PERFORMA

The printing house SAMBA servis Ltd. is well known in the market for its close co-operation with the company BOBO BLOK. Recently it has moved from Vrchotovy Janovice to Sedlčany. It prints on machines from Dobruška and prepares printing plates with the CtP Presstek device supplied by KBA-Grafitec.

Ever since it began operating in the printing industry, the SAMBA printing house has been using SRA2 format Polly machines from Dobruška. The first was a two-colour Polly 266 acquired by the printing house in 1998. A four-colour Polly 466 followed in 2001. Since April 2005, SAMBA Sedlčany has been printing on a Polly Perfomer, the predecessor of the KBA Performa 66 machines. The model for the SAMBA print shop was one of the last ones to be dispatched from the Dobruška plant in the original company colours, under the designation Polly Performer 566. The incorporation of Grafitec into the KBA group was quickly followed by the unification of external design with KBA standards.

SAMBA printing house operates in the compound in 327 Sedlecká street in Sedlčany

“We are satisfied with the printing machines from Dobruška, without the slightest reservation. The co-operation with the service engineers is absolutely problem-free. On our side, we are completely satisfied with the supplier's services” says SAMBA's manager Ing. Roman Bouček, evaluating the level of co-operation between the print shop and the manufacturer.

Until last year, the SAMBA print shop was located within the premises of BOBO BLOK in Vrchotovy Janovice – Voračice. This year the print shop moved into its own premises in Sedlčany. The print shop's manager describes the co-operation with KBA-Grafitec in the relocation of the Polly 566 machine as “excellent”. Because the machine was being moved, it also underwent a guarantee test. The printing machine is used in a three-shift operation and, as necessary, also during the weekends. It is operated, in turn, by three printers.

SAMBA's manager ing. Roman Bouček by the CtP from KBA-Grafitec

CtP Presstek from KBA-Grafitec

This year in April the company acquired a CtP Presstek system. Before the installation of their own CtP, the print shop did part of the printing plate preparation through an external contractor. However, the external preparation of plates was not always flexible enough. The print shop took up KBA-Grafitec's offer and chose the CtP Presstek Dimension 450 Excel ProFire. The CtP unit is enhanced by an Interzich A 660.5 washer.

The close cooperation between the American technology company Presstek and KBA-Grafitec is demonstrated by the external design of the image setter. The device comes in KBA's company colours and carries the logo of KBA-Grafitec. But this is not just a “cosmetic” change. The output of CtP Presstek Dimension 450 Excel systems under KBA-Grafitec's name is increased to 17 printing plates per hour.

The rinsing of printing plates is done in an Interzich A 660.5 washer

KBA-Grafitec's CtP system installed in the SAMBA print shop is part of the well-proven Pdf workflow, developed by the Polish company ACCHSH, which has already established itself on the Czech market. In the SAMBA print shop, KBA-Grafitec's CtP unit is directly connected to the Polly Control system of the Polly Performer 566 printing machine.

Medium sized company

SAMBA servis Ltd is not only active in the printing industry. In the print shop itself, it employs around 50 workers, most of them in finishing processes. SAMBA's main customer is the BOBO BLOK company. The print shop produces mainly notepads, desk and wall calendars, road atlases, appointment books and other printing products. Besides BOBO BLOK, SAMBA also prints for other companies in the region.

Printer Jiří Čiko (left) and the print shop's manager ing. Roman Bouček by the Polly Preformer 566 printing machine

“Our print shop is a medium-sized company in character. However, the number of printing plates we use is relatively low and fluctuates depending on the current structure of production,” said Ing. Roman Bouček, adding: “For our average daily usage of plates, the choice of chemical-free CtP proves to be ideal. We see the future in the chemical- and process-free methods of printing plate preparation. The print shop does not need to worry about the chemicals surrounding the preparation of plates.” The company does not need to create a working space with special environment and lighting. The necessary working area is very small, as the dimensions of the Dimension 450 are only 146 by 83 by 146 centimetres (length x width x height). It uses Presstek Anthem printing plates which after laser exposure in the CtP Presstek Dimension 450 Excel ProFire only require rinsing in water, which – in the case of SAMBA – is done in the Interzich A 660.5 washer. The preparation of printing plates that excludes a chemical process makes for a faster and higher quality processing of printing orders.

With the printing machine and CtP supplied by KBA-Grafitec, the SAMBA print shop, whose name symbolises music, rhythm and life joined the ranks of modern printing companies with advanced technology and a set structure of orders.