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It’s testament to the robust build quality of KBA’s Rapida 104 that it still commands a presence in the secondhand market, despite being launched more than two decades ago. The development of the press marked the German manufacturer’s first significant progression into the B1 market.

Until recently, the 104 hadn’t regularly appeared on the secondhand market due to the longevity of the press. “We might get five or 10 in a year,” says Mark Nixon, executive sales director for sheetfed at KBA. But all that is changing and the press is becoming increasingly popular, according to Mark Hormsby, sales manager at secondhand dealer Wayne Graham. “We have had more and more enquiries as machines have started to come on to the market,” he says.

It’s an interesting development considering the press was launched in 1986 with a production speed of 15,000sph – making it one of the fastest machines available at the time. The 104 was continually developed with a gradual progression towards more automation in the mid-90s. In 1994, semi-automatic plate mounting was introduced and by 1995 it was fitted as standard.

Like its successor, the Rapida 105, the 104 uses double circumference cylinders, so it can handle thicker stocks. The double-sized cylinders prevent excessive bonding of sheets, enabling a smoother, softer roll through with less mis-feeding and jamming.

Two types of infeed were also available on the press: a standard ‘stop drum’ and a variable speed drum. The variable speed drum was designed for models with a perfector under the feed for one-back-one or multi-colour printing. In 1995, the stop drum was phased out in favour of a swing-arm system that allowed for more speed and accuracy.

Major push
In the same year, cylinder cocking via the transfer cylinder was introduced, with automatic perfector changeover and a CX version capable of handling heavier stocks.

Production of the machine stopped in 1998 due to the launch of the 105 – its 1.2m substrate thickness appealed to the packaging sector, as well as automated changeover of substrates on the grippers. There is a big demand for 105s on the secondhand market, as this press came with many innovative options such as UV, alcohol-free printing and double coater.

All this has resulted in a major push by KBA to raise its profile in a highly competitive sector. According to Hormsby, both the 104 and 105 have reputations for being good products that do their jobs well.

The manufacturer’s presence in the UK includes 26 engineers and five sites carrying spare parts with a 24-hour response time, while secondhand machines are sold with a three-month warranty.

A Rapida 104 from 1997 delivered and installed in the UK is likely to cost around £200,000 from secondhand dealer Wayne Graham. A brand new five-colour 105 with coater would set you back around £850,000; a three-year-old refurbished model costs around £550,000. As with all used presses, buyers should check for wear on the grippers and cylinder damage.