The success story of the KBA Rapida 105 universal in the Southeast Asian region is as lively as ever. Like many other customers in China, Singapore and Malaysia before them, Thai Watana Panich Press Co. Ltd. (TWP) in Bangkok recently took delivery of a four-colour model from this internationally successful press series. TWP was founded in 1935 under the name Siam Watana Panich Co. Ltd. and has since developed into one of the largest and strongest printing companies in Thailand.
The start-up for the new Rapida 105 universal also coincided with a move from the city centre of Bangkok to a new, ultramodern 20,000 sq.m. facility on the Bangpoo Industrial Estate. The new base in the province Samut Prakan, through its vicinity to the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the Laemchabang port area, promises excellent growth opportunities for a highly export-oriented company.
Close relationship over many years: Stefan Segger (managing director KBA Asia Pacific), TWP managing director Danai T. Suwan, and Jeseda T. Suwan (KBA agency Intergraphics) (left to right)
Nine KBA presses in 20 years
Top quality as the guarantee for success
Today's company stands under the patronage of the Thai royal family and employs a staff of over 400. It began 72 years ago with the printing of school books. The basis for the rapid growth ever since has been a strict quality policy, as reflected in the company's early achievement of ISO 9001:2000 certification and a series of investments in pre-press, print and finishing which represent benchmarks for the Thai market.
Modern equipment for short and long runs
Thai Watana Panich Press is today in a position to handle practically any print job quickly and cost-effectively, irrespective of the required run length. The order books reveal not only prestigious domestic clients such as the Grand Palace and Thai International Airways, but also many prominent publishers from Singapore, Europe, the USA, Latin America and Australia. Oxford University Press, Macmillan, Longman, Simon & Schuster, Falcon Books, Franklin Watts and BLA Publishing are just a few of the names. The export quota has in the meantime reached 67%.
Technical backbone for production
TWP managing director Danai T. Suwan: “Thai Watana Panich Press is one of the most important KBA customers in Thailand, and KBA sheetfed and web offset presses form the technical backbone of our production set-up. We are always on the watch for technologies and systems to further enhance our production efficiency. The high quality, performance and reliability of the KBA presses have here made a decisive contribution to TWP's success.” Close contacts to KBA Asia Pacific and to the Thai agency Intergraphics ensure fast service response should need arise. Danai T. Suwan continues: “Speed is not the sole criterion in the print business. We are perfectly happy with the 15,000 sph output of the Rapida 105 universal and can rely on its top quality and ease of operation. KBA is a strong and innovative partner, and we will continue to place our confidence in its abilities in the future, too. For example for the planned investment in a six-colour coater press, with which we hope to respond even better to the wishes of our clients.”
