P
ossessed by the idea of using steam power to replace the back-breaking
labour involved in printing with the hand press, trained printer and
ingenious inventor Friedrich Koenig implemented a rotating cylinder into
the printing process. This is why it is known today as rotary printing.
Precision instrument-maker Andreas Bauer helped him build a fully functional
press in England, which was then industrially advanced. With their cylinder
press Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Bauer did not simply replace muscle
power with machine power. They created the technical requirements for the
distribution of printed media to less prosperous social classes and made an
important contribution to establishing an informed society.
Nearly three years later, on 9 August 1817, the two pioneers founded the
world’s first printing press factory Schnellpressenfabrik Koenig & Bauer in a
secularised monastery in Oberzell, near Würzburg. Today, Koenig & Bauer’s
(KBA) main production facility can be found on the opposite side of the river
Main. All other German press manufacturers originated, either directly or
indirectly, from this Franconian cradle of press engineering, as qualified
staff sought to go into business for themselves in the 19th century.
The double-cylinder press for The Times in 1814 was an important landmark in
the 500-year plus history of printing. Its hourly output of 1100 printed sheets
compared to 240 by Gutenberg’s hand press increased productivity by almost
five times. Printing and distributing thus became faster, more up-to-date and
cost-effective. This ground-breaking invention by Friedrich Koenig to guide
paper, and later also many other substrates as individual sheets or as a web
from a roll, over a rotating cylinder and to print directly or indirectly using a
mechanically inked printing form is still used in analogue printing today.
Digital printing is at times contact-free, nevertheless, even this process
involves rotating cylinders and drums for the paper run.
The premiere in London which is now 200 years ago initially only concerned
newspaper printing, however, books, magazines, catalogues and much more
were printed mechanically shortly afterwards. The ‘Times press’ printed
paper sheets on just one side. However, Friedrich Koenig applied to patent his
perfecting press almost at the same time. The presses became increasingly
more refined and more powerful, and print quality improved. In 1832 Friedrich
Koenig documented his vision of a web rotary press. Nevertheless, the
inventor was not able to implement it as he died in 1833. His partner
Andreas Bauer and widow Fanny Koenig continued his life’s work. Other
manufacturers in Germany, England, Austria and the USA sprung up and
drove technical advances in press engineering with their ideas.
Under the auspices of Friedrich Koenig Jr. Koenig & Bauer delivered the first
web rotary press to Magdeburgische Zeitung in 1876. The conical former
developed in the USA soon after paved the way for the arrival of folded
newspapers and further improvements to performance. In 1888 Koenig &
Bauer shipped the first four-colour web press to St. Petersburg. The very
first special presses for printing luxury colour products followed at the
beginning of the 1890s. Additionally, the company’s interest in banknote
printing awakened, a field in which KBA has been a leading press supplier
for more than 60 years.
The list of Koenig & Bauer’s technical milestones since the invention of the
cylinder press by both company founders 200 years ago is extremely long,
but would somewhat overshadow the importance of the 29 November 1814.
Over the last 80 years the printed newspaper as a channel for information
and advertising has faced growing competition from the radio, television
and more recently online and mobile media. However, it has retained its
high level of acceptance and credibility with readers, as well as its superior
lasting advertising impact. There are still opportunities for those with the
courage and creativity shown by Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Bauer two
centuries ago.
Vol 5 Issue 1 • 1814 – 2014: 200 YEARS STEAM-DRIVEN CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS
1814 – 2014: 200 years steam-driven
cylinder printing press
On 29 November 1814, 360 years after Gutenberg invented the hand press, a new steam-powered,
double-cylinder printing press from Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Bauer was used for the first time to print
The Times in London. This year mechanical newspaper printing celebrates its 200th birthday.
The era of mechanical printing began in the night of 28 to 29 November
1814 with the production of ‘The Times’ newspaper on the
double-cylinder press from Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Bauer
(The photo shows a 1:2 scaled replica found in the KBA museum)
Inventor Friedrich Koenig (1774 - 1833) and his partner Andreas Bauer
(1783 - 1860) made printing history
In 1901 Koenig & Bauer moved to a new site on the other side of the Main
to where the company was founded in the Oberzell monastery
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