KBA's Syrian Showroom And 50% Market Share

For many years, the German export statistics only ever mentioned one printing machinery manufacturer trading with Syria and that merely with one or two presses each year, according to KBA.

For many years, the German export statistics only ever mentioned one printing machinery manufacturer trading with Syria and that merely with one or two presses each year, according to KBA.

Today, however, the situation is radically different, both in respect of the numbers of presses and the manufacturers involved.

More and more sheetfed offset presses are being imported and Koenig and Bauer, thanks to the efforts of its Syrian sales partner Samer Kabbani, has secured a share of around 50 per cent it claimed.

The presses being sold are no longer simply standard four-colour and five-colour versions but increasingly configurations for five colours and coating or hybrid presses with UV facilities.

Even large-format presses are gradually coming under consideration.

Alongside the government sector, there are also many small, private print companies seeking to invest in new equipment.

The Syrian government is loosening constraints and private banks are being established said the German press manufacturer.

Extensive construction work can be seen in the larger towns and the business community is strongly interested in international contacts.

The next step of development for Samer Kabbani and KBA is will be the opening of a showroom in the heart of the Syrian capital Damascus in spring 2005.

A half-format Rapida 74 is to be installed for print demonstrations in the showroom, which will serve both as a meeting place for Syrian printers and as a centre of international communication for the whole graphic arts industry said the company.

The technical service department looking after the KBA presses in Syria will also be based here.

Two recently installed medium-format presses are already producing packaging on the most varied substrates at KBA customer Al Amal Printing and Packaging, one a five-colour Rapida 105 of the predecessor series with coating tower, the other a five-colour Rapida 105 universal.

The possibility of a further investment by the company in a large-format press has already been discussed.

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