Landa and Komori have formalised their strategic partnership for press technologies with a long-term alliance.

Landa used Komori-supplied press platforms when it launched prototype models of its Nanography presses at Drupa 2012. It will now use Komori for its production models.

The Israeli manufacturer said it had spent a year "evaluating proposals from the industry’s leading press vendors" and found Komori to be "in a class of its own".

"In making its assessment, Landa took into account the calibre of engineering, robustness of design, automation, reliability and cost-effectiveness. The vendor’s culture of innovation, technical resources, commercial success and financial stability were also important criteria."

Komori will gain Nanography know-how for its own range of digital presses based on the technology.

Chairman Yoshiharu Komori said Nanography had come a long way since Drupa.

[Related: Landa’s secret innovations]

"Our teams have been closely monitoring Landa’s development and have been amazed with the progress made so far, which exceeds our expectations," he said.

"We believe that the impact of Benny Landa’s new invention, Nanography – with the Komori platform – will have a far greater impact even than his introduction of the first digital printing press."

Landa has placed orders for Komori platforms for its S10FC B1-format press for folding cartons, slated to be the first model to ship in Q4 next year. About 170 of the 430 presses for which Landa has letters of intent are for this model.

Chairman Benny Landa praised the firm’s new Japanese partner as "the one global press vendor that continues to thrive despite the challenges faced by the industry". That appeared to be a subtle contrast with financially challenged European press manufacturers.

Benny Landa also discussed the license deals the company agreed last year with Heidelberg and Manroland Sheetfed.

"Access to Landa Nanographic Printing technology is granted in stages, subject to the licensee meeting certain requirements at each stage. Komori was first to meet those requirements and will be first to market with its own-branded products. Others will follow."

He added: "We still expect Nanography to become a universal standard, but we are moving one step at a time, and that step starts with Komori."

Manroland Sheetfed and Heidelberg were unavailable for comment at the time of writing.

[Feature: Inside the Landa miracle]

This article originally appeared at printweek.com

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