Superior Lithographics installs a fully-automated KBA Rapida 162a press at its Los Angeles facility. The 64-in., six-color sheetfed-offset press with UV coating (above) went online in December 2007. Superior Lithographics prints and converts high-quality litho labels, top sheets and folding cartons.

“Our entire firm is built around giving our customers an incredibly fast response to their printing needs,” explains Doug Rawson, Superior Lithographics chief executive officer and president. “We needed a tailor-made press with all the latest technological advances to rapidly produce large-format work.” The new KBA press is equipped with KBA Logotronic, interdeck UV-coating and a KBA Densitronic S scanning densitometer.

“We practice lean manufacturing,” says Rawson. “We typically have one week's worth of backlog. That's how time-sensitive our customers' work is. Since everything we print ends up in a Big Box retailer, we need to consistently provide lead time of two or three days. Our presses have to have quick makeready and high running speeds to handle the volume we're printing. Key to choosing KBA was their fundamental understanding of our business and then their ability to match their equipment and technology to our needs. We're able to make-ready the press in 20 mins and have seen run rates in excess of 12,000/sph.”