Polestar orders 72pp commercial press from Koenig & Bauer

Successful partnership 

Barry Hibbert, Polestar CEO, says: “Our Hungarian operation has been a huge success for many years now, and we are aiming to maintain this level of performance with proven technology from KBA, whose variable-format folder will deliver a capability that is unique in the marketplace.” 

László Lázár, managing director of Révai Nyomda for more than ten years, agrees: “We have enormous faith in KBA’s competence, so they were the obvious choice for taking the company forward. With the new Compacta 818, we can expand our lead in the Hungarian market and move up into the European league.” 

KBA executive vice-president Christoph Müller says: “I have always considered Révai one of Hungary’s print pioneers and am delighted that they chose KBA for the next stage in their development. The Compacta 818 with variable-format V5 folder will help them maintain their competitive edge in the commercial market.” 

Technological bellwether 

Révai Nyomda has a longstanding association with KBA. In 1997 it was among the first to install an innovative 16-page KBA Compacta 215, the first shaftless commercial web press on the international market. In 2002 production capacity in Budapest was expanded with the first 48-page press in Hungary, a Compacta 618. Today the press fleet comprises one 48-page, three 16-page and three 32-page presses.  

The purchase of a 72-page Compacta 818 is the logical continuation of Révai’s evolution and market standing as a technological bellwether for the entire region. The Compacta 818 will be embedded in a Patras A automatic reel-handling system and have a Pastomat RC reelstand, a freestanding infeed unit, four printing units with semi-automatic plate change, a Vits thermal air dryer, a superstructure for up to five ribbons and – a unique feature – the V5 variable-format folder for the delivery of short- or long-grain copies. The cylinder circumference will be 1,240mm (48¾in), maximum web width 1,980mm (78in) and maximum web speed 15mps (2,953fpm).  

Révai Nyomda can trace its origins back to a bookshop established by the Révai brothers in 1869. In 1991 Watmoughs Holding in the UK acquired a majority shareholding and promoted meteoric growth that made Révai the biggest commercial printer in Hungary today. Following the merger of the British Printing Company (BPC) and Watmoughs to form the Polestar Group, Révai Nyomda became part of one of the leading independent printing operations in Europe.