First Komori G837P Advance EX Edition installed in UK
Selsey Press has made a multi-million-pound investment in a Komori G837P Advance EX Edition perfecting offset press, the first in the UK to install the technology
KennedySmith has reported that it can now achieve the same production output in half the time, following the installation of a Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 press
UK-based carton manufacturer and packaging printer, KennedySmith, has reported a significant boost in efficiency following investment in a Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 press.
KennedySmith has estimated that it can now achieve the same production output in three shifts that previously required six, thanks to the Rapida’s advanced automation features. Following its installation, the company’s energy bill for the first quarter of 2026 was also reduced by 26% compared with the same period last year.
The Rapida 106 is designed for high-performance medium-format sheetfed offset printing, with its features focusing on fast makeready times, advanced automation, and more consistent print quality.
In KennedySmith’s configuration, the six-colour press with coater combines automatic plate changing, advanced logistics support, and inline PDF-based inspection with the aim of streamlining production, reducing waste, and supporting more reliable quality control.
Michiel Molenaar, managing director of KennedySmith, says: “This reflects a combination of running fewer shifts and the fact that the new dryer is far more efficient at recirculating heat.”
Based in Ayrshire, Scotland, KennedySmith serves a range of packaging markets including food and pharmaceutical applications, specialising in solid board carton packaging. The purchase of the Koenig & Bauer press is part of a wider technology investment designed to ensure operational flexibility and dependable performance for fast-moving market requirements.
Before making its investment decision, KennedySmith undertook a broad review of available technologies including digital and flexo options. Following print trials at various facilities, the company selected the Rapida 106 platform for its automation capabilities and overall production capacity.
The Koenig & Bauer logistics system was specified as an add-on after seeing it in operation. As Molenaar explains: “The pallet logistics wasn’t initially part of our order, but after visiting another customer in the UK where we saw it running in a live production environment, it made absolute sense.
“The efficiency gains were so clear – reduced manual handling, smoother workflow through the pressroom, and the opportunity to make better use of available labour.”
The Rapida 106’s PDFCheck feature press has also proven useful, particularly for KennedySmith’s pharma clients. Molenaar adds: “Every printed sheet is checked against the stepped-up PDF, and it has already picked up tiny hickeys that would be very difficult to detect through conventional offline inspection.
“For pharma clients, the small-print patient information leaflets that are included in medication packs are critical, so this extra level of control has been a real bonus.”
