Offset Printing
Hybrid UV/Conventional KBA Rapida 105 41-Inch Press Stars at Litho Quebec
Monday 03. March 2008 - French-Canadian printer attracted to environmentally friendly press with plastic printing capabilities
KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Williston, Vermont, announces that Litho Quebec, a Pointe-Claire, Quebec, commercial printer, installed a Rapida 105 41-inch six-color sheetfed press with both UV and conventional capabilities in February 2008. The Rapida 105 was sold in cooperation with KBR Graphics Ltd., the eastern Canadian distributor for KBA North America.
“Were very excited to be getting our new KBA press,” says Gary Zacard, who co-owns Litho Quebec JGB with his brother Bruce. “It is going to provide us with more consistency, faster makeready times, and more automation. Plus we now have UV capability, a specialty that is not widely seen in Quebec. The automation on the KBA press will allow us quick changeovers between UV and conventional printing.”
UV differentiates Litho Quebec from competitors
The Zacard brothers tested their new-generation Rapida 105 41-inch six-color sheetfed press at KBA North America headquarters in Williston, Vermont, and then traveled to KBA headquarters in Germany to tour the factory and learn about KBAs top-notch training and service. The firms press is equipped with interdeck UV lamps and end-of-press UV lamps. Litho Quebec will now be able to print with a variety of UV inks and UV coatings to produce special effects. They also will be able to handle UV jobs in a fast, efficient manner because the UV coating can be applied inline during the press run. UV is known as an environmentally-friendly process, because zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted and it gives the printer the ability to print on uncoated 100% recycled stock at a high quality. In addition, UV coating has the ability to cure on the surface of uncoated papers, a favorite substrate for designers and ad agencies producing eye-catching pieces.
“We feel that UV will be a growing area for us and separate us from our competition,” says Zacard. “UV has a number of attributes that we like; it is environmentally friendly and that caters to our green society. It protects the printed sheet and it gives us instant drying for the sheet to move directly into the bindery. Plus, it allows us to print on a variety of different substrates that we couldnt use before, such as plastic and foils.”
The firm replaced an older 40-inch four-color press from a different manufacturer and retained its five-color 29-inch half-size press with coater from another manufacturer. The Zacard brothers spent more than a year investigating the different sheetfed presses on the market that could be equipped with inline UV capability.
More capabilities, broader customer base
“We believe that our new KBA press will give us much more capabilities than weve ever had before,” says Zacard. “While a majority of our work is for the trade, we believe we can expand our book and packaging printing, even gaining U.S. customers.”
Headquartered outside Montreal, Litho Quebec has been in the printing business for 36 years. The firm was established by Bruce and Gary Zacards father. Today the 51-employee company continues to emphasize its family orientation by retaining long-term employees and seeking new talent that will bring their special skills to the firm. Litho Quebec specializes in printing packaging, business stationery, corporate literature, checks, invoices, statements, and any other type of corporate document. Litho Quebecs 45,000-square-foot pressroom is equipped with cutting-edge printing technology. Litho Quebec offers die cutting, gluing, folding, and saddle stitching as well as any other post-press requirements.