LED-UV is currently a hot topic in the field of sheetfed offset printing and will be shown live on the KBA stand at Drupa 2016. Holzer Druck und Medien is a pilot user of this future-focused drying process. The renowned printing company in Weiler in Allgäu, Germany, banks on conventional and LED-UV printing delivered by its new six-colour KBA Rapida 106 with coater and extended delivery in mixed operation. The company is thus pursuing a clear strategy.

The 125-year-old traditional firm employs 70 staff and prints for global enterprises, such as ZEISS, Blaser, Kuka, Geberit and Liebherr. This only works in the long term by taking on the role of trendsetter. The company has placed its trust in medium-format presses from KBA for over 25 years. The kit in its high-end Rapida 106 allows Holzer to offer its customers print products which they are unable to get from any other print firm within a 100km radius. As Holzer is unable to use a purely LED-UV press to its full capacity due to the company’s size, the management opted for a mixed-operation press.

Process benefits dominate

Thanks to LED-UV Holzer was able to expand its portfolio with uncoated stock and materials and predominantly dark coloured substrates, such as plastic and film. Neutral odours delivered by LED-UV technology often play a decisive role, especially when it comes to jobs for the tourist industry. The company has worked out a total of 14 benefits of producing with LED-UV for its clients. These include fast lead times, no need for protective coating, improvements in quality, more finishing options, but also ecological aspects such as high energy savings, lower ozone and CO2 emissions when drying and a large reduction in powder. The company has created a Lookbook comparing conventional and LED-UV printwork to demonstrate the possibilities available. Furthermore, its own sales team offers competent advice to potential customers on all topics up to entering data.

Nevertheless, LED-UV requires intensive consultation. Many customers are unaware of or haven’t come into contact with the advantages of LED-UV. In the beginning only ten per cent of jobs were produced with LED-UV on the Rapida 106. Now it’s more than 20 and Holzer believes it won’t be long until 30 per cent of print jobs will be cured with LED-UV. This results in constant system changeovers, but Holzer’s press operators find it interesting.

Extensive automation for minimal makeready times

Along with this perfector, Holzer also operates an eight-colour Rapida 106 for four-over-four printing. Managing director Klaus Huber: “The press suits our needs perfectly. It runs incredibly fast thanks to its raft of automation modules extending up to central ink supply.” Sometimes it’s harder to fill than the six-colour press as competition is a lot tougher when it comes to 4/4-colour products. While Flying JobChange has not been used that often, simultaneous plate changing is a must on both Rapidas. Overall, makeready times have been reduced by 50% thanks to SPC plate change in connection with Plate Ident, parallel makeready processes, inline colour control and central ink supply.

Added-value in print

Thanks to its investments in cutting-edge technology the full-service printing company based in Allgäu has generated stable sales for years. Nevertheless, it has had to do this with a lot more jobs than in the past. An end to the downward spiral can only be found by creating added-value, such as that offered by innovative UV technology. Klaus Huber: “We are very well positioned from a technical point of view and have a lot to offer Germany, Austria and Switzerland that others can’t.” The company, which has a production space spanning 2,500m², has significantly increased its added-value with almost no investments.