Delta Packaging adds a fourth press at its Belfast retail packaging plant

• Investment in new Speedmaster XL six-color with double coating units enables packaging printer to find more business and create additional employment
• Quality and reliability of the 18,000sph Speedmaster XL 106 were vital for the purchase decision
• Press equipped with Prinect Image Control for color consistency
• Prinect Pressroom Manager provides valuable real time data feedback on job progress, productivity and consumables.

Delta Packaging will take delivery of a Speedmaster XL 106-6 LYYL at the end of this month. This six-colour press with double coating units is the Belfast company's fourth B1 litho press and an additional, not replacement, line.

"This investment gives us the flexibility to go out and find new business and create more employment," says Conor Connolly, lithographic print manager. The press itself has directly created six new jobs with further opportunities arising in other departments, such as the converting side which has added a die-cutter in readiness for the increased print throughput.

All four of the company's litho presses feature six printing units and double coaters with extended delivery, a flexible configuration which enables the company to use aqueous and/or UV coating, including very high gloss finishes, and to handle low migration inks which require a longer drying time. The company also operates an eight-colour flexo press.

The Speedmasters in place include two Speedmaster CD 102 presses and a Speedmaster XL 105. All these presses run low alcohol and incorporate the use of low migration inks, an ethical option which is ideal for food packaging which represents 85% of the company's sales.  Delta handles both local and international contracts. "The Speedmaster XL 105 we installed three years ago has been hugely successful and it's become the backbone of the company. We expect that and more from the 18,000sph Speedmaster XL 106. We like the build quality and reliability of this press. In my opinion, and based on research, the Speedmaster XL 106 is the best press on the market in terms of living up to its potential in a live production environment," Conor Connolly.

The current Speedmaster XL 105 has had an ink pumping system retrofitted and this will be extended to include the Speedmaster XL 106 following the press installation. Sun Chemical supplies the company's inks and it has upgraded the printing company's ink kitchen with an additional ink dispensing system and state of the art ink measuring software and database system.

Delta, which already holds ISO 14001 environmental certification, is looking to add the ISO 12647-2 colour accreditation over the next year and in readiness has specified Prinect Image Control spectral measurement for the new press. "Image Control will give us a guarantee on quality and consistency of colour. We often handle very long runs, 300,000 plus, and we must provide consistency throughout the production run and from run to run. We handle a lot of repeat work," says Conor Connolly. "We are caretakers of our customers' brands."

The company has also invested in Prinect Pressroom Manager which will be linked into the company's MIS system providing valuable real time data feedback on job progress, productivity and consumables. "Some of the global names who place work with Delta expect us to show continued investment in order to produce with total efficiency and effectiveness and many audit us, commonly on a two year cycle. So investment like the Speedmaster XL 106 purchase is very popular with our client base. Our staff, too, are always excited about new equipment and we are looking forward to having the new press up and running," the lithographic print manager added.

Delta Packaging exports to Europe and the Asia Pacific region and has a plant in China and a joint venture operation in India.

Figure 1: Highest productivity, quality and reliability of the Speedmaster XL 106 were decisive factors for Delta's purchase decision.

Figure 2: Delta lithographic print manager Conor Conolly expects to produce with total efficiency and effectiveness with the new Speedmaster XL 106 six-color with double coating units.

For further information about the company and image material, please visit the Press Lounge of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at www.heidelberg.com.

For further information, please contact:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Silke Wolf
Phone: +49 (0)6221 92-5061
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92-5069
E-Mail: silke.wolf@heidelberg.com