KBA had sheetfed orders worth approximately 185m (290m) booked in as of Friday 17 May, but the previous day MAN Roland chief executive Gerd Finkbeiner admitted at his groups annual meeting that its orders stood at just 160m.

KBA hopes to capitalise on its advance with the launch of a new four-back-four press for the super-wide sheetfed market.

The 162a-8 SW4 was officially launched last week at KBAs Radebeul manufacturing plant near Dresden in front of existing and potential customers from the main European markets, including the UK, Germany, Italy and France.

UK visitors included representatives from Bell & Bain, Pindar and CPI. Butler & Tanner, which already runs five 162a presses, was also heavily represented.

"They were the super crme de la crme of printers," said KBA (UK) managing director Christian Knapp.

The press is in the process of being dismantled before being shipped to German printer Appel. KBA is ready to take orders from other customers.

The 162a-8 SW4 was developed in consultation with customers, including Appel, said Knapp.

He added that the press had the potential to break into the commercial web sector at lower run lengths, and that it had a strong economic case against long B1 perfectors because of its larger sheet size.

KBA demonstrated the 162a-8 SW4 changing from a straight job to four-back-four in 22 minutes. The press reached a speed of 9,100 sheets an hour.

A video camera demonstrated the press ability to flip large-format sheets without affecting register.

KBA has sold 50 Rapida presses with perfecting units.

Story by Gordon Carson