Increased productivity, better understanding, and optimized press usage are cited

As it continues to bolster its popular Service Select program with additional technicians and investments, KBA North America is honored to receive enthusiastic reviews for the program and its technicians. Service Select is a complete line of customized service products designed to maximize the productivity and profitability of a customer’s KBA press. Service Select proactively helps KBA customers identify critical function areas that may be influencing productivity using press historical data. When analyzed, a plan of action can be developed to address potential weaknesses that could be hindering optimal efficiency of a press. An array of programs are available for KBA’s entire line of presses–from the small footprint Genius 20-inch to the large-format Rapida 205 81-inch–and are designed to maximize the customer’s return-on-investment (ROI) and minimize costly downtime. 

Here’s what KBA Service Select customers have to say:

“The lead KBA service technicians on-site were knowledgeable and efficient,” says Greg Acuff, engineering and maintenance manager at Graphic Packaging International, Irvine, CA. “The KBA resources dedicated themselves to seeing that the press came up after the service, including working the next two days troubleshooting the various startup issues that occurred as a result of so much being done during the compressed period of this maintenance event. KBA’s Stefan Schwarz is able to communicate with customer personnel at all levels, from entry-level technician to plant manager.  Having Stefan as a member of the Service Select Program team worked well since he was able to organize conflicting priorities and at times act as a buffer or go-between for personnel, all of whom were trying to accomplish assigned goals, and redirect these resources to other tasks that didn’t necessarily conflict.”

“We are very pleased with the service offered by KBA field technicians,” says Mike Tsai, president of K-1 Packaging Group, City of Industry, CA. “We feel that KBA makes a good effort to assist the customer in times of need. Their field technicians are the ones that maintain a strong relationship with the customer. KBA and its service department are doing a great job.”

“We are so grateful and appreciative to the entire KBA service team,” says James Gordon, president ofWinston Packaging, Winston-Salem, NC. “Within hours of a major crash, Josh from the KBA service team was on-site and ordering parts. This sense of urgency continued all the way through the repair. When we began to run the press again today we were back on-line without printing issues. Vic and Kevin stated how structurally sound this press must be to take a crash the size of this one and start back into printing without print quality issues. I am amazed at how well the KBA service department handled this major crash and I have a stronger respect for KBA than ever.”

“I have always found KBA service to be very good,” says Mark Schoeppach, prepress, pressroom, sheeting plant manager at Trojan Litho, Renton, WA. “They are responsive, the technicians are knowledgeable, and they do a great job when they are on-site. They are a pleasure to have in our plant.”

“The service we have received from the KBA technicians has been top-notch,” says David Brooks, press director at Avid Ink, Los Angeles. “The repairs and maintenance are always taken care of in a timely manner. The technicians supply us with item numbers for parts that need to be replaced alleviating the time required for me to look each part up myself. The repairs are completed and we are able to get right back to production. We are always satisfied with the results.”

“Our KBA service has been second to none,” says Jim Eakin, print production manager at Foster Printing,Santa Ana, CA. “Stefan and his team have responded to all of our requests in a timely manner and with a level of professionalism I would expect from KBA. I cannot say enough about the performance of Stefan. He has repeatedly helped us repair or solve problems that have arisen. He gets an A+ + + + in my book. I like the fact that two new KBA technicians have been placed on the West Coast. Thank you KBA and keep up the good work.”  

“Recently, we needed a brake part for the motor on the delivery end of our KBA Rapida 105 40" six-color sheetfed press with tower coater,” says Bill Merzweiler, senior vice president of manufacturing at Merrick Printing Company, Louisville, KY. “This is a very critical press for our company that runs three shifts per day and we had a number of important jobs that had to be printed that month on this press. At first, our maintenance man was told that the part had to come from Germany. But after contacting the head of the Service Select program at KBA, everything moved very quickly. The correct part was found and it was sent by air that same night courtesy of KBA. We were thrilled that it ended up so well and we got our Rapida 105 up and running within a day.” 

“I would recommend the KBA service team,” says Mike Matolyak, printing manager at Graphic Packaging International, Solon, OH. “They provided in-depth evaluation of our equipment, enhanced our equipment performance, and improved our equipment reliability. The service team put in maximum effort to fulfill the service requirements and they were willing to teach our press crews and maintenance technicians how to enhance their knowledge of our KBA press systems. During an infeed installation project on our KBA 1 press, we had a computer system crash on our KBA 2 press. The KBA service team went above and beyond to get the system back up and running in a timely manner.”

The Service Select Program encompasses an array of packages and solutions that can be customized to a customer’s exact needs and budgets. Programs can be scheduled for one day or multiple days to on-going visits. Product solutions include:

• Statistical analysis, in which a complete analysis of press error codes, operating methods, speeds and production numbers are analyzed
• Evaluation programs for  production, workflow, color management, pressroom and press operating procedures with follow-up programs for training needs
• Training and education designed to meet the needs of customers for optimizing press operation or learning new processes such as UV, plastic, coating, and other techniques
• Machine audits that provide a complete and comprehensive mechanical and electrical press assessment
• Check and Print one-day quick-check analysis of major press components
• Remote maintenance on-going 24/7 online and phone support with operational machine reports and trouble-shooting
• Relocation programs helping customers with complete stop-to-start relocation planning to optimize their plant workflow and productivity

Another innovation within the new Service Select program is Service Select Press Upgrades. KBA continually develops new innovations that can be added to a customer’s existing press to ensure competitiveness.