The Stahlfolder KH/TH generation of folders wins the red dot
"best of the best" award, three further red dot design
prizes go to the Stitchmaster ST 350 saddlestitcher, the Dymatrix
106 CSB sheet punch and the Speedmaster 102 sheetfed press.
At this year's red dot awards, the international
jury of the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen selected
four Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) machines as
winners of the sought-after accolade for outstanding product
design. The new Stahlfolder KH/TH generation of folders - which
comprises buckle plate and combination folders - even won the
"best of the best" award for top design quality. Other
red dot awards went to the ST 350 saddlestitcher, the Dymatrix 106
CSB sheet punch and the Speedmaster 102 sheetfed press. The
award-winning presses and finishing units will be presented by
Heidelberg at drupa in May 2004. "Our customers are media service
providers who insist on providing high print quality, precision
finishing and sophisticated product esthetics for their end
customers. This is why we're offering an attractive product
design and - most importantly - a user-friendly product", explains
Bernhard Schreier, Chief Executive Officer at Heidelberg.
The red dot is an international seal of design
quality that has been awarded since 1955. Of 1673 products
submitted from 32 countries, 381 were awarded the renowned red dot
this year. The "best of the best" award went to 33
products. The award ceremony will take place on July 5, 2004 in the
Aalto Theater in Essen. Thereafter, it will be possible to see the
award-winning products on the Internet and in the red dot Design
Museum in the Zeche Zollverein. Following evaluation of the red dot
awards, Heidelberg won yet another accolade - the company is number
two this year in the Industrial Design rankings, behind Festo. The
"Ranking:Design" is rated by Verlag Publishing Concepts
AG in Offenbach who analyze the results of 19 design competitions
across Germany.
Technology and design in perfect harmony At drupa 2000,
Heidelberg also presented itself as a solution provider with novel
industrial design. The design is modern and innovative and supports
the values embodied by Heidelberg - quality, precision, stability
and trust. "It is our job to reflect the technology housed
within a machine in its outer appearance", explains Eckhard
Köbler, Head of Industrial Design at Heidelberg. With a
workforce of twelve, his department is responsible for every aspect
of the product, from the initial idea right through to series
production. This applies to the complete workflow from prepress and
press to postpress. The design features standardized navigation on
all machines via a touchscreen display. The operator is taught how
to operate the system once and can then find his way around all
machines - "learn once - use many".
The most striking aspects are the colors and design elements
used. Clear, geometric shapes as a design standard ensure that
Heidelberg machines are highly recognizable. Heidelberg Blue is
used throughout for the logos on the machines. The "mica"
silver tone emphasizes the key function, for example, the printing
unit in the case of the press, the folder module in the case of
folders and the punching unit in the case of the punching machine.
Rounded guards and operating panels are design elements that
stimulate an emotional response. "The design of a machine
should make the owner proud to own it and boost its resale
value", explains Köbler. Clear shapes and bright colors
also help to increase staff motivation. For example, a printer
works a whole shift at the delivery of a press. Its design is light
and welcoming since this is where the finished sheet appears and it
is therefore a key element in the value-added chain.
Since 1990, Heidelberg has won more than thirty awards,
including twelve red dot awards, for its industrial design. In
2002, the Speedmaster CD 74 sheetfed press won the Design Award of
the Federal Republic of Germany from the Rat für Formgebung in
Frankfurt.
Image:
The new Stahlfolder KH/TH generation of folders won the
"best of the best" award for outstanding design quality.
This product range includes the Stahlfolder TH buckle plate folder.
For further information:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Communications
Hilde Weisser
Tel.: +49 (0)6221 92 50 66
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92 50 46
E-mail:
hilde.weisser@heidelberg.com