A high-performance medium-format KBA Rapida 106 with eight printing units and two coaters will be delivered to Typografia Petchatnja in May. The Russian packaging printer specialises in pharmaceutical packaging and is located on the edge of St. Petersburg.

This 25m-long (82ft) press is, however, not the first KBA sheetfed offset press to go to this printing company founded in 2000 in Vasilievsky.

In 2005 a Rapida 74 with five printing units and a coater was installed at the firm, which back then was very much smaller than it is today. In 2008 a KBA Rapida 105 with six inking units and a coater went into operation at Petchatnja and two years later this was followed by a Rapida 106 with the same configuration. The high level of satisfaction delivered by the high-performance Rapidas tipped the scales in favour of the latest investment.

The print enterprise pursued a strategy focusing on the growing demands of its packaging customers early on and over the last 14 years it has become increasingly specialised in folding carton packaging for the pharmaceutical industry. The printing house’s buildings and investment in new equipment meet Western European standards. A cutting-edge and solid company evolved with an extremely good reputation. Under the management of managing director Roman Zagorskij the professional staff generate an annual growth rate of 20%. The new press should also pave the way for further growth and fulfil the increasing demands of the company’s customers in terms of finishing.

The management of Typografia Petchatnja is convinced that both can be achieved with the new Rapida 106 double-coater press. The new press is equipped for carton printing and UV hybrid operation. Automatic plate changing and CleanTronic washing systems ensure fast job changes which is vital when printing small print runs typical in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, it is the first Rapida in Russia to feature QualiTronic Professional inline colour control and the high-resolution full-sheet scanner DensiTronic PDF which compares the printed image with prepress data. This kit guarantees a consistently high print quality.VariDryBlue drying systems reduce energy consumption and an extraction unit in the deivery (Emission Extraction System) makes sure the air is clean in the pressroom.

Following the commissioning of the Rapida 106, the firm plans on expanding its main production hall with a further large investment. Typografia Petchatnja is on the right path to strengthening its position, also internationally, in packaging production.