Since 2012, giant packaging manufacturer Amcor has successfully run what is by far the world's longest medium format press, a Rapida 106 with 19 printing and finishing units, at its’ tobacco packaging manufacturing site in Rickenbach, Switzerland. KBA-Sheetfed has recently delivered two almost as long units of this highly automated medium-format series, each with 17 printing, coating and drying units, to Amcor Tobacco Packaging sites in Mexico and Poland.  

Complex press lines

In September two identical machines have been delivered to Amcor’s respective sites by 14 trucks and a total of 16 containers. The installation of the first long Rapida 106 in the Amcor plant in Lodz, Poland, will commence in September.  

Rapida 106 is a complex machine that consists of:

• A coating tower;
• Two drying units;
• 10 printing units;
• double-coating equipment;
• triple delivery extension

Both machines are designed for a maximum production performance of 15,000 sheets per hour and are integrated in an automatic substrate logistics system. For a high level of finishing diversity, the printing and coating units are equipped for UV / mixed operation. IR/TL/UV systems are located in the drying towers and in the delivery extension. Both presses are prepared for the subsequent retrofitting of a ColdFoil Infigo SF 110 cold foil module.  

For optimum performance, such complex systems require comprehensive automation. This is where the two Rapida 106 presses come into their own, with, among other things, DriveTronic SPC simultaneous plate changers (incl. DriveTronic Plate Ident), CleanTronic Synchro for parallel washing processes, QualiTronic Professional (inline ink density control and sheet inspection) and the PPS system LogoTronic Professional. Emission Extraction Systems (EES) reduce the emissions at the sheet delivery. Coated ink duct panels (EasyClean) allow fast ink changes.  

More flexibility and shorter runs

Customers want more flexibility and shorter runs. This is why more and more orders are moving from gravure to offset presses. Amcor Tobacco Packaging is now investing in particularly long presses as they allow for offset high-quality packaging printing with elaborate finishing to be produced in one run and therefore make the process faster and more efficient.  

At the same time, the 19-unit Rapida 106 in Rickenbach, Switzerland, is receiving further automation modules so that it is on the same technical level with the 2 new presses in Poland and Mexico.