KBA Announces HP Collaboration, New RotaJET Inkjet Press Series

At a press conference held yesterday morning, KBA (Booth 213) announced a partnership with HP to develop a high-speed, roll-to-roll, thermal inkjet solution for the high-volume corrugated packaging market. Technical specs, product timeline, and other details were not announced and will be disclosed as they become available, but the fruit of the joint venture will be HP-branded and sold through the HP distribution channel, and is slated to appear in late 2015. The new press will help packaging converters “increase productivity, scalability, and versatility,” said Mark Hischar, President and CEO of KBA North America.

The corrugated packaging market is steadily increasing, said Hischar, thanks to such drivers as brand localization, population growth, and an improving economy. At the same time, trends such as SKU proliferation, shorter product life cycles, and micro-segmentation are driving the demand for shorter-run-length packaging. The new inkjet press will play off both companies’ strengths: KBA’s in paper handling, manufacturing, and packaging market expertise, and HP’s IT and inkjet technology, as well as distribution capabilities for digital press solutions. Hischar added, “This co-development program absolutely does not does infer any potential union between the companies.” It is also not intended to displace either company’s current portfolio of solutions for the corrugated packaging market.

KBA also recently announced the new RotaJET L Series, a high-volume, ultra-flexible modular inkjet press platform. “The RotaJET L Series is not a press, it’s a press concept,” said Oliver Baar, KBA Project Manager for Business Development, Digital Web Presses. “The main objective of the RotoJET L Series is flexibility.” Width, color, speed, and quality can all be upgraded on-site. The new series comprises five models, from the 39-inch-wide RotaJET 89 up to the 50-inch RotaJET 130. The L Series prints using water-based pigment inks, and has been retrofitted, said Baar, “to be absolutely futureproof,” being able to support new printhead configurations, resolution capabilities, and other upgrades.

Also during the press conference, Soren Larsen, Senior Vice President of Sales or KBA North America, discussed recent North American installations of KBA equipment, “many which were their first-time KBA presses ever,” said Larsen. “At the end of the day, our customers speak louder than any statements we at KBA can make.”

“We have over 1,200 large-format presses running around the world,” summarized Eric Frank, VP of Marketing for KBA North America. Frank also discussed and showed examples of the results of KBA’s strategic alignment of their 16-page web press with Tensor, and the strength of KBA FlexoTechnia division, a recent acquisition.

Back by popular demand, KBA will be offering in its booth German beer and wursts. “The wursts are awesome,” said Frank. “Come by and have a wurst with us.”