With the KOMORI OnDemand theme,drupa2012 ends in success

Press Release
May 29, 2012
Komori Corporation
With the KOMORI OnDemand theme, drupa 2012 ends in success
A comprehensive international exhibition of printing equipment and materials that has gained
many successes in the more than 50 years since it was held for the first time in 1951, drupa
2012 – the 15th in its long history – was held for two weeks beginning on May 3rd and closed
its curtains on May 16th. Messe Dusseldorf, the organizer of the exhibition, announced that
314,500 visitors had come to the show during this period. Although compared to drupa 2008,
the previous edition of the exhibition, this represents a decrease of roughly 75,500 visitors, the
organizer’s analysis is that this is due to the downturn in the printing industry in America and
Europe, and the fall in the number of visitors from Germany and the US was the main factor.
Details on visitors indicate that the proportion of managers increased from 44.4 percent in
2008 to 50.8 percent, and visitors from abroad accounted for more than 190,000, making up 61
percent of the total, showing that drupa is positioned at a high level as an international
exhibition.
In addition, some 1,850 companies exhibited at drupa, with the 251 companies from China
coming in just second to the 615 companies from Germany, which could be called distinctive
of the prominence of Chinese corporate power.
The dominating themes at this drupa were automation, packaging printing, digital printing,
hybrid technologies, Web-to-print applications, and environmentally sound printing. As for
trends among exhibiting companies, there were many demonstrations and presentations in
which offset and digital solutions complemented rather than competed with each other.
<KOMORI>
At drupa 2012, Komori rolled out Komori solutions that include new digital printing
technologies based on the main theme of ‘KOMORI OnDemand’ and seven sub-themes, and
presented concrete solutions to customers.
The exhibit machines consisted of six sheetfed offset printing presses, including two totally
new products, three of which were H-UV machines. In addition, a technical exhibit of two
inkjet digital printing machines, one a webfed and the other a sheetfed, introduced with the
brand name of Impremia as a series of digital printing systems, was conducted. Moreover, a
full color digital printing machine that was developed on an OEM basis from the Konica
Minolta bizhub series was also exhibited. During the period of the show, three demonstrations
a day were run on the exhibit machines.
In the OffsetOnDemand Solutions theater, demonstrations were performed on the Lithrone
G40P (eight-color H-UV-equipped 40-inch convertible perfecting sheetfed offset press), a
machine widely proven in many installations, and the Lithrone S29 (five-color H-UV-equipped
29-inch sheetfed offset press). In the demonstrations, visitors saw OffsetOnDemand realized
through the combination of postpress systems, the Komori CMS, and a digital printing system.
The characteristics of ‘OffsetOnDemand’ were demonstrated by the combination of the quick
printing start-up that produces an OK sheet within 20 sheets of start-up by means of the
KHS-AI integrated control system and the fast drying of the H-UV curing system. For the
color management system, K-ColorSimulator set up inside the stand worked in close
cooperation with the two presses, and the matching technologies of a print-on-demand (POD)
system and a digital proofer based on profiles of the offset presses were shown. The printed
materials were finished into a brochure as a final product by means of the postpress systems.
In the Package Print Solutions theater, demonstrations were run on the Lithrone GX40 Carton
(six-color H-UV-equipped 40-inch sheetfed offset press with coater for carton printing) and a
Lithrone G40 (five-color IR-equipped 40-inch sheetfed offset press with coater). In the
demonstration of the Lithrone GX40 Carton, wide-range printability with H-UV on heavy
stock and special substrates was shown and many case studies of UV package printing were
introduced. This press was equipped with Full-APC (fully automatic plate changing system)
that operates by sequential control to enable the fastest plate changing and also a dual-camera
PQA-S system (in-line print quality inspection system for sheetfed presses) that detects
printing defects, which is particularly important in the field of package printing. In addition,
the PDC-SX (Spectral Print Density Control-SX model) on the operation console was able to
measure the special colors that are used in package printing and inspect and maintain the colors
of high quality printed products. With the Lithrone G40, the high quality of printing and
coating on sheets ranging from thin to thick were shown using conventional ink and aqueous
coating in combination with materials that took into consideration both environmental and
hygienic factors.
In the Efficient and Multi-flexible Print Solutions theater, demonstrations were run on the
Lithrone A37 (four-color 37-inch sheetfed offset press), a press in a new Lithrone series geared
to the A1 market and making its debut at drupa, and the Enthrone 29P (five-color 29-inch
convertible perfecting sheetfed offset press). The Lithrone A37 is heir to the high basic
performance of the Lithrone series and by being limited to basic functions, visitors were able
to see performance from a compact machine that features low initial cost and low life-cycle
cost. With the Enthrone 29P, Komori showed the machine’s ability to produce a wide range of
printed items with stable print quality and its ability to handle short-run production and also
communicated its compact design and high operating efficiency that results in high profitability.
Both of these presses provide high print quality, performance and printing efficiency by
switching between light and heavy stocks as well as exceptional ease of use.
In the DigitalOnDemand Solutions theater, a technical exhibit of two inkjet digital printing
machines, one a webfed and the other a sheetfed, introduced with the brand name of Impremia
as a series of digital printing systems, was presented. The Impremia IW20 is a four-color
webfed inkjet digital printing system featuring a 20-inch web width that offers three modes of
operation by means of a combination of 1,200 x 1,200 dots per inch resolution and 150 m/min.
printing speed. This system used aqueous pigment ink and provided a maximum web diameter
of 1,270 mm and a sheet width of 155~530 mm. The Impremia IS29 is a four-color 29-inch
sheetfed inkjet digital printing system that offers 1,200 x 1,200 dots per inch resolution and a
3,300 sph maximum printing speed. This machine was developed with the Konica Minolta
inkjet division, and a technical exhibit of the system (with the development name of KM-1)
was provided in the Konica Minolta stand. In addition, the Impremia C80, an OEM version of
the Konica Minolta-made ‘bizhub PRESS C8000,’ was also exhibited.
In the demonstration of the color management system (CMS), based on the ‘KOMORI CMS
Solution’ theme, the exceptional high level of color matching and the outstanding ease of use
using a digital proofer and a print-on-demand (POD) system based on a profile of the offset
press and centered on the K-ColorSimulator, a system newly developed by Komori, were
shown.
In the KOMORI Assistance area, we explained the current state of Komori’s global service.
Retrofit products that improve the performance of users’ existing presses and service support
such as Komori’s acclaimed preventive maintenance and K-Supply-brand materials, on sale for
the first time outside of Japan, were introduced in detail.
In the KOMORI Ecology area, panels that illustrated Komori’s engagement with the
environment by showing the actual status of the production environment and products were
shown.
In the Web Press Corner of the KOMORI Web, Chambon and Security Printing area, products
were introduced by video showing users who have installed these presses and case studies of
the latest technologies. In the Chambon Corner, a panel display provided details of the inline
presses for packaging that are produced by Komori-Chambon in France, and printing samples
were exhibited and introduced. In the Security Printing Room, a special room for business
discussion was provided, and Komori staff answered the inquiries of concerned customers.
For the Print Gallery, a variety of printing samples was displayed on the walls of the Komori
stand and in the hospitality area.
As stated above, although the number of visitors fell by 20 percent compared to drupa 2008, a
huge number of visitors came to the Komori stand every time a demonstration on the exhibit
machines started, and frequently the crowd was so large that it spilled out into the aisles. In
particular, the digital printing system series that was presented as a technical exhibit attracted a
lot of attention. Exhibited as a new product, the Lithrone A37 also won a solid reputation. In
addition, the Lithrone G40P, the only perfector that Komori exhibited at the show, was the
most popular press among customers. In a demonstration that was filled with technical ideas
that were strongly conscious of the currents of the times, by being capable of completing three
jobs in 11 minutes and being equipped with the PQA-S print quality inspection system, this
press was assessed very highly for demonstrating its effectiveness in maintaining stable high
print quality without requiring a highly skilled operator. We are proud of the fact that a great
many visitors were impressed by the Komori-style dynamic demonstrations that were run
instead of the explanatory demos that seem to be the standard in Europe. As for
H-UV-equipped presses, while Komori has already received orders for more than 130 such
machines in Japan, with regard to overseas markets, since visitors closely watched the
demonstrations at the Komori stand and gained an understanding of the characteristics and
superiority of this system, we anticipate that H-UV will further expand and penetrate into the
markets in the future. Regarding orders received, thanks to our customers, Komori was able to
obtain results that were in line with our estimates.
Komori will use this opportunity to develop comprehensive solutions and products that meet
the diverse needs and trends of the times, and in the future we will pursue the endeavor with
even greater energy.
The next drupa will be held from June 2nd to 15th, 2016. We look forward to seeing you all at
drupa 2016.
■ About Komori Corporation
Tokyo-based Komori Corporation, a premier manufacturer of sheetfed, web offset printing and
banknote/security presses, provides world-class technology especially suited for today’s highly
competitive printing marketplace. Delivering the highest level in print quality coupled with
impressively fast makeready and JDF connectivity through open systems architecture, Komori
presses help printers achieve higher productivity levels essential for increased margins and
business growth.
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For further information, contact:
Takeshi Yoshikawa, Deputy General Manager
New Business Development Office
Komori Corporation
Phone: +81-3-5608-7812
Email: [email protected]