A GAME CHANGER ON THE PRESS FLOOR

GPO Brings Cutting-Edge Offset Technology Online with New Koenig & Bauer Press

When the new press on GPO’s production floor roars to life, it doesn’t just print – it inspects, corrects, and delivers finished sheets at a pace and quality level the Agency hasn’t seen before.

Installed in late summer and fully operational since early fall, GPO’s new Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 LED UV offset press represents the most advanced offset printing technology currently available. For the Agency, it’s a major leap forward in speed, quality, reliability, and efficiency, and a significant investment in the future of secure Government printing.

“This press is a game changer,” said Marsha Smith, Manager of Digital Pre-Press, Press and Bindery. “It’s the most advanced offset press out there right now. The quality, the speed, the technology – it’s incredible.”

Faster, Smarter, and Dry Off the Press

Unlike traditional offset presses, the Rapida 106 uses LED UV curing, meaning sheets are completely dry the moment they come off the press. That alone transforms production timelines.

“In the past, you had to wait for sheets to dry before moving to the next step,” Smith explained. “Now, they’re dry instantly. That saves time, reduces handling, and improves quality.”

The press runs at up to 20,000 sheets per hour, printing perfecting and inline – four colors on one side and four colors on the other in a single pass. That level of productivity is uncommon in offset printing and allows GPO to meet demanding turnaround times with confidence.

“When customers call and say, ‘Can I have this by Friday?’ we don’t panic anymore,” Smith said. “We just say, ‘Bring it on.’”

Built-In Quality Control – Sheet by Sheet

One of the most impressive features of the new press is its integrated camera inspection system, which scans every single sheet as it runs through the machine.

“If something’s wrong, bad paper, a torn sheet, even a subtle defect, the press sees it,” Smith explained. “It can stop itself and alert you before there’s damage or waste.”

The press provides unique automation with its extremely fast color control through the QualiTronic system. This system measures color on every sheet which adds a powerful layer of quality assurance, especially for high-profile and security-sensitive work.

“We’re only human. We can miss things,” Smith added. “But the machine doesn’t. It’s looking at every sheet, every time.”

Top: GPO Head Multi-Color Press Operators Malcolm Fowlkes and Robert Whitehead learn more about the new press from a Koenig & Bauer technician.

Above: Malcolm Fowlkes using the new press to print the Presidential portrait.

Automation That Saves Time and Resources

The Rapida 106 also automates tasks that once required significant manual labor. The Clean Tronic automation allows the blankets and impression cylinders to be washed during a plate change, all three functions are happening simultaneously, and ink levels are monitored automatically, as well. Barcodes on printing plates prevent the wrong plate from ever being mounted.

“All those little things add up,” Smith said. “Manually changing plates, washing blankets, loading ink, it used to take time and manpower. Now, the press handles it.”

That automation is especially important as the print industry evolves.

“It’s getting harder to find highly skilled operators for older, mechanical presses,” Smith noted. “This technology makes it possible to maintain excellence while adapting to today’s workforce.”

A Strategic Investment for the Future

The decision to purchase the new press followed extensive market research and site visits to vendors around the world. GPO ultimately selected Koenig & Bauer, a Germany-based manufacturer known for both its technology and long-term customer support.

“This wasn’t just about buying a press,” Smith said. “It was about partnership. They’re in this with us.”

GPO operators traveled to Germany for hands-on training, and the manufacturer continues to provide real-time technical support, sometimes remotely through live diagnostics.

Because of its power and efficiency, the new press is allowing GPO to retire two older presses, which are more than 20 years old, freeing up space on the production floor and reducing maintenance challenges tied to aging equipment.

“This press will easily serve us for the next 20 years,” Smith said. “And realistically, it may be the last major offset press GPO ever buys as digital printing continues to grow.”

Lighting Up the Floor

For those who work closest to it, the excitement is unmistakable.

“I light up like a Christmas tree every time I see it run,” Smith said. “After years of dealing with breakdowns and waiting on parts for old equipment, this is a whole new world.”

As GPO continues to modernize its production capabilities, the Rapida 106 stands as a clear example of how advanced technology, smart investment, and skilled operators come together to support the Agency’s mission to deliver trusted, high-quality Government information to the American people.

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