Druckzone was founded in Cottbus in 1990 and has since developed into an impressive full-service commercial print company with 44 employees. The modern print and logistics centre which has served the company as headquarters since 2001 even won a second prize in the WestHyp German Architecture Awards in 2002. From layout work to the warehousing of finished print products, Druckzone offers a broad spectrum of services with a high degree of vertical integration. Brochures, inserts, flyers, user manuals, books and a diversity of print products for industrial customers stand at the focus of the company portfolio. Further specialities are office products and business stationery. For the past 20 years, Druckzone has been a partner of the local second-division football club Energie Cottbus – one of over 3,000 customers on the list of references, among them energy suppliers, publishers, theatres and art museums.  

Even greater automation for higher production output

The Druckzone Rapida is in operation round the clock. Alongside, two smaller sheetfed offset presses run in two or three shifts as necessary. Given that 4-over-4 jobs account for 80 per cent of the production volume, for managing director Andreas Czentarra it was a logical decision to replace two medium-format presses with an eight-colour perfector in 2006. The Rapida 105 was the company's first press from KBA and ran flawlessly in three shifts. With the confidence of this experience, the obvious next step was an upgrade to a medium-format Rapida of the latest generation with even more extensive automation. The new Rapida 106 thus features a sidelay-free infeed (DriveTronic SIS) and dedicated plate cylinder drives (DriveTronic  SPC). The increased production speed and the facility for simultaneous plate changes, in particular, have lent productivity a further boost. Quality measurement and control with theQualiTronic ColorControl system ensures consistent monitoring of the print quality on both sides of the sheet.

On average, the new Rapida 106 is able to handle one job per hour of production more than its predecessor. For Druckzone, this translates into simpler production planning, greater flexibility to react to special customer wishes, and cost reductions which can be shared with the customers. High quality at reasonable prices and personal customer contact with individual consultation are cornerstones of Druckzone's business philosophy.

Ecology through to energy management

Druckzone is also very much committed to sustainable production and resource use. The individual measures range from waste disposal exclusively by certified service providers, via heat recovery (use of the waste heat from the presses for room heating in the production and storage areas), through to power load management. To avoid consumption peaks, all equipment is operated within a defined overall load range. This enables to company to save energy and at the same time reduces costs. If the load range is exceeded, the press and machine operators are warned by way of a “traffic light” and can step down a gear accordingly. In addition, Druckzone has been a certified member of the FSC and PEFC since 2007.

Besides the KBA Rapida 106, Druckzone installed a new CTP system and a folding machine last year. The total investment of around €2.5 million is intended to secure future continuation of the 20-year success story to date. Lean structures and distinct social awareness characterise the company. Nominations for an “SME Oscar” and commendation as a “Family-Friendly Enterprise” are the well-earned rewards.