Offset Printing
Two Compactas and four Rapidas for Jiangsu Henghua Media
Wednesday 13. April 2011 - KBA lands major contract at Print China in Dongguan
On the very first day of the Print China trade fair from 9 to 13 April in Guangdong province KBA-China announced that it had won a major contract from the Hengshun groups subsidiary Jiangsu Henghua Media in Zhenjiang, in the eastern province of Jiangsu. The contract, for two 16pp commercial web offset presses and four litho presses, is worth a double-digit million euro amount.
The Hengshun group, which went public in 1999, has numerous subsidiaries, and this longstanding policy of diversification has been key in keeping pace with Jiangsus rapid growth. The group parent, Hengshun Vinegar, was founded in 1840 and thus looks back on almost as long a tradition as KBA. It is one of Chinas biggest producers of fine vinegars and also exports to Europe.
Henghua Caiyin, a subsidiary headed by president Cai Tingzhao, was originally a packaging printing plant for the parents vinegar products. But with boundless energy and foresight Mr Cai has transformed it into a leading producer of high-quality packaging, and a global supplier. In recent years KBA has helped promote the companys success with the installation ofa B1 (41in) Rapida 105 and a (64in) Rapida 162a.
Now the Hengshun group is moving into the commercial market with a new subsidiary, Jiangsu Henghua Media, which is also headed by Cai Tingzhao. Mr Cai and his project team opted for presses from the worlds second-biggest vendor following an exhaustive screening process that included tours of factories and printing plants in Asia, the USA and Europe. Alongside two of KBAs popular 16pp Compacta 215 he signed up for four Rapida 105s, which are selling well in China.
The two commercial web offset presses, which are slated to come on stream in spring next year, will be configured with four double printing couples, KBA reelstands, KBA infeed units (which are perfect for handling sensitive stock), dryers with integrated afterburners, extensively automated F3 folders and new-generation console technology. The litho presses are four-, five- and six-colour versions. The new presses will mainly print magazines. KBA is looking forward to helping Mr Cai and his team raise commercial production in Jiangsu to an international standard with cutting-edge sheetfed and web technology.