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Product category: Printing Companies: General Commercial
News Release from: KBA | Subject: Compacta 217 press
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial Team on 18 July 2005

First German Compacta 217 Press Runs At
70,000sph

B and K Offsetdruck Ottersweier near Baden-Baden (Germany) has welcomed 250 guests to the official inauguration of its new 16-page KBA Compacta 217 press.

B and K Offsetdruck Ottersweier near Baden-Baden (Germany) has welcomed 250 guests to the official inauguration of its new 16-page KBA Compacta 217 press The high-speed commercial web offset press, launched at Drupa last year, is the first of its kind in Germany

The production team at B and K Offsetdruck doesn't just handle standard, off-the-peg print jobs, as it also creates bespoke products to meet the diverse and specific demands of its customer base.

Consultation and customer care, product design and implementation are the key strengths of the family enterprise, which has achieved continuous vigorous growth since it was founded in 1969, said KBA.

B and K's sheetfed department, which operates with a fleet of six medium-format presses, has specialised for many years in the production of premium-quality commercials.

The use of daylight lamps, in-line coating and in-line die-cutting are an established part of the routine.

The company also employs colour management and spectral photometric systems directly at the presses.

In the web offset department the new Compacta 217 joined two other 16-page presses, each configured with five double printing units and a variety of folding and in-line finishing aggregates.

Here too, closed-loop colour measurement and control systems are in use directly at the press.

To enable the huge volume and diversity of its print work to be processed with the greatest possible flexibility and speed, B and K installed finishing capabilities that are more extensive than at any other printing plant in southern Germany.

Instead of a folder, Germany's first Compacta 217 sports a number of in-line finishing aggregates and a high-performance sheeter for a claimed output of up to 70,000 printed sheets per hour.

The unusual press configuration is customised to suit B and K's highly specific production requirements.

Each of the five printing units is fitted with a semi-automatic plate changer and can be adjusted for different stock weights.

The press is not used to print standard products as it was installed to handle covers and off-specification jobs that demand the highest possible quality, and to support both quality and quantity it features a sheeter plus downstream finishing systems.

It can handle a stock weight of 39gsm (27lb book) just as easily as 170gsm or even 220gsm (63-81lb cover), added KBA.

The first two printing units are fitted with imprinters to enable different copy (usually addresses) to be imprinted cost-effectively even in short runs.

Print runs when using the sheeter start at around 40,000 copies.

But the company has been known to run off 10 million copies with various changes of imprint on the Compacta 217.

"All three of our existing 16-page web presses were fitted with a folder and sheeter," explained B and K managing director Jorn Kalbhenn, "but we came to the conclusion that, from the economic point of view, this didn't really make a lot of sense for the new press because we wouldn't be using the folder often enough.

That is why we decided to drop it from the Compacta 217's specifications." The company's finance manager Werner Stimmler, added: "When we're scheduling a new job, we calculate very carefully to see whether it would be best to print it on one of our sheetfed presses or on a web press.

We work out the best possible alternative in terms of the most cost-effective." Technical manager Eva Christina Hofmann gave an insight in to the production routine: "The press operators couldn't be happier with the new press and are delighted with its easy handling.

The entire area around the press is air-conditioned.

That is the only way to maintain the consistent parameters that are so essential for the high quality standards we aim for here at B and K." Management and staff were also well satisfied with the service provided by KBA.

Jorn Kalbhenn praised the installation and commissioning crew: "Everything was well co-ordinated and went like clockwork.

The installation went smoothly and was done very professionally.

I was really impressed." Production start-up on the Compacta 217 was just as trouble-free.

The initial, single-shift training phase for the press crew lasted approximately three weeks.

The different makes of system - the press, heatset dryer, in-line finishing equipment and die-cutter - all had to have their parameters co-ordinated.

For some time now the Compacta 217 has been running in three shifts 24 hours-a-day and, as a rule, on five days a week, with the weekend reserved as a buffer for handling production spikes.

Summing up, Jorn Kalbhenn said: "I believe two types of print provider will evolve in the future.

On the one hand there will be the global players pursuing a continuous expansion course and on the other the specialists who are happy to occupy a market niche.

We belong to the second category, there's no doubt about it.

A mighty midget - fast and effective.

That's B and K." As for the future: "We are already in the middle of plans for a new 3,600 square metre hall which should be completed by December.

It will initially be used to house the finishing department, plus an auxiliary store.

But it is designed as a production hall with a foundation capable of bearing all types of presses," he said. Request a free brochure from KBA ...

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