The award commemorates the first powered press, built for The Times 200 years ago by Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Bauer.

Cheshire-headquartered APS Group runs two ten-colour long-perfecting KBA Rapida 106 presses fitted with a raft of automation features. Its newest press was installed in May this year.

KBA said APS had achieved “consistently exceptional performance and consistency across shifts.”

Its award-winning performance encompassed a wide range of job types, ranging from a 9,858 run job on uncoated stock that was completed in 51 minutes to a mammoth job that involved 410,000 sheets and 52 pallets, which was running for just over 27 hours.

Production director Steve Goodall said the award was a reflection of the team effort by the company’s press crews. “It is recognition and reward for their hard work and effort over the past 12 months, and what they’ve sustained in terms of high-speed operation and quick makereadies.” he said.

The firm is a keen exponent of lean manufacturing and process improvement techniques such as Six Sigma. Goodall said it would continue to push ahead with the techniques.

KBA UK managing director Andy Pang said: “APS is such a great story. They have a unique approach that is all about attention to detail, and they are absolutely flying.”

£75m turnover APS employs more than 600 staff. The group offers a wide ange of services including creative and digital marketing solutions, print management, and point-of-sale.

Pictured below: Pang, Goodall, APS lean manufacturing supervisor Gareth Jones, and KBA UK sales director Chris Scully.