König & Bauer AG - 32-metre giant for top-quality packaging printing

Packaging specialist TFP in Kórnik, near Poznań, has become the first user of a 7B (64in) KBA Rapida 162a two-coater press in Poland. The market leader in high-grade packaging pushed the button a few months ago on a six-colour version with two dryers and a triple delivery extension. Extending a mammoth 32m (105ft), it is the longest large-format installation in Poland.

Until then TFP was primarily a flexo operation. The addition of the Rapida 162a substantially enlarged the range of products and substrates the company can handle, which now includes paper, carton and E-flute corrugated. On top of this the two coaters support an extensive choice of inline effects. The giant Rapida with automatic plate changing is engineered to print microflute corrugated and heavy board, and is mounted on a 420mm (16.5in) plinth. The feeder and delivery are embedded in an automated pile-logistics system. Coating plate change is also extensively automated, which dramatically shortens makeready times. The two dryers and delivery extension features IR, hot-air and UV dryers. Quality is controlled via ErgoTronic ACR with video sensor, QualiTronic Professional inline sheet inspection with integrated colour measurement and control and DensiTronic Professional online density measurement and control.

TFP has expanded continuously since 1992, gaining ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditation on the way. Back in 2000 the company clocked up another first in Poland with the purchase of a Masterflex six-colour flexo press which is still the only press of its kind with this particular configuration. TFP’s investment in the highly automated Rapida 162a represents a similar milestone in offset.

The Koenig & Bauer Group is one of the largest press manufacturers worldwide and has the broadest press range in the industry. The parent company is Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) with facilities in Würzburg, Radebeul, Frankenthal and Trennfeld (all in Germany).

The other core members of the Group are Maschinenfabrik KBA-Mödling AG in Mödling, near Vienna (Austria), KBA-Grafitec s.r.o. in Dobruška (Czech Republic), KBA-Metronic AG in Veitshöchheim, near Würzburg (Germany), KBA-MetalPrint GmbH in Stuttgart (also Germany) and KBA-GIORI S.A. in Lausanne (Switzerland). KBA North America Inc. in Dallas, Texas (USA), is our sales and service subsidiary for the US and Canada. In addition we have sales and service outlets in the UK, France, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Brazil, Russia, Poland, Australia, China, Malaysia and Singapore, plus a global network of dealers. The core companies in the Group employ some 7,500 people.