01/29/2025
FRONT: Colin Storer, Press Operator; Sam Mueller, Director of Manufacturing; BACK: Clarence Gautreau, Pressroom Assistant; Rohit Rohit, Feeder Operator; Bruce Roberts, Pressroom Manager; Ken Kaufman, Press Operator with Speedmaster XL 106
Bruce Roberts, Pressroom Manager; Sam Mueller, Director of Manufacturing; Joe Bain, Bindery Lead Hand; Jon “Zippy” Walsh, Folder Operator with Stahlfolder TH 82 and StackStar P
Bruce Roberts, Pressroom Manager; Sam Mueller, Director of Manufacturing; Joe Bain, Bindery Lead Hand; Jon “Zippy” Walsh, Folder Operator with Stahlfolder TH 82 and StackStar P
Kennesaw, Ga – Focused on building strategic partnerships with its customers, Cober recently extended its operations to Western Canada. This expansion enables the Kitchener, ON-based company to provide next-day ground service to over 80% of the Canadian population, dramatically boosting the efficiency of its on-demand services. In line with its commitment to “evolve with its customers’ needs,” Cober continues to invest in cutting-edge technology from HEIDELBERG. Its ongoing investments in labor-saving automation strengthen the company’s competitiveness and its reputation as one of Canada’s premiere printers.
Collaboration, Empathy, Innovation, and Sustainability
Last year, Cober acquired all printing and manufacturing divisions of Western Canadian Digital Imaging, based in Calgary, AB. With roughly 30% of the population living in Western Canada, Cober President Todd Cober explained, “it made perfect sense for us to grow out there rather than just continue to add more capacity in Ontario.” As the company’s on-demand business continues to grow, transportation, shipping, and logistics have become significant factors in the overall cost of fulfilling orders. This acquisition enables Cober to more efficiently print and deliver on-demand orders across Canada, providing cost-effective, timely solutions — particularly for many of the national brands the company serves. “It was the responsible thing to do and ultimately allowed us to provide more value back to our partners,” said Cober.
Cober’s westward expansion is a crucial part of its mission to grow alongside its customers through “collaboration, empathy, innovation, and sustainability.” Another key element of this strategy is the company’s recent investments in productivity-enhancing, automated technologies across both its printing and finishing operations. In 2024, Cober installed a Stahlfolder TH 82 with PFX Feeder and StackStar P from HEIDELBERG – about a year after adding a new Speedmaster XL 106-8P with Plate to Unit. According to Cober, “Our XL 106 immediately doubled our capacity, which was great for business, but it also instantaneously created a bottleneck downstream. Our folders just couldn’t keep up.”
Exclusively producing 16-page signatures, Cober’s Stahlfolder TH 82 is equipped with the PFX Feeder. The revolutionary feeder from HEIDELBERG is designed to feed sheets like a printing press – with the sheets shingled and underlapped in the first folding unit, rather than using the traditional sheet gap method. The underlapping of sheets (shingling sheets) on the infeed register table nearly doubles the number of sheets that can be processed versus conventional feeding at the same running speed. The redesigned feeder means Cober’s Stahlfolder is nearly “one to one” in matching the production speeds of the XL 106.
To avoid a new bottleneck at the end of the folder, Cober opted to install HEIDELBERG’s StackStar P – a six-axis industrial robot that securely grips and autonomously places each signature pile from the folder’s delivery onto a pallet using sophisticated gripper technology. Stacking up to 300 signature piles per hour, the StackStar P helps eliminate a very physical element of the folding process for Cober’s operators. Cober explained, “Prior to installing the StackStar P, we saw it as a ‘nice to have,’ but in hindsight, it’s a ‘must have.’ After a year of production, its efficiency has proven to be a game changer for us.”
The increased automation allows just one operator to run the folder, with offloading handled by the StackStar P. Cober believes that if he were to add a second similar folder configuration, the same operator could easily run both machines simultaneously without needing an additional operator. The robotic stacker benefits not only operators at the pallet but those further downstream as well. Thanks to the highly precise stacks, Cober’s operators running both the saddlestitchers and perfect binders produce books with greater consistency and efficiency.
A Culture of Innovation
In 2022, Cober installed a new Speedmaster XL 106-8P with Plate to Unit and LED technology to improve efficiency for its high-volume of short runs, driven by its expanding on-demand business. By installing HEIDELBERG’s first fully automatic printing plate logistics solution in North America, Cober reduced operator workload and eliminated bottlenecks in its platemaking process. Additionally, the advanced technology means Cober’s press crews consistently achieve two-minute makereadies. “It allows us to be more productive with less people,” said Cober, “not because we want less people, but because less people are available to us.”
Further efficiency gains stem from Cober’s decision to equip its XL 106 with LED technology. Prior to installation, the company had only ever used conventional inks, and according to Cober, his team drastically underestimated the impact the technology would have on its production workflow. He said, “I can’t overstate how much LED has improved material flow in our facility. Sheets dry instantly, allowing us to send them directly to the folder or cutter right off the press.”
Cober attributes much of his success to fostering a culture based on innovation and a willingness to explore new ways to improve processes. Committed to investing in new technology and automation throughout its business, the company recently implemented autonomous material handling, where autonomous vehicles deliver skids directly to operators to eliminate wasted time searching for their next job. These industry-leading initiatives have fueled Cober’s sustained business growth, including a recent expansion of its 200,000 square foot headquarters in Ontario. According to Cober, “Making these types of investments are helping develop this culture of innovation. Our willingness to continually look for ways to do things better and to push for improvement is what keeps driving our growth.”
About Cober
Built on the foundation of innovation and print, Cober has continuously embraced change and technology to invest into its clients. The company constantly focuses its growing knowledge of superior integration and analytics to make sure that its clients and their businesses continue to evolve. Cober’s vision today offers a perfect blend of services that’s more than just ink on paper, it’s about creating a measurable return on each tactical execution. Its goal is to help its customers reach their targets at the right time, through the right mediums and with the right message.
About HEIDELBERG:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is a leading technology company that has been standing for innovation, quality and reliability in mechanical engineering worldwide for 175 years. With a clear focus on growth, HEIDELBERG as a total solution provider is driving further development in the core areas of packaging and digital printing, software solutions and the lifecycle business with service and consumables so that customers can achieve maximum productivity and efficiency.
The company is also focusing on expanding into new business areas such as high-precision plant engineering with integrated control, automation technology and robotics as well as the growing green technologies. With a strong international presence in approximately 170 countries, the creative power and expertise of its around 9,500 employees, its own production facilities in Europe, China and the USA and one of the largest global sales and service networks, the company is well-positioned for future growth.
Erin Judge
Media Relations
Email*: Erin.Judge.ext@heidelberg.com
01/29/2025
Kennesaw, Ga – Focused on building strategic partnerships with its customers, Cober recently extended its operations to Western Canada. This expansion enables the Kitchener, ON-based company to provide next-day ground service to over 80% of the Canadian population, dramatically boosting the efficiency of its on-demand services. In line with its commitment to “evolve with its customers’ needs,” Cober continues to invest in cutting-edge technology from HEIDELBERG. Its ongoing investments in labor-saving automation strengthen the company’s competitiveness and its reputation as one of Canada’s premiere printers.
Collaboration, Empathy, Innovation, and Sustainability
Last year, Cober acquired all printing and manufacturing divisions of Western Canadian Digital Imaging, based in Calgary, AB. With roughly 30% of the population living in Western Canada, Cober President Todd Cober explained, “it made perfect sense for us to grow out there rather than just continue to add more capacity in Ontario.” As the company’s on-demand business continues to grow, transportation, shipping, and logistics have become significant factors in the overall cost of fulfilling orders. This acquisition enables Cober to more efficiently print and deliver on-demand orders across Canada, providing cost-effective, timely solutions — particularly for many of the national brands the company serves. “It was the responsible thing to do and ultimately allowed us to provide more value back to our partners,” said Cober.
Cober’s westward expansion is a crucial part of its mission to grow alongside its customers through “collaboration, empathy, innovation, and sustainability.” Another key element of this strategy is the company’s recent investments in productivity-enhancing, automated technologies across both its printing and finishing operations. In 2024, Cober installed a Stahlfolder TH 82 with PFX Feeder and StackStar P from HEIDELBERG – about a year after adding a new Speedmaster XL 106-8P with Plate to Unit. According to Cober, “Our XL 106 immediately doubled our capacity, which was great for business, but it also instantaneously created a bottleneck downstream. Our folders just couldn’t keep up.”
Exclusively producing 16-page signatures, Cober’s Stahlfolder TH 82 is equipped with the PFX Feeder. The revolutionary feeder from HEIDELBERG is designed to feed sheets like a printing press – with the sheets shingled and underlapped in the first folding unit, rather than using the traditional sheet gap method. The underlapping of sheets (shingling sheets) on the infeed register table nearly doubles the number of sheets that can be processed versus conventional feeding at the same running speed. The redesigned feeder means Cober’s Stahlfolder is nearly “one to one” in matching the production speeds of the XL 106.
To avoid a new bottleneck at the end of the folder, Cober opted to install HEIDELBERG’s StackStar P – a six-axis industrial robot that securely grips and autonomously places each signature pile from the folder’s delivery onto a pallet using sophisticated gripper technology. Stacking up to 300 signature piles per hour, the StackStar P helps eliminate a very physical element of the folding process for Cober’s operators. Cober explained, “Prior to installing the StackStar P, we saw it as a ‘nice to have,’ but in hindsight, it’s a ‘must have.’ After a year of production, its efficiency has proven to be a game changer for us.”
The increased automation allows just one operator to run the folder, with offloading handled by the StackStar P. Cober believes that if he were to add a second similar folder configuration, the same operator could easily run both machines simultaneously without needing an additional operator. The robotic stacker benefits not only operators at the pallet but those further downstream as well. Thanks to the highly precise stacks, Cober’s operators running both the saddlestitchers and perfect binders produce books with greater consistency and efficiency.
A Culture of Innovation
In 2022, Cober installed a new Speedmaster XL 106-8P with Plate to Unit and LED technology to improve efficiency for its high-volume of short runs, driven by its expanding on-demand business. By installing HEIDELBERG’s first fully automatic printing plate logistics solution in North America, Cober reduced operator workload and eliminated bottlenecks in its platemaking process. Additionally, the advanced technology means Cober’s press crews consistently achieve two-minute makereadies. “It allows us to be more productive with less people,” said Cober, “not because we want less people, but because less people are available to us.”
Further efficiency gains stem from Cober’s decision to equip its XL 106 with LED technology. Prior to installation, the company had only ever used conventional inks, and according to Cober, his team drastically underestimated the impact the technology would have on its production workflow. He said, “I can’t overstate how much LED has improved material flow in our facility. Sheets dry instantly, allowing us to send them directly to the folder or cutter right off the press.”
Cober attributes much of his success to fostering a culture based on innovation and a willingness to explore new ways to improve processes. Committed to investing in new technology and automation throughout its business, the company recently implemented autonomous material handling, where autonomous vehicles deliver skids directly to operators to eliminate wasted time searching for their next job. These industry-leading initiatives have fueled Cober’s sustained business growth, including a recent expansion of its 200,000 square foot headquarters in Ontario. According to Cober, “Making these types of investments are helping develop this culture of innovation. Our willingness to continually look for ways to do things better and to push for improvement is what keeps driving our growth.”
About Cober
Built on the foundation of innovation and print, Cober has continuously embraced change and technology to invest into its clients. The company constantly focuses its growing knowledge of superior integration and analytics to make sure that its clients and their businesses continue to evolve. Cober’s vision today offers a perfect blend of services that’s more than just ink on paper, it’s about creating a measurable return on each tactical execution. Its goal is to help its customers reach their targets at the right time, through the right mediums and with the right message.
About HEIDELBERG:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is a leading technology company that has been standing for innovation, quality and reliability in mechanical engineering worldwide for 175 years. With a clear focus on growth, HEIDELBERG as a total solution provider is driving further development in the core areas of packaging and digital printing, software solutions and the lifecycle business with service and consumables so that customers can achieve maximum productivity and efficiency.
The company is also focusing on expanding into new business areas such as high-precision plant engineering with integrated control, automation technology and robotics as well as the growing green technologies. With a strong international presence in approximately 170 countries, the creative power and expertise of its around 9,500 employees, its own production facilities in Europe, China and the USA and one of the largest global sales and service networks, the company is well-positioned for future growth.
Media Relations