The focus at DRUPA has turned to heatset, with KBA signing an order for a 16-page press and German rival manroland web systems lauding the success of its latest 96-page Lithoman buyer.

The KBA C16 for magazine printer B&K Offsetdruck has a sense of tradition about it. The company signed for a Compacta 217 in 2004, and is back for the press’s successor.

The 40-year-old family business has a staff of 200, and will print upmarket magazines and journals – complete with covers – on the new five-unit press. It will be equipped with plate changers with imprinters in the first units to allow flying changes.

KBA has a C16 unit on its DRUPA stand, and the new 65,000 iph press to be delivered in June next year will have the company’s latest maintenance and waste-saving automation features. These include automated roller locks and new console technology with presetting software.

At B&K, it will be embedded in the Compacta 217’s existing LogoTronic Professional system for production-data capture and MIS networking. Glueing and softening devices, a cutter and a highly automated P3 folder with double parallel and delta fold are among other features specified.

At the manroland web systems stand, attention focused on the 96-page Lithoman recently commissioned at Niedermayr in Regensburg. Established in 1801, the company wants to be a “defining force” in the marketplace, according to owner Johannes Helmberger.

The Lithoman with sleeve technology is part of a 22 million Euro investment. Equipment on the production site – recently expanded to 30,000 m2 – already included Rotoman and 80-page Lithoman presses, the latter installed in 2007.

Pictured on the KBA stand are B&K managing director Jörn Kalbhenn, KBA sales director Kai Trapp and KBA executive vice-president for web sales Christoph Müller