 delivered a substantial capacity boost that helped drive up sales to US$14m. The second press will accelerate this trend.

Three successful business lines
The 205-employee company has three highly successful business lines: packaging, which generates 45 per cent of total sales; commercials (33 per cent) and labels (22 per cent).

Imprimex serves the food and beverages industry, publishing houses and advertising agencies, and also prints publications for government ministries. Exports – mainly to Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Paraguay and Puerto Rico – account for around ten per cent of total output. Its production volume is impressive: 150 tonnes (165 US tons) of paper and 400 tonnes (440 US tons) of cartonboard and microflute corrugated are processed every month. Production is subject to rigorous quality controls. Accreditations and countless customer awards are evidence of Imprimex' high standards.

Spontaneous decision
Regular investment in pre-press, press and finishing equipment has raised production to international standards. Horacio Rey Lottermoser has never regretted switching from Italian, Japanese and other German manufacturers to KBA. Shortly before Drupa 2008 he accepted an invitation from KBA to visit Germany, and was so impressed by the performance of the presses in the customer showroom and at diverse reference installations that he placed an order for the four-colour Rapida 105 just two months later.

"Since we make so many different products and frequently have to switch between carton and paper, we felt it was important to see what KBA was offering in terms of automation, makeready, substrate flexibility and quality control," says Horacio Rey Lottermoser. "Maximum press speed was of secondary importance because most of our work is in the 5,000 to 6,000 sheet range. We print at an average speed of 12,000 to 13,000 sheets per hour."

Positive verdict
He continues: "Service, training, maintenance and spare-parts accessibility were also key considerations. KBA satisfied our criteria on every point, and since the first Rapida 105 went live at the beginning of 2009 our opinion of KBA has been one hundred per cent positive. Commissioning was completed fast, the press is highly productive and easy to operate. So we very quickly decided to replace another older press with a second, five-colour version, of the Rapida 105 and are more than happy with this move. The two Rapidas run in multiple shifts twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and in addition to boosting capacity have delivered substantial quality enhancements while slashing makeready times. When the time is ripe we'll be making a further productivity leap with a Rapida 106."