US Litho Printer Buys Second Large Format Press

Edison Litho and Printing, one of the largest large-format litho printers in the north eastern USA, has agreed to buy its second KBA large format press in less than two years from KBA North America.

Edison Litho and Printing, one of the largest large-format litho printers in the north eastern USA, has agreed to buy its second KBA large format press in less than two years from KBA North America.

Edison will be taking delivery of a Rapida 162 64-inch six-colour sheetfed press with aqueous coater in January, nearly two years after the firm installed its Rapida 205 81-inch six-colour sheetfed press.

Edison Litho and Printing said it was attracted to the Rapida 205 for a number of reasons.

First, the super large-format press will allow the firm to produce extra large format jobs with high print quality and low make-ready times in an automated 81-inch press format.

Secondly, since the press will be equal to running four 40-inch presses, the Rapida 205 can print one sheet in the same amount of time with less manpower and greater productivity to provide a fast return on investment.

In addition, the press's automation will create efficiencies in overall make-ready time that will allow Edison Litho to produce more jobs faster with higher throughput.

George Gross, president of Edison Litho and Printing, said: "The success that we've encountered with the Rapida 205 81-inch press prompted us to purchase another amazing press from KBA - the Rapida 162 64-inch six-color sheetfed machine.

As a leading large format printer, we continue to grow our business and seek out the best equipment to accomplish that goal.

KBA presses are the answer to that quest." He added: "The KBA Rapida 205 is a revolutionary and unique piece of technology that differentiates Edison Litho from the rest of our competitors.

Fast growth on the Rapida 205 prompted us to take the burden off of the Rapida 205 by installing a Rapida 162 64-inch six-colour press." The new Rapida 162 64-inch six-colour press, whilst still a large-format model, provides a different set of features from the Rapida 205 that gives Edison Litho further flexibility, added KBA.

And Joe Ostreicher, Edison Litho's vice president, commented: "On the new press, we will be able to use smaller sheet sizes and still be competitive yet flexible for our customers.

The Rapida 162 prints a minimum sheet size of 25" x 38", allowing us to be competitive on any 40-inch job.

But the Rapida 162 offers the same high quality and the same high degree of automation, such as auto plate changing, as the Rapida 205.

We contemplated other press sizes but we agreed that the Rapida 162 64-inch press would give our customers the best printed sheet available." Since the installation of the Rapida 205 81-inch sheetfed press, which is claimed to be the world's largest, Edison has had the press on a 24-hour shift producing point-of-purchase, packaging, poster, retail signage and other large format jobs for long-established and new customers.

The press has helped Edison grow its business.

The Rapida 205 81-inch six-colour press features a maximum sheet size of 59.5" x 81" running at a speed of 9,000 sheets per hour (sph).

It gives Edison the ability to run paper and board stock ranging from 80lb to 48pt, said KBA.

The press manufacturer also claimed that the Rapida 205 is the first press of its size to offer a range of features, such as a fully-automatic plate changer, automatic blanket and impression cylinder washing systems, in-line anilox coating system and drying options - IR, UV, or hybrid.

New technology and automation also includes KBA's Densitronic quality control system and in-line perforating and slitting to the press.

An automatic camera register control system is said to provide an efficient system for fast colour registration.

The KBA Rapida 205 81-inch press became Edison's 13th sheetfed press and the keystone for its future growth.

The Rapida 162 64-inch six-colour press will be Edison's 14th sheetfed press.

Two older presses will be retired to make room for the new press.

"We're very proud that Edison Litho bought a second KBA large format press so quickly after the first one was installed," says Ed Heffernan, KBA district sales manager.

"This is a true success story and shows once again that KBA delivers presses to fit a customer's real needs and helps them to differentiate themselves from the competition." Founded in 1958 in New York City, Edison Litho and Printing has grown to become a leading large format printer specialising in point-of-purchase displays and retail signage, said KBA.

The firm's client list includes corporations and retailers that require point-of-purchase displays, in-store signage, brand marketing products and custom, permanent retail displays and fixtures.

In 1989, Edison Litho moved its headquarters to a 40,000 square foot facility in North Bergen, New Jersey.

The firm operates more than 12 large sheetfed presses, including two 54-inch x 77-inch and six 43-inch x 60-inch seven-colour presses, plus in-line UV and aqueous coaters.

Edison Litho also expanded its New Jersey plant in 2005 to a total of 80,000 square feet and installed a new web press in June.

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