In mid-September "agensketterl" printing house in Mauerbach near Vienna demonstrated its investment in the latest printing and processing technology as part of a "festival of innovation". Some 300 guests, including customers, print professionals and representatives of the supply industry saw the most advanced sheetfed offset presses in Austria being put through their paces. Among the presses was a medium-format KBA Rapida 106 with eight printing units and perfecting for four-back-four printing and a large-format, Drupa-generation Rapida 145 with four printing units and coater.

Both sheetfed offset presses, equipped with DriveTronic SIS sidelay-free infeed, DriveTronic SPC simultaneous plate change, KBA Plate Ident for automatic plate recognition and pre-registration, and CleanTronic Synchro simultaneous roller, blanket and impression-cylinder washing units, feature the most advanced automation functions currently on the market. Additionally both presses are equipped for printing on especially thin substrates and feature height-adjustable nonstop rollers in the delivery. Print quality is controlled inline by KBA QualiTronic (on both sides of the sheet in the Rapida 106). LiveView monitors visualise each measured sheet in real time and allow the press operator to take action if necessary. Start-up waste and sheets which do not meet the specified quality criteria are tagged by tape inserters and can be ejected prior to post-press. The Rapida 145 is especially flexible, able to print on a variety of substrates from lightweight paper to cardboard 1.2mm (0.05in) thick.

In his opening address company managing director Dr Dieter Simon described the printing house as a universal supplier of commercials, packaging and books as well as one of the leading poster printers in Austria. In recent years this award-winning company has established a reputation for its sustainable and ecological print production. The Austrian eco-label, FSC, PEFC and PSO certification, and the option of carbon neutral printing are proof of the printing house's consistent environmental focus. Nearly every year "agensketterl" wins prestigious awards for its superb products.

The new presses substantially enhance the company's productivity and flexibility. KBA sheetfed marketing manager Jürgen Veil said of the high-tech press lines: "Both presses have been engineered for maximum output as part of a technological alliance between "agensketterl" and KBA." Dedicated drives dramatically cut makeready times compared to standard technology. Furthermore, the Rapida 106 has an enormously high output of up to 18,000sph. The Rapida 145, printing up to 17,000sph, is also economically viable for smaller print jobs and will enable "agensketterl" to expand its share of the POS and display market.

Since 2002 most of the sheetfed presses installed by "agensketterl" have been delivered by KBA – eight Rapidas to date. Along with the two new Rapidas, the company also invested in a new Acoro adhesive binder from Müller Martini, which binds using both holt-melt and PUR adhesives.