KBA hits the ground running in Mexico thanks to package printers

- KBA Latina being positioned as full-service provider to the print industry in Latin America, and handling markets in Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia

 

Packaging printers have helped press manufacturer Koenig & Bauer (KBA) hit the ground running in Mexico through its newest subsidiary in Latin America, KBA Latina SAPI de CV.

 

Based in Mexico City, KBA Latina has 47 printing units in its order book for the first business year, with the country’s package printers contributing to this total thanks to their investment in the Rapida platform.

 

KBA described Latin America as an important emerging market, and said KBA Latina’s performance in Mexico has made it the martket leader in terms of installations, including two seven-colour large format Rapida 145 presses which have already been delivered and a forthcoming medium format Rapida 105.

 

Mexican packaging printers that have invested in KBA presses through KBA Latina include Graphic Packaging/Altivity in Queretaro, Smurfit Kappa in Mexico City and Aluprint in San Luis Potosi.

 

KBA Latina is managed by Stefan Deuster (pictured, second from right), previously chief executive officer of Ferrostaal Mexico and manroland Latina. He is working alongside Mirko Straub (pictured, left) and Sebastian Vogt, sales director and service manager of KBA Latina respectively.

 

The entire team currently comprises 17 employees, but is expected to grow in line with the company's sustained success.

 

KBA Latina is being positioned as a full-service provider to the print industry in Mexico, as well as Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

 

Further sales and service companies are to be established in the region during the course of the year.

 

In partnership with agencies for pre-press and finishing systems, KBA Latina is able to supply tailored solutions for all relevant production fields.

 

It will also place a heavy focus on delivering a valued local service network to guarantee optimum performance and productivity over the entire lifecycle of the high-tech presses installed.

 

This includes carrying out preventative press inspections, ensuring the availability of spare parts, providing continuous training for press operators and offering practical advice on consumables.

 

Vogt said: ‘Our customers in Mexico must receive exactly the same high quality of service as a KBA printer in Germany.’

 

Straub added: ‘The international food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics companies here – in other words our customers' clients – export their products all over the world from Mexico, with a large proportion going to the US.

 

‘They must thus observe the highest international quality standards in respect of the packaging materials, which in turn places high technical demands on our presses and their availability.’

 

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