- New Rapida 106 from Koenig & Bauer successfully replaced two legacy presses – one during installation last summer, and the second ahead of schedule after becoming surplus within three months
- KennedySmith has halved its shift requirements from six to three while maintaining the same production output
- The company achieved a 26% reduction in its Q1 2026 energy bill due to fewer shifts and a highly efficient heat-recirculating dryer
- Highly automated Rapida 106 press features pallet logistics and an inline PDFCheck system, which minimises manual handling and detects minor print errors for pharmaceutical clients
Koenig & Bauer has announced that KennedySmith (Press) Ltd, a leading carton manufacturer and packaging printer, has measured a significant boost in efficiency following investment in a high-specification Rapida 106 press. Thanks to advanced automation features, KennedySmith is now able to achieve the same production output in three shifts that previously required six. The company’s energy bill for the first quarter 2026 was reduced by 26 percent compared with the same period last year.
According to Michiel Molenaar, managing director of KennedySmith: “This reflects a combination of running fewer shifts and the fact that the new dryer is far more efficient at recirculating heat.”
Flexibility for demanding markets
Based in Ayrshire, Scotland, KennedySmith serves a range of packaging markets including food and pharmaceutical applications, specialising in solid board carton packaging. The order with Koenig & Bauer underlines the company’s focus on investing in the latest technology to ensure operational flexibility and dependable performance for fast-moving market requirements.
Before making its investment decision, KennedySmith undertook a broad review of available technologies, including digital and flexo options. Following print trials at various facilities, the company selected the Rapida 106 platform for its combination of intelligent technology options, high automation and overall production capacity.
Addressing the skilled labour shortage through automation
Michiel Molenaar says: “A key driver behind this investment was the need to de-skill the production process and reduce reliance on operator experience. Specialist skills are becoming harder to recruit industry-wide, so we wanted technology that could deliver consistent output with less dependence on individual expertise. During print trials in Germany, we were particularly impressed by the speed of job changeovers, and since installation we have also seen significant reductions in waste.”
The Rapida 106 is designed for high-performance medium-format sheetfed offset printing and is recognised for fast makeready, advanced automation and consistent print quality. In KennedySmith’s configuration, the six-colour press with coater combines fully automatic plate changing, advanced logistics support and inline PDF-based inspection. These choices have helped streamline production, reduce waste and support reliable quality control across demanding carton applications.
The Koenig & Bauer logistics system was specified as an add-on after seeing it in operation, states Molenaar. “The pallet logistics wasn’t initially part of our order, but after visiting another customer in the UK, where we saw it running in a live production environment, it made absolute sense. The efficiency gains were so clear: reduced manual handling, smoother workflow through the pressroom, and the opportunity to make better use of available labour.”
Maximum precision for the pharmaceutical industry via PDFCheck
The true value of PDFCheck has only become apparent in day-to-day production, adds Molenaar: “This has proved to be extremely effective and is especially appealing to our pharma clients. Every printed sheet is checked against the stepped-up PDF, and it has already picked up tiny hickeys that would be very difficult to detect through conventional offline inspection. For pharma clients, the small-print Patient Information Leaflets that are included in medication packs are critical, so this extra level of control has been a real bonus.”
For Koenig & Bauer, the installation highlights continued demand for highly automated press technology in packaging applications and the value of close collaboration with customers investing in long-term performance. By choosing a Rapida 106 with full logistics and PDF check, KennedySmith has equipped its operation with a platform built to support productivity, quality assurance, energy efficiency and future flexibility in a competitive market.
A partnership built for the future
Chris Scully, managing director of Koenig & Bauer (UK) Ltd, comments: “Even though KennedySmith carried out a very thorough evaluation of the press options available, choosing to invest with a new supplier is always a leap of faith. It is very satisfying to us that they have so rapidly realised the benefits of Koenig & Bauer technology. At this level of specification, the Rapida 106 runs itself, giving the team a highly productive and dependable platform for future growth. We look forward to building on this new partnership and supporting them through their growth.”