Report 36 d,e,f,s,i.qxd:Report - KBA

Sheetfed Offset | Investment
“
It was the recession that drove
me to invest in new technology,”
says Dominique Houot, Vagner
Graphic’s managing director for the
past nine years. “Because the future
doesn’t wait.”
Situated in Fléville, Lorraine,
Vagner Graphic is the oldest printing
plant in the Nancy area, having
been started by Nicolas Vagner
167 years ago in 1843. Following
growth of around 25 per cent the
previous year, in 2009 the 20strong
workforce generated sales
worth some €2.8m ($4m), boosting
value-added in the process.
Vagner Graphic has seen no
sign of the recession in its order volumes.
For Dominique Houot the
key to success is to make sure you
stay ahead of the curve. In 2004
the company purchased a 6,000m²
(65,000ft²) plot of land on which
it built a 1,500m² (16,000ft²) bespoke
production plant, equipping
it with two new KBA sheetfed
presses. It also expanded the finishing
department.
Just four-and-a-half years later,
in September 2009, the presses
were replaced with a four-colour
Rapida 105 and a five-colour Rapida
75, both fitted with coaters.
Hard work, dedication
and innovative technology
“If your production chain is working
at full capacity and the economy
starts to slow down, that’s the time
to invest in new kit. You can get it
at an attractive price and it puts you
one step ahead of the field, which
is a real morale booster for the entire
workforce,” explains Houot. “I
saw no need to switch to a different
brand because I had never had a
problem with our two previous KBA
presses. Having said that, the new
ones are naturally that much more
Automatic register setting with ErgoTronic ACR
(video magnifier) is simple and reliable
28 Report 36 | 2010
Boosting output with two Rapida coater presses
Vagner Graphic:
the future doesn’t wait
French print enterprise Vagner Graphic picked the height of the recession to gear up for the future with a new
press fleet. The kit it replaced was just four-and-a-half years old. An example of unshakable optimism at a time
when the print media industry is facing major upheavals.
productive and therefore more costeffective.”
Job changes on the new Rapida
105 are even faster than on the
press it replaced, while its highspeed
package increases maximum
production speed by a full 1,000
sheets per hour to 16,000. Dominique
Houot is delighted: “It’s
like piloting a Formula One racing
car.” Yet despite the Rapida’s advanced
technology it is exceptionally
ergonomic and easy to handle.
The practical automation modules
deliver substantial savings both in
time and labour, while also enhancing
quality. “The optional package
for printing lightweight stock is also
a boon, since it allows us to ionise
the sheets to remove static. This is
becoming increasingly necessary as
the quality of the paper delivered is
steadily deteriorating.”
He continues “The new fivecolour
Rapida 75 is also much faster
than its predecessor, and delivers an
even better print quality. We use
the coater for just about every job
because it means the sheets can be
finished without delay. The two
new KBA presses complement each
other perfectly.”
Targeting organic growth
Vagner Graphic was awarded “Imprim’Vert”
certification in 2008 and
The Rapida 75 five-colour coater press is the perfect complement to its big sister,
the Rapida 105
167-year-old French print enterprise
Vagner Graphic is situated in Fléville,
not far from Nancy
“If your production chain is working at full
capacity and the economy starts to slow down,
that’s the time to invest.” Vagner Graphic
managing director Dominique Houot (r)
is well on the way to achieving
PEFC accreditation. All the inks
used on the presses are vegetableoil-based
and there is no alcohol in
the fount solution. Run lengths average
between 3,000 and 4,000
sheets. A high print quality is a vital
instrument in promoting customer
loyalty.
Dominique Houot has no intention
of resting on his laurels: “Over
the next four to five years I’m planning
to add another big building
that will comply with all the latest
environmental standards. I’m an optimist
by nature and act accordingly.
I have supreme confidence in the
future of the print media industry
and I love my job. In life you have to
be prepared to take chances, you
have to be bold, innovative and, of
course, invest in the future. The secret
of Vagner Graphic’s success is
that we take our work extremely seriously,
but not ourselves.”
Luc Emeriau
contact@kba-france.fr