Move To Large Format Press Opens Up New Markets

B1 printer, RCS, has installed a five-colour Rapida 162a with coater to expand its trade printing service with a GBP3 million investment.

The investment programme has also included an extension to the company's Nottinghamshire (UK) premises.

The new press at the Retford printing plant, has automated setting systems and is claimed to be capable of printing sheet sizes up to 1,620mm x 1,200mm.

RCS's press investment has seen the company make the transformation to the larger format press to secure new markets.

The company's managing director, Michael Todd, explained the choice of the KBA press: "We had got to a point where we had reached capacity and it was time to make an investment.

By adding this format to our press line-up we are now able to service new markets, such as screen printers who find full-colour slow and expensive, as well as smaller format litho printers with a limited demand for larger sizes, together with our current trade customer base." He added that the company had invested in a KBA 105 press two years ago and was impressed with the technology it came with, as well as KBA's support.

RCS had considered investing in B1 press again but decided it could find it would find that it would have to make the same decision a couple of years down the line.

In Todd's opinion, the B1 market is also being squeezed tightly and RCS wanted to move in to less crowded markets.

He continued: "We looked at what the other manufacturers had to offer in large format presses.

Either their technology is still relatively untested or, where it is proven, we felt their support could not match KBA's.

We consider that their support is currently the best available." And Todd explained: "Our key growth area through the press is in printing for trade screen print customers.

As part of our investment we can now produce paper to board lamination.

It is much faster and has lower set-up costs than conventional full-colour screen printing.

Our customers are under increasing pressure to turn their work around quickly and we can now help them achieve their tight deadlines." Running 24 hours, six days-a-week, RCS's press has been installed complete with on-line slitting, auto registration control, on-press duct controls and fully automatic plate changing.

Christian Knapp, KBA UK's managing director, said: "For me it is clear that the future lies in larger formats where economies can be realised and printers' competitive performance improved.

Through this investment RCS is demonstrating that these advantages are available to general printers through its trade service.

I believe that we will see more of the headline printing companies migrating to this format with our machines.

KBA is the natural choice in this sector through our experience, innovation and environmental credentials.".

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