"My focus with KBA will be on the 29-inch 75E, the economical press as they call it - as well as the Genius 52 UV 20-inch press," Drozt told PrintWeek. "Because KBA has such a full line - from the Genius 52, to the 66 and 75E and going to 105, 106 and so on, I think they want someone focused directly on the 75E so they can be sure they're serving all markets, from small-format to medium-size and large-format. There's a lot of promise there and I think KBA wants to dispel any perceptions that they're only for packaging manufacturers.

"KBA has been quietly making inroads in North America, and it's been successful since they're the only manufacturer who's profitable," Drozt noted.  "We're going to be targeting printers who are looking to increased productivity by associating themselves with a growing manufacturer who's on solid financial footing."

While KBA North America is headquartered in Dallas, Drozt will operate out of Chicago. As an industry veteran who began his career as a press operator and has seen the ups and down of commercial printing, Drozt noted many printers now seem poised to invest in new equipment but may be uncertain about which is the right press - and right press size - for their business needs.  

"There are a lot of customers who seem to be on the fence between small format, medium format and large format, so there's the potential that reaching out to them will be a worthy investment," he added.