History of Newspaper Offset Press TKS (TOKYO KIKAI SEISAKUSHO, LTD.)


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TKS stands for Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho. Translating this into English means Tokyo Machine Manufacturer. TKS was founde

d in 1874. TKS has been growing steadily as a full line manufacturer of printing equipment for more than a century. TKS is proud to being a member and playing a significant role in advancing the world's information civilization of printing for more than a century.
TKS first manufacture a printing press over 100 years ago. The Shiba family purchased the corporation from the Japanese government in the early 1900's. The corporation has progressed through the twentieth century and now the new millennium with the leadership of the Shiba family.
Through the years the developments of presses continued until the Offset age of Printing Presses was entered. In the Offset Press world TKS developed high speed newspaper printing systems performing with unsurpassed capability of quality within the production of newspaper process.
Our newspaper web offset presses continued our history of excellence in the printing industry. Over the twentieth century continued enhancements of newspaper press units of the Offset Printing Press occurred.

VBW Offset Units	In 1970's, TKS started manufacturing the press units called VBW for the newspaper market of double width two around offset press units. The picture at the left is showing a press line of TKS's VBW units, circa 1981.The foremost picture is of a TKS reversible 1.5:1 Common Impression Cylinder. The unit gave the capability of printing a color spot on either side of the web. The half deck unit used with an additional unit on either side of it to be a member of a two or three unit configuration to generate a process lead on one side of a web or for both sides of the web.

Satellite Offset Unit	This unit is of the Satellite type that allowed the printing of four colours on one side of the web around a 2:1 Common Impression Cylinder.This developed into a leader of color quality recognition in the newspaper industry. Longevity of printing units is shown that the picture on the left had the 1980's rocker switches removed and a computerized touch keypad upgraded in the 1990's.

3:2 Rotary Folder	The 3:2 Rotary Folder was developed for the newspaper market of United States for 1980 delivery. The rotary folder could handle 96 pages straight and 160 pages collect. The operation of the Folder was able to maintain the press speeds of 75,000 copies per hour. Durability of TKS units has been shown with customers using press units continuously at production locations that have the printing cylinders accumulating over three (3) billion impressions and are still used in continuous production operation today.

M72 Offset Units	During the mid 1980's the newspaper industry desired a unit built that could be used as a slip in over top existing reels in a pressroom or be used at new facilities of the newspaper. TKS answered this call with the production of the M72 line series of Offset Press Units. Capability of printing at constant speeds of 72,000 Copies per hour. Era of retrofitting pressrooms was in full swing with capabilities of entering Offset Press capabilities without building new plants.

Color Top 6000	In the late 1980's the newspaper industry entered into the need for expansion of color. The newspapers were entering the more commercial market of the printing industry. The steady climb of color detail pictures both for the Editorial and Retail Advertiser became the goal of all within the newspaper industry. In 1993, TKS entered with the Color Top 6000. The Color Top had a number of technology advancements to aid in superior color quality. These technology advancements included digital ink pump, super registration device and head to tail pin addition to plate lockups of the Plate Cylinder for exact plate alignments on the cylinder.

Color Top 6000 Presses	The high quality printing of the Color Top unit increased TKS market share in Japan and Korea to above fifty percent (50%). From the prototype completion in 1995, the Color Top became the favorite unit addition to existing presses and new press installations with a total of 2100 printing couples sold.

Color Top 7000CD	In early 2000 TKS introduced their new model for the new century, the Color Top 7000CD. In the late 1990's TKS continued to develop shaftless drive technology. Developing shaftless line shaft, unit shaftless and finally couple drive shaftless. This new development allowed presses to operate at speeds of 85,000 copies per hour.

Color Top 7000CD Presses	Our family of shaftless presses continues to grow year by year. Review our customer and installation record link for all our achievements in shaftless technology for new presses and add-on units. Model reference types are Color Top 6100VD, Color Top 6200UD, Color Top 8200CD, Color Top 3100CMUD, Color Top 7000CD and Color Top 7000CDH.

Color Top 7000CDH Presses	TKS Engineering excellence has expanded to the "H"style Tower Unit. Levels number two and four are inverted for larger openings for maintenance and ability to install plates on one level. TKS is installing six presses six Tower Units with thirty-two pages of full colour in Korea. Production operation for the first three presses was the end of May with the fourth following in June, in time for the Soccer World Cup. Shaftless controls for Tower Units, Combination Folder and Reel Stands.Join our family of happy, satisfied, and quality conscience customers.