Southern Champion Tray Boosts Production With New Koenig & Bauer Rapida 145 Seven-Color Press

Driven by strong market demand, Southern Champion Tray, a leading global food service and custom packaging manufacturer, will soon be garnering the rewards of a new investment at its Chattanooga, TN headquarters: a new Koenig & Bauer Rapida 145 57-inch seven-color offset press from the established market and technology leader in large format sheetfed presses. With its unique automated features, unparalleled precision, and superior innovations, the new Rapida 145 will soon be replacing two older presses later this fall.

“SCT’s attributes its continual growth and expansion in the market due to our team of dedicated employees across the country along with our strategic investments in the industry’s leading innovations. We also take great pride in our long-term relationship with Koenig & Bauer that has been a trusted advisor to our entire organization. This milestone positions us to confidently launch into our 100th year of operation as a leading paperboard packaging company,” says Brian Hunt, CEO & President of Southern Champion Tray.

With SCT’s promise to deliver the highest quality packaging for its customers, the new Koenig & Bauer Rapida 145 press represents a major step forward in its ongoing commitment to provide end-to-end excellence, produce vibrant printing, ensure efficiency, and offer sustainability in paperboard packaging. Management chose to have the new Rapida 145 outfitted with Koenig & Bauer’s unique technology to increase its customer-first approach.

To ensure the highest level of color control and excellent print quality, the Rapida 145 features vital market-leading measuring and control systems. To address the need for higher capacity and drive to be more efficient, Koenig & Bauer’s team has incorporated perfectly automated, simultaneous makeready processes in SCT’s press. The Rapida 145 will further provide ease-of-use for SCT’s operators with convenient operation thanks to its intelligent processes.

One of its core tenets at SCT is sustainability. With its commitment to operating in a sustainable manner, SCT management was drawn to the Koenig & Bauer Rapida 145 because it enhances sustainability by increasing production efficiency up to 18,000 sheets/h and significantly reduces waste and energy consumption. The press was custom configured with a host of Koenig & Bauer-only features such as its automated makeready system, DriveTronic simultaneous roller washing technology, and complete inline color monitoring and controlling along with a full suite of reporting systems all geared to ensuring the utmost environmentally friendly printing process.

As it prepares to celebrate its 100th year in business, Southern Champion Tray remains committed to its customers and community. Proud to be a third generation, privately held business, SCT has grown to nearly a thousand employees around the Chattanooga area. The firm continues to invest in the community with a custom internal training program to prepare the organization for the next generation of employees along with its current dedicated team of experts proudly supporting and serving local organizations throughout the country.

A unique collaboration has been formed between two industry leaders that are 100% focused on proliferating the folding carton industry, a dedication to sustainability, and the overarching goal of supporting customers and communities in their long rich history. “We have had a valued relationship with Koenig & Bauer that dates more than 30 years,” says Hunt. “In our fast-paced business and ever-changing market of supplying packaging to food manufacturers, it’s critical to be operating the most highly productive and efficient sheetfed offset press that benefits our customers. Our successful history and partnership with Koenig & Bauer have led us to proudly invest in another Rapida press that will ensure our continued goal of exceeding our customer’s expectations.”