Fresh KBA UK managing director Christian Knapp has put commercial sheetfed and commercial web among his top priorities.


Knapp, 37, took over at KBA UK on Monday (15 January). His plans include improving profitability at the firm, which posted a pre-tax profit of 27,775 on sales of 6.2m in the year to December 1999.


"My initial impressions are very positive. There's a very nice set-up here and a good team of people," Knapp told PrintWeek. "I have to analyse where we stand in the market, but B2 and B1 sheetfed is clearly an area we need to get into."


Knapp admitted that one of his main tasks would be to restore market confidence in KBA's commercial web products. "Frankly we have to overcome the fact that St Ives took out its Compacta 218. But the 218 back then in no way compares with the 215 now."


Knapp is also preparing for a push on the 74 Karat DI press and making the most of opportunities in the newspaper industry.


He said it was too early to comment on whether he planned to make any key appointments to the team.


Story by Jo Francis