Record sales for Koenig & Bauer at China Print in Beijing

From 23 to 27 June, Koenig & Bauer showcased its comprehensive product and service portfolio on a stand measuring more than 1,000 m2 at the China Print exhibition in Beijing. The spotlight was directed at the world première of the new Rapida 105 generation, which took centre stage. Its unveiling was one of the absolute highlights of the technology exhibition, and also caused a stir among the wider trade public. Most of the printing industry professionals who visited the Koenig & Bauer stand were visibly impressed by the print demonstrations performed on the new medium-format press (max. sheet format 720/740 × 1,050 mm), with its high production output and fast job changeovers.

Crowd favourite Rapida 105
The dynamic design of the new Rapida 105 and the long list of features adopted from other medium-format series, such as the feed table with a single suction belt, extensive preset capabilities and comprehensive measuring and control systems, helped to make the Rapida 105 the undisputed crowd favourite. The fact that the press has been developed and manufactured entirely in Germany is another major plus point. Walter Zehner, CEO of Koenig & Bauer Greater China, explains: “The Rapida 105 has been very popular with our Chinese customers for several decades. The new generation was developed in accordance with their particular needs, and is geared specifically to the challenges that arise in everyday print production operations.”

Thanks to extensive configuration options and its exceptional substrate flexibility, the new Rapida 105 is an ideal choice for packaging, commercial and even label printing. It thereby allows users to expand their product range and help exploit new potential for commercial success. The first two days of the exhibition already saw several companies sign purchase contracts for the new Rapida 105.

Contracts with print companies from all over China
By the end of China Print, more orders had been received from print companies all over China. Along with the medium-format models, considerable interest was shown in large-format sheetfed offset presses from the Rapida 145 and Rapida 164 series. This can be attributed to a particular demand for high-quality packaging, especially for mobile telephones and other electronic products.

Walter Zehner was very pleased with the results of the trade show: “The success far exceeded our expectations. In terms of the number of orders received, we were able to post a new record for China Print.” Zehner thanked his team in China for their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was more than happy with the outcome their efforts brought: “Despite the serious situation, our trade show presentation was an unqualified success and attracted attention from far beyond China itself.” And he is confident that Chinese printers' demand for new press technologies will continue to grow in future. Dietmar Heyduck, senior vice-president for sales at Koenig & Bauer Sheetfed, is equally delighted: “My sincere thanks go to our customers for continuing to place their trust in our products, and to the Koenig & Bauer teams in both China and Germany for a fantastic trade show. We are now looking forward to brisk post-exhibition business.”