Amcor orders giant KBA

Amcor Tobacco Packaging has ordered a unique 19-unit KBA Rapida 106 sheet fed offset press for its plant in Rickenbach, Switzerland.  Due for installation at the end of August, the new KBA, which is 35m (114ft) long, has a first coater, two dryers, ten printing units, a second coater, two more dryers, a third coater and two more units with inert UV curing technology.  It also features inline cold-foil finishing.

The order for the new press is the culmination of work carried out by Amcor and KBA’s Swiss subsidiary, Print Assist, to find the best technology and processes for printing high-quality cigarette packs.  The target was to optimize the production of complex jobs in short runs.  In the end, it was KBA’s flexibility and innovation that convinced Amcor to go ahead with the project

Key to the new KBA’s success is its ability to make ready a new job while running at top speed.  Ultra short changeover times are the result of disengageable inking units and DriveTronic SPC dedicated plate-cylinder drives.  In addition, the coater has DriveTronic SFC simultaneous plate change, and Anilox-Loader automatic roller change. 
 
The plinth mounted Rapida has board-handling capability and a Vinfoil Infigo SF110-GF device for cold foil.  Other features include automatic nonstop feeder and delivery, integrated automatic pile-logistics, CleanTronic Synchro for simultaneous washing during ink changes (conventional/UV) and KBA VariDry IR, UV and thermal dryers.  QualiTronic Professional in-line color control will be used to inspect the sheets and tag faulty images.

All parties involved acknowledge the trust required to conclude such a complex project.  ‘The KBA press heralds a new era in package printing for us, and will give us a major competitive edge in the market,’ according to Jerzy Czubak, Amcor Tobacco Packaging’s COO and vice-president of its European operation.  Peter Rickenmann, managing director of Print Assist, commented: ‘This is a groundbreaking project, which has caused a sensation in the industry,’ while KBA sales director, Sascha Fischer, added: ‘Our association with Amcor started in Australia in 2007, and is being continued with this technological milestone in Europe.’
 
Amcor, which employs 33,000 people in 42 countries, is one of the world’s leading packaging producers.