It will also showcase job matching across litho and digital output at its 2,200sqm booth in Hall 15, as well as its new H-UV L (LED) drying option, which will be shown for the first time worldwide at Drupa. The Japanese manufacturer’s theme for the show is “open new pages”.
Komori had already launched its Impremia IS29 B2 UV inkjet press, the result of its partnership with Konica Minolta. Regular sales of this press will begin at Drupa, with shipping slated for later this calendar year.
A group of VIP customers went to see the IS29 in action at Komori’s Utrecht facility in the Netherlands last month.
At Drupa Komori will show a comparison of output from the IS29 with that of an eight-colour Lithrone GX40RP, running a mixed job containing elements from both presses.
Product manager Peter Minis said: “The GX840RP will be the quickest demonstration you will ever see – very fast makeready with our non-stop start-up function.”
The IS29 has a new silver livery that is also on the 6,500sph Impremia NS40, which uses Landa technology under licence. Komori will show its NS440 perfecting version at Drupa, and, like Landa, will not ship presses until next year. The NS40 has different off-press controls to the Landa model.
Komori will also release a new high-end 16,500sph B2 litho press series at Drupa, the Lithrone G29. Komori president and chief operating officer Satoshi Mochida stated: “In the future, this base machine will be developed into a system with productivity surpassing digital printing systems.”
It will also have the same silver livery.
Komori UK managing director Neil Sutton said the existing LS29 range would “run in parallel for the foreseeable future”.
“The G29 will be available early next year in Europe,” he added.
Komori said it now had more than 600 H-UV systems installed worldwide and the four litho presses running on the booth will all be fitted with H-UV drying. A brand new compact 15,000sph four-colour SRA1 press targeted at entry and mid-level applications, the Lithrone G37, will be fitted with the LED version of H-UV.
The manufacturer said it intended to evolve from being a printing press manufacturer to a print engineering service provider (PESP). Mochida has launched a plan to transform the group’s business structure in the next three years through business model innovation.
The first PESP launch is the 1,370mm-wide Apressia CT137 programmable guillotine, manufactured by a third party. Komori said it was easy to use, with “stringent” safety standards. A die-cutter for the range is also on the cards.
Komori announced a strategic co-operation in Japan with Israeli digital finishing kit manufacturer Highcon earlier this year, and could look to extend this to other territories.
Group business development director Philippe Fiol highlighted how the 'Internet of Things' would herald an improvement in productivity through data sharing, and a shift from “highly-skilled operators to operators with standard skills” able to produce the same results.
Komori’s KP-Connect cloud concept encompasses production, quality, maintenance and error reporting information through remote support. It will outline the potential for this, along with its new K-Station 4 scheduling and workflow automation system, and K-ColorSimulator 2 colour matching system as part of the group’s suite of Information Communications Technology Solutions.
The 510mm inkjet web press shown at Drupa 2012 will not be on the firm’s booth at this year's event. “It’s still under consideration and after the IS29 ships we will review it,” Sutton said.
