KBA prepares for first RotaJet installs

UK managing director Christian Knapp said one firm order had been received, and one letter of intent. Details of the customers, including the country of location, are being kept confidential at this time.

Installations are slated to take place in the first half of next year.

KBA will show the RotaJet at the Hunkeler Innovation Days in February 2013. "We're going to show the same jobs we did at Drupa so people can really see how the quality has moved on in nine months," Knapp said.

Potential applications for the press include books, commercial printing and newspapers. "It would be a good addition to an existing fleet of newspaper presses for producing targeted covers or regionalised centre spreads, to be inserted on mailroom systems," Knapp added.

Packaging printers have also expressed interest in its potential, according to Knapp.

KBA UK handed out its annual 1814 Production Excellence Award at an event this week. London's SMP Group won for the consistent levels of productivity achieved on its large-format KBA Rapida 162a, with 32 jobs produced alcohol-free in an eight-hour shift even though the 13-year-old press is not fitted with the latest automation systems.

KBA key accounts director Chris Scully described the SMP team as being "like an F1 pit stop crew".

Mastercolour of Tunbridge Wells was highly commended for its strong environmental performance, including reducing waste and power consumption after installing a new Rapida 75.

Lancashire's Leyprint was shortlisted for an innovative carton pack produced directly on 'f' flute corrugated board on a Rapida 105.