Karat has suffered a blow after its first customer decided to ditch the press.


Belgian printer Antilope, which installed the alpha version of the press in January 99 and a beta last October, took out the press at the end of August and installed a Xeikon 500 instead.


"We postponed the project because we couldnt get the productivity needed," said chief executive Marc Binneman. "There were so many problems we decided to suspend the project for a year. Im waiting to see if they can deliver a machine with the productivity."


"Quality was good and saleable I still believe in the concept," he added.


"Antilope lived through a lot with the Karat," said Karat European sales and marketing director Marc Bax. "The second series of beta machines still havent lived up to their potential."


Despite this Bax claimed the most serious problems, which included software crashes during plate exposure and problems with plate clamping, had been resolved.


"The most common problems have been solved on a fundamental basis, the remaining problems are of an incidental nature."


Powage Press, one of the UK beta sites for the 74 Karat, is happy with the progress of its press.


Director of the Milton Keynes-based printer, Roger Sims, said: "Its going OK. There are one or two small problems which Karat is sorting out. As far as Im concerned theyre not insurmountable. If all goes to plan it should all be resolved in the next few weeks."


Bax said: "According to the discussion we had last week the Powage problems are resolved."


Karat was unwilling to reveal the delays to the beta project. Bax said: "Im not a liberty to discuss the sign off of the beta sites."


Baxs position with the firm is uncertain since KBA set up a dedicated business unit to handle the sales and service of the Karat. Bax said: "Sales and service is in Dresden. Me controlling sales and marketing as a lone ranger from Brussels doesnt make sense."


The Karat joint venture between KBA and Scitex has had a long gestation since its launch at Imprinta in June 97. The ambitious project had to blend the different technologies and cultures of the firms as well as deal with the upheavals at Scitex at the start of this year.


Story by Barney Cox