KENNESAW, GA - April 1, 2009 - Heidelberg USA announces the
following new product installations:
American Printing Broadens Its Horizons with Speedmaster CD
102
American Printing Company, Inc., Birmingham, Ala. has
completed the installation of a Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102
8-color press with extended delivery, Instant Gate, Color
Assistant, Prinect Prepress Interface and Wallscreen Application.
The new press replaces a pair of aging 8-color Speedmaster SM 102
perfectors, and is the second 40" Heidelberg press the company has
installed within the past six months, having added a new 8-color
Speedmaster SM 102 perfector with coater last year. The company's
Heidelberg-intensive pressroom also hosts a 4-color Speedmaster SM
102, a 2-color Speedmaster SM 102 and a 6-color 25" Heidelberg MO
with coater, as well as a Windmill letterpress and a cylinder
diecutter.
"American Printing is a successful general commercial
printer looking for new opportunities, like packaging," said owner
Bo Stanford, who especially appreciates the speed, quality and
substrate flexibility of the new machine. "With the new Speedmaster
CD, we're well-equipped to explore those markets."
"After purchasing American Printing in 1992, I installed our
first Heidelberg press and have been a loyal customer ever since,"
Stanford said. "Heidelberg makes the best sheetfed presses on the
market, hands-down, and their resale value is higher than that of
competitive presses.." While giving the ambitious company the means
to explore new markets, the virtues of the new CD 102 also extend
to the unusual, high-end, multi-color work American performs for
its ad agency clients. "The extended delivery enables us to run a
variety of special coatings at speeds up to 15,000 per hour,"
Stanford said.
American Printing also operates two 54" POLAR cutting
systems with stacker, jogger and Transomat, and a Heidelberg
Stitchmaster ST 350 saddlestitcher. The company, which employs 167
with sales offices in Tampa, Atlanta and New York, also has web,
sheetfed and digital capacity, and operates 24 hours a day, six
days a week, serving a national clientele made up of ad agencies,
publications and Fortune 500 companies.
"We've had nothing but the best performance with our
Heidelberg machines," Stanford said. "Not only are they
competitively priced, but they are extremely durable. And don't
forget the quality of the printing," Stanford said. "Nothing prints
a better dot than a Heidelberg press."
To learn more about the versatile Speedmaster CD 102,
click here.
Photo available on request.
eDigitalPrinting.com Steps Up to Heidelberg Technology
When the owners of eDigitalPrinting.com, Miami set about
upgrading their company's production capabilities, they turned to
print media leader Heidelberg as a turnkey solution provider. The
nine-year-old commercial printer subsequently installed a
Suprasetter 74 SCL platesetter, a Speedmaster SM 74 4-color press
with coater, and a high-speed POLAR 92 X guillotine cutter, and now
is reaping the benefits of increased productivity and efficiency in
every area of its operation. The prepress and pressroom
improvements also mark the company's step up to the mid-size format
work, a move calculated, said Mike Stoyanovich, who co-owns the
company with brother Drago, "to provide existing and prospective
clients with a wider variety of high-quality products, produced
more efficiently and delivered at lower cost."
The new Suprasetter thermal CtP unit, in which
eDigitalPrinting uses Saphira Chemfree aluminum plates, replaces a
competitive small-format model that used polyester plates.
"Heidelberg made it simple for us to continue our company's
"Keeping It Green" initiative, a program implemented to reduce our
impact on the environment," Stoyanovich said. "Saphira Chemfree
products have made an enormous 'green' impact on our operation. Not
only that, but our customers also have taken notice of our
commitment to the environment, making it beneficial for all
involved.." With the new platesetter, he added, "our productivity
has increased more than 70 percent with very little maintenance,
leaving more time for production." Likewise, the heavy-duty,
programmable POLAR 92 X cutter has introduced faster cutting
speeds, greater reliability and increased eDigital's postpress
productivity by 50 percent. As for the new Speedmaster SM 74, said
Stoyanovich, "We are now able to provide our clients with in-house
pocket folders and mid-size format posters, along with other
products that we could not produce before. Our customers have
repeatedly commented on the SM74's superb output quality." In
addition to Heidelberg Saphira Chemfree plates, the company uses a
variety of Saphira pressroom consumables, including Perfect Dot
blankets and wash-up cloths.
With 12 employees, eDigitalPrinting.com is a full-service
offset and digital printing company providing customers throughout
the South Florida area with a range of commercially printed
products including cards, brochures, newsletters, booklets,
stationery and specialty products. The company clearly has found a
steadfast partner in Heidelberg. "Heidelberg is an all-in-one shop
for our prepress, press and postpress needs. You can't beat that
for convenience," Stoyanovich said. "Moreover, the company's
reputation for quality is well known, and Heidelberg equipment
retains its value for resale. We know we can rely on Heidelberg
when the chips are down."
If you're ready to take your business to a higher level,
check out the
Speedmaster SM 74 ,
Suprasetter 74 or
POLAR 92 X.
Photo available on request.
Print-Tech Upgrades Cutting Department with POLAR 92X
Programmable Cutter
Print-Tech, Inc., a commercial printer located in Ann Arbor,
Mich., recently replaced an aging standalone POLAR paper cutter
with a state-of-the-art, 36" high-speed, programmable POLAR 92 X
cutting system with lift, scales and jogger with air removal
rollers. In addition to replacing the older POLAR, the new cutter
also has taken over a majority of the cutting work previously
deployed to a competitive machine. "We expected to increase our
productivity and become more efficient," said Plant Manager Ron
Kramer, "and that is exactly what has happened. Our operator
estimates we've gained 30 percent increase in productivity as a
result of the installation."
In business since 1985 and employing 26, Print-Tech serves a
client base within a 50-mile radius of Ann Arbor, including the
University of Michigan, for which it prints a variety of materials.
The company boasts an all-Heidelberg pressroom lineup, including a
Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 5-color perfector with coater, a
Heidelberg Printmaster 74 2-color perfector and a pair of
Heidelberg Printmaster QM 46 2-color presses. It also uses
Heidelberg Saphira Perfect Dot Blankets, wash-up trays and wash-up
cloths. "Obviously, we place a high value on our relationship with
Heidelberg and the equipment it supplies," said Kramer. "Why shop
around when you know what you want?"
For more information about the POLAR 92X,
click here.
Photo available on request.
Elanders USA Boosts Postpress Firepower To Support Growth
Elanders USA, Acworth, Ga. reports the installation of a new
Heidelberg Eurobind 600 PUR binder and a pair of Stahlfolder USA B
20 and USA B 30 folders.. The company, previously known as Elanders
Seiz following the Swedish parent's acquisition of Seiz Printing,
Inc. in February 2008, was looking to expand its capabilities to
support a product mix that includes a steadily growing volume of
small-format, short-run and digital work for a diverse,
international client base. According to company President Phillip
Warren, the Stahl B 20 folder and the Eurobind 600 PUR binder will
be used primarily to bind and finish an increasing volume of
small-format, short-run digital work, while the B 30 folder will
continue to handle conventionally printed materials. The B30 is
continuous-fed while the B20 is pile-fed with one right-angle
folding unit.
"Because of our global footprint, we want to ensure the
quality and consistency of the printed materials we produce,
whether they are destined for Budapest or Beijing, Buckhead or
Boston," Warren said. While Elanders' digital business is growing
quickly, thanks to the implementation of an aggressive sales and
marketing plan, the company still relies on conventional sheetfed
offset printing to produce 80 percent of its considerable annual
output of commercially printed materials. For this it relies on a
pair of hardworking Heidelberg presses, including a 12-color
Speedmaster SM 102 with CutStar and a 6-color Speedmaster CD 102
with aqueous coater.
Based in Sweden, Elanders USA employs a staff of 70 at its
North American headquarters in Acworth. The $300 million, publicly
traded global infomedia and printing firm serves a variety of
market segments, including automotive manufacturers like Mercedes
Benz and telecommunications firms such as AT&T and Ericsson.
Click on the links for more information about the
Eurobind 600,
Stahlfolder USA B20 or
Stahlfolder USA B30X.
Photo available on request.
'A Cutter Is Not Just A Cutter': Presstech Goes HEI-Tech with
POLAR 92 XT
Presstech, a far-sighted, full-service commercial printer
located in Des Plaines, Ill., recently added a high-speed,
programmable POLAR 92 XT paper cutter with Compucut to its
postpress department. The installation enables the company to boost
its cutting capacity and take a further step toward complete
computer-integrated manufacturing within its facility. "The POLAR
cutter fit our needs from the standpoint of both software
integration and service," said owner Ed Soske. "We view it as a
long-term investment and wanted to work with a supplier that would
stand behind the equipment for the life of the machine. Based on
our decade-plus experience with Heidelberg, we knew we could rely
on top-flight Heidelberg service and convenient access to
replacement parts, should the need arise."
Soske begs to differ with skeptics who maintain that all
cutters are created equal. "A cutter is not just a cutter," he
said. "On the POLAR 92 XT, the lifts are double. Both the cutting
action and programming of the back gauge are extremely fast. We can
do in one hour what used to take us all day using a competitive
cutter," with the aid of time- and labor-saving functions including
process visualization, automatic display of job-specific
parameters, and an alpha-text keyboard for text input. On the job,
the 92 XT yields a superior cut from top to bottom of the lift.
"Everything is dead straight," Soske said. With the addition of
Compucut software, Presstech will be able to save even more time,
further lower its cutting costs and enjoy more flexible production.
In business 30 years, the full-service printer employs a
staff of 15, who provide a long list of services to the firm's
clientele. The company also operates a Heidelberg Printmaster PM 46
2-color press.
Learn more about the
POLAR 92 XT and
Compucut by clicking on the links.
Newkirk Products Installs Small but Mighty Printmaster QM-46
Newkirk Products, Inc. Albany, N.Y., a leading provider of
marketing communications for financial and managed care companies,
recently replaced three aging small-format presses with a highly
automated Printmaster QM 46 two-color press from Heidelberg. The
company uses its new workhorse to produce the millions of envelopes
and newsletters it produces each year at a rate of 3,000 pieces per
hour. According to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer Robert Gatto, the new press offers Newkirk faster speed,
improved quality and reliability, accelerated throughput and a
convenient, compact footprint. "We were focused on acquiring a
solid press that would last and provide excellent quality and
reliability for many years to come," Gatto said. "In our judgment,
the Printmaster QM 46 absolutely fits that bill."
Operators Judy Martin-Tremblay and Mike Dooley have been
trained to run the Heidelberg Printmaster QM 46. Offered Tremblay,
"The quality of the output we are producing is outstanding." Dooley
agrees, adding, "the automation features of the press are
terrific." Both operators enjoy running the new equipment and
appreciate that they can now increase our production while
maintaining the highest quality standards.
Other Heidelberg equipment in use at Newkirk includes a
POLAR 115 ED cutting system with stacker, jogger, scale and
off-loader, as well as a Prosetter violet CtP device with Signa
Station. With over 250 employees at its Albany plant, Newkirk
Products produces a wide range of materials from newsletters to
401k enrollment materials for financial institutions and health
care concerns. The company operates primarily sheetfed equipment
and is also one of the largest on-demand publishers in upstate New
York.
Good things come in small packages.
Click here to learn more about the Printmaster
QM 46.
Photo available on request.
Central Maine Technical College Chooses Heidelberg
When the Graphic Arts/Printing Technology program at Central
Maine Technical College in Auburn, Maine received a government
grant to purchase new equipment in 2008, instructor Terry Brann and
his students chose a Heidelberg Printmaster QM 46 two-color press
to become the department's newest teaching tool. "It was a
collaborative decision," said Brann. Now, his 22 students compete
for time on the new machine, whose features include an innovative
small-format envelope feeder, automatic blanket wash-up, automatic
plate-loading and other components designed to appeal to
productivity-minded printers and eager trainees alike. Brann
especially likes the Printmaster QM's compact footprint and quiet
operation. The shop is currently working its way through the
Heidelberg Start-Up Performance Kit containing Saphira press wash,
fountain solution, blankets and other supplies, and has been
pleased with the results.
Alongside the new Printmaster QM 46-2, a Heidelberg MOZP
2-color perfector, a KORD litho press, and a Heidelberg 10x15"
Windmill letterpress, continue to pull their weight in Central
Maine's teaching print shop, while a Stahl USA B 20 folder holds
its own in the bindery.
The Graphic Arts/Printing Technology department at Central
Maine Technical College functions partly as an in-plant for the
college community but also does some work for local nonprofit
organizations, turning out a variety of 4-color commercial and
2-color envelope work on the new press. Graduates of the two-year
program typically continue their educations, Brann said, and a
number participate in industrial work-study programs for credit in
their fourth and final semester.
Brann is hopeful that the new installation also will serve
as a teaching tool in subtler ways. In terms of their future
careers, he said, "It's important for students to see that sheetfed
offset technology continues to improve right alongside its digital
counterpart," Brann said. "Programs like this one are among the
best places for them to experience these advances, provided they
have an opportunity to operate the best equipment available.
Heidelberg presses certainly meet that description."
For a closer look at the inspiring Printmaster QM 46,
click here.
Photo available on request.
Bartel Retools with Prepress, Press and Postpress Equipment from
Heidelberg
Bartel Printing has vastly streamlined its workflow with the
recent addition of a Heidelberg 2-color Printmaster GTO 52
perfector and computer-to-plate (CtP) workflow anchored by a
Heidelberg Suprasetter A52 with Meta Dimension RIP. Completed in
December 2008, the installations already have shown the company the
multiple benefits of its transition from a film-based to an
all-digital workflow.
"Prepress without film is a great timesaver, said company
Vice President Murray Bartel. "Our set-up times are much shorter,
and the speed and accuracy of the digital workflow is fantastic."
The new Printmaster GTO 52 perfector, which replaces the company's
aging Heidelberg GTO, has already justified Bartel's investment in
terms of capacity and efficiency, Bartel said. "We run a lot of
single-color, two-sided jobs. With the new Printmaster 52, we've
cut our run times in half and now can handle many more jobs in a
shorter period of time." Those initial results are likely to
improve over time as the company updates its customer files to run
on the new machine, Bartel added, but "Right now, we're still in
the learning stages." While the company handles primarily short
runs of 10,000 and under, plans call for Bartel to begin to handle
longer run lengths (20,000-50,000) with the aid of its sleek new
Heidelberg machine. The company uses all-Heidelberg blankets and
currently is transitioning to Saphira inks for use with the new
press. Things run faster and more smoothly in Bartel's bindery,
too, since the company updated its postpress lineup with a Stahl B
20 folder with flat pile feeder with right angle unit. It also
operates a pair of POLAR 92X and 92 XT guillotine cutters, a
Eurobind 1200 perfect binder and a 10x15" Windmill letterpress, and
is currently evaluating the addition of a Heidelberg Speedbander.
Established in 1970 and employing a staff of five, Bartel
provides commercially printed products to a local clientele,
including a number or orthopedic manufacturers and suppliers
concentrated in the area. It's a promising niche for an
enterprising business like Bartel, whose relationship with
Heidelberg dates back to the late 70s. "We try to do our homework
and develop a sound strategic plan for investment," Bartel said.
"Heidelberg has always been there for us. When we need to step up
our technology with the best quality equipment, Heidelberg always
seems to have what we are looking for. The value we receive from
the investment is clear. We are almost a complete Heidelberg shop,
and all our employees love the equipment they get to work on. It
always makes the work day better when you know you can count on the
equipment you are using."
The Printmaster GTO 52: variety and reliability
in action.
Media contact:
Jean-Marie Hershey
540-297-3556
jmh@writehandcom.com