KBA''s digital division has become the only sales channel of the 74 Karat digital press, and has announced a new sales and marketing push for the B2 DI machine.


Much of the shake-up has happened in the past four months following the appointment of Ralf Sammeck as sales director at KBA Digital.


"The market for the Karat is big," he said. "It was a long learning curve, but we''re ready with a stable, high-quality machine."


Sammeck was previously managing director of Heidelberg''s Dusseldorf agency.


The news follows the wave of adverse publicity and industry rumours about the future of the 74 Karat, after Belgium-based Antilope, the first test site, removed its press (PrintWeek, 20 October).


"All machines installed from March 2000 are stable," said Sammeck.


The firm said it had installed 20 production machines and was poised to put second machines into some sites.


Karat''s European sales and service centre in Belgium has been closed after KBA Digital took on the role from its offices in Radebul, Germany next to the Karat factory. In the UK, KBA has taken on three service engineers to look after the 74 Karat.


"That''s important - it was affecting sales," said UK managing director Kelvin Lowe.


It has also stepped up its control of Karat to address the problems. KBA is now responsible for controlling all aspects of manufacture and R&D apart from the imaging system.


There is a new version of the 74 Karat press, that cuts time between jobs by 40% to 15 minutes and adds extra flexibility through improved software.It has already paid off in the UK with three machines sold and another three agreed subject to finance in the last month.


"To have sold three already is the best answer
to questions about our status in the market," said KBA UK sales manager sheetfed Michael Grieger.


Story by Barney Cox