The manufacturer’s ‘Koenig & Bauer Live’ event starts next week and will take place on the eight weekdays from 16-25 June.

The original Drupa 2020 timeframe was 16-26 June.

Sessions will be held in English and German, with the livestream on the Koenig & Bauer website promising “world exclusive launches”, including K&B’s new Rapida 106 ‘Generation 2020’ B1 sheetfed press, and the revamped VariJet 106 hybrid sheetfed/inkjet press with partner Durst.

K&B chief executive Claus Bolza-Schünemann, who is also the chairman of the Drupa advisory board, commented: “The wheels of technology and innovation never stop. With Drupa postponed until April next year, we felt now was the time to help bridge the gap and provide updates on our progress and developments.

He said participants “won’t be disappointed”.

“These insights into the world of print will include exclusive launches. And you can even see a complete packaging workflow or commercial application streamed live on the brand new Rapida.”

Andy Rae, head of marketing for sheetfed, said the developments on the latest generation of its flagship sheetfed press were focused on the industry trends for automation and efficiency.

“I think the pandemic has made everyone look at their true cost base situation. Obviously commercial print has been hit hardest, but even within that sector and certainly within packaging and labels, it's spurred some on to look at introducing the latest technology,” he said.

“They can see that by consolidating the number of machines/associated headcount they would be bucking the understandable ‘batten down the hatches’ general approach, and actually looking to invest to help bring their overall cost base and specifically their cost per sheet per cost centre down.”

Regarding the much-anticipated VariJet 106, Robert Stabler the managing director of joint venture Koenig & Bauer Durst, said: “We’ll be revealing details about where we are with the programme, when we will be launching the beta sites and some more about the specification.

“The VariJet was a concept in 2016 and will be on our booth at Drupa 2021 in April. We are really focused on productivity and automation, with offset quality in seven colours.”

The modular VariJet 106 combines K&B’s Rapida platform with Fujifilm’s Samba heads and a seven-colour ink set from Durst.

“In folding cartons run lengths are coming down, driven by multiple trends,” Stabler added. “Converters need to be more agile and faster to react, and that plays to the strengths of digital printing.”

He said new developments in corrugated printing, including a digital primer for uncoated stock, would also be discussed during the showcase.

K&B has a huge product range spanning web and sheetfed litho printing, flexo printing, corrugated printing, and web and sheetfed digital printing. It also makes products for a range of specialist print areas including coding and marking, metal decorating, printing onto glass and hollow containers, and security printing.

The firm also makes a range of post-press equipment including rotary and flatbed die-cutters, and folder-gluers.

The K&B Live sessions are 20 minutes long, and will also be available for replay after the event.

To register visit the Koenig & Bauer Live microsite.