The Pozkal printing company, one of the oldest private Polish book producers, has commissioned a high-performance Rapida 106 sheetfed offset press. The eight-color press with perfecting for 4-over-4 production marks a crucial step in the process of rebuilding the company in Inowrocław (Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship) following a severe fire in May 2025. The installation of the technologically advanced press took place in February 2026, with the official commissioning following a month later.
In order to not merely restore the status quo in the fiercely competitive book production market, but to emerge stronger from the crisis, Pozkal is relying on maximum automation and measurable production benefits. The Rapida 106 is tailored exactly to the company’s requirements: an integrated lightweight paper package ensures the smooth and mark-free processing of sensitive papers, which is of great importance in the context of the book productions carried out by Pozkal. The DriveTronic SIS sidelay-free infeed, a unique feature of Rapida presses, also ensures a particularly gentle feeding process.
With a production output of up to 18,000 sheets/h in perfecting mode, the press massively increases throughput at Pozkal. At the same time, DriveTronic SPC reduces make-ready times by orders of magnitude, as plate changing takes place simultaneously and in parallel with blanket washing. Comprehensive inline measuring and control systems, such as QualiTronic ColorControl and ErgoTronic ACR for automatic register control, ensure quality right from the start and reduce waste to an absolute minimum.
More than just a press supplier
The decision in favor of the Rapida 106 from Koenig & Bauer was preceded by extensive testing at Koenig & Bauer’s Customer Experience Center. In addition to the convincing results in the test runs, the solution-oriented partnership between the two companies was the deciding factor for the investment decision.
Artur Chęsy, owner and CEO of Pozkal, explains, “The relatively short delivery time was important to us. Another argument in favour of Koenig & Bauer is its own strong local branch in Poland with fast service, as well as its geographical proximity to the manufacturing plant.” Thanks to this close-knit network, a missing spare part can be delivered very quickly if required, which minimises the risk of downtime.
Rapida 106
For Artur Chęsy, the new Rapida 106 brings things full circle, in a way: “The presses from Radebeul were once the very first four-color systems in our company’s history. Now they are a foundational element of the ‘new beginning’ in our printing company.”
Alongside this historical connection, however, the decision is primarily driven by clear economic objectives. Due to the massively increased productivity of the highly automated system, Pozkal can significantly increase its output volumes with shorter turnaround times. This forms the foundation for sustainably securing and expanding profitability in demanding book production. At the same time, this technological expansion allows the company to clearly differentiate itself from the competition in a fiercely contested market environment through peak efficiency and flexibility.
Jan Korenc, CEO of Koenig & Bauer (CEE), emphasizes, “We are aware of our great responsibility regarding the installation and delivery of the Rapida 106. It represents an important step in the rebuilding of the company.”
To create a seamless transition between the old and the new, the operators at Pozkal underwent an intensive training program, initially in Radebeul and subsequently directly on-site, so that the ongoing operations of the plant, which is currently being rebuilt, are not disrupted.
