Wood Printcraft has replaced two multi-colour B2 Komori presses with one Rapida 75 press from KBA to help spearhead its move into 24-hour operation.

    The KBA B2 five-colour press was supplied complete with an integral coating unit as part of a EUR3m (GBP2.6m) investment by the privately owned print group based in Dublin, Ireland.

    Criona Turley, managing director of Wood Printcraft, said: 'We had been running two presses in a shift and we wanted to take it up to the next step as part of our plan to move to a round-the-clock shift rotation.' The investment complements last year's addition of a KBA Rapida 105 10-colour sheet-fed long perfector, which arrived complete with fully automatic plate change, KBA's Densitronic colour management, Technotrans dampening and Baldwin washing systems.

    With a claimed maximum speed of 15,000 sheets per hour and a sheet size of 605mm x 750mm, the the Rapida 75 press also includes automated plate loading, CIP3, inking unit temperature control and automatic roller, blanket and impression washing.

    The coating unit includes Grafix IR and a hot-air dryer, as well as extended delivery.

    Performance benefits are said to include a 70 per cent sheet slowdown for distortion-free sheet transport onto the front lays, flat sheet travel to handle heavier stocks, adjustment-free changeover between varying stock thicknesses and synchronised washing for blanket and impression cylinders.