Offset Printing

Bell & Bain in KBA Rapida hat-trick

Tuesday 15. May 2012 - Academic book and journal printer orders third KBA Rapida 142

Glasgow academic book and journal printer Bell & Bain has further strengthened its long term partnership with KBA by ordering its third Rapida 142 at the Drupa exhibition. The press will be commissioned in the fourth quarter of the year.
The investment in a large-format eight-colour four-over-four perfecting press joins two four-colour perfecting presses and will eventually re-place one existing machine.
Bell & Bain’s new high speed Rapida 142, with fully automatic plate changing, will incorporate many of the unique features tried and tested on KBA’s flagship Rapida 106, including its CleanTronic Syn-chro system which washes the inking rollers, blankets and impression cylinders simultaneously. The new Rapida 142 features KBA’s per-fecting delivery for increased speed and performance.
Managing director Ian Walker says: “We have been working with KBA presses since 2005 and they have helped to develop our successful business. We look forward to the new press, with all the latest per-formance technology, continuing this trend.” Steve Docherty, sales director of Bell & Bain, adds: “This press will enable Bell & Bain to offer our customers more choice and colour and help us in the proc-ess.”
KBA UK managing director Christian Knapp comments: “This is Bell & Bain’s third Rapida 142 press which comes with many of KBA’s high performing Tronic systems for increased automation and quality as-surance. Customer loyalty is not a given in these difficult market con-ditions and we are extremely pleased that Bell & Bain has returned to KBA again for their third machine. The Rapida 142 large-format con-figuration will enable Bell & Bain to continue to further enhance it high-quality responsive print portfolio and drive growth through sales.”
Bell & Bain was founded in Glasgow by James Bell and Andrew Bain back in 1831. It has been an established and respected book printer for over 170 years and one of the few Scottish academic printers to have survived in today’s ultra-competitive market. Today Bell & Bain employs over 80 people and has a turnover in excess of £8.5 million $13.7m). The company enjoys a customer list of over 150 including most of the blue-chip names from international publishing.