Printing presses like the HEIDELBERG Tiegel or the Original Heidelberg Cylinder can now be admired in museums. But not only there—these indestructible HEIDELBERG icons are still in operation in many print shops today. Since the start of mass production in 1926 until the series was discontinued in 1985, approximately 165,000 Heidelberg Tiegel presses were built, making it an industry leader worldwide.
HEIDELBERG can now also look back on 50 years of success with the Speedmaster family. Rainer Wolf, Head of Portfolio Management in the Sheetfed division, emphasizes: "Product families with long development histories are a key part of our brand identity. A great example is the Speedmaster SX 102, which is still available today and is based on the Speedmaster SM 102 from 1975. Of course, technology and functionality have been continuously enhanced, but the DNA of the machine remains recognizable to this day."
Entering offset printing in the 1960s and 1970s marked a profound transformation for HEIDELBERG. The previously thriving core business was increasingly challenged by competitors in offset printing. To quickly enter this growing market, HEIDELBERG adapted the base of the Original Heidelberg Cylinder in 1962 by adding a simple offset inking unit—thus, the K-Offset was born. The portfolio quickly expanded with S-Offset, Rotaspeed, and the highly successful GTO series.
According to Rainer Wolf, this also highlights another core strength of HEIDELBERG: "We are not always the first to introduce new technologies to the market, but we have a talent for adapting, significantly improving, and successfully commercializing them."
The introduction of the Speedmaster series in 1974 was a major breakthrough for HEIDELBERG, with lasting impact. "With a speed of 11,000 sheets per hour and a four-color inline design, the Speedmaster SM 72 was the star of PRINT Chicago 1974. Just a year later, the Speedmaster SM 102 followed, featuring perfecting capabilities." Printing in four colors inline was a quantum leap at a time when single- or two-color machines were the norm.
"In the early days of the Speedmaster success story, our customers were mainly in commercial and publishing printing," explains Rainer Wolf. "This was primarily because folding cartons did not have the same market importance in the 1970s as they do today, and the first Speedmaster presses were not designed for carton printing."
To meet the growing demand for folding cartons, HEIDELBERG introduced the Speedmaster CD 102 in 1986—"CD" standing for "Carton Diameter." Specifically developed for packaging printing, this press featured double-diameter impression cylinders and triple-diameter transfer cylinders to handle thicker substrates like carton board with ease. Today, the Speedmaster CX 104, based on the CD 102 platform, remains the world's best-selling sheetfed offset press. The packaging printing segment has continued to grow, with around 60% of all Speedmaster units now going into this market.
According to Rainer Wolf, the development of the Speedmaster family can be divided into different phases. In the early years, the focus was on improving the young offset printing process, aiming for higher print quality and process stability. Key innovations from this period included the Alcolor dampening system and semi-automatic plate changing with Autoplate.
By 1977, the first computer-assisted control system was integrated into Speedmaster presses, coinciding with the introduction of remote ink control. This allowed operators to adjust ink zones directly from a central control panel instead of manually setting them on the press. Another milestone was the use of Venturi nozzles, enabling contact-free sheet transport for the first time.
The 1990s saw rapid developments in the printing industry, driven by digitalization. The introduction of "Computer-to-Plate" technology revolutionized plate imaging, while color control systems and intuitive touchscreen interfaces transformed machine operation. With the acquisition of Linotype-Hell in 1996, HEIDELBERG paved the way for deep digital integration and seamless prepress workflows. Prepress data could now be directly utilized for Speedmaster presses, particularly for presetting ink keys, reducing makeready times and waste. "This," says Rainer Wolf, "marked the transition from traditional printing craftsmanship to industrialized printing."
Machine technology also advanced rapidly: presses became longer as inline processes became more popular. HEIDELBERG successfully responded with "One-Pass Productivity." Packaging printers increasingly demanded additional inline features like special colors, coating units, and drying systems.
In commercial and publishing printing, HEIDELBERG introduced another highly successful innovation: long perfecting presses with eight or more printing units, enabling double-sided printing in a single pass. "This was a game-changer for print shops: they could double their productivity without increasing staffing costs," says Rainer Wolf. A crucial breakthrough came with the development of PerfectJacket impression cylinder jackets, eliminating the last quality limitations and solidifying the success of long perfecting presses.
With the launch of the Speedmaster XL 105 at Drupa 2004, HEIDELBERG set a new industry benchmark, introducing the Peak Performance class. At the same time, digital workflow integration with Prinect became a key focus. "Digitalization and networking of the entire printing process, the larger format for packaging printing, the machine's robustness, and its incredible productivity have made the Speedmaster XL the HEIDELBERG flagship—and it remains so today," explains Rainer Wolf.
The "XL technology" has since become an industry standard, with many of its innovations successfully transferred to other Speedmaster lines. Thanks to new control technologies, processes that were once sequential now run simultaneously, while inline measurement systems automatically regulate the printing process, and logistics systems optimize paper feeding and delivery. Just ten years ago, 30 million prints per year was considered a peak performance—today, 60 million sheets are not uncommon. With the Speedmaster XL 106, introduced at Drupa 2024, featuring an impressive speed of 21,000 sheets per hour, the milestone of 100 million prints per year is now within reach.
Increasing performance demands and a growing skills shortage make intelligent solutions essential. Smart assistants, self-learning functions, and artificial intelligence play a crucial role in this shift. HEIDELBERG introduced its vision for automated printing in 2016 with the "Push-to-Stop" concept: instead of actively starting processes, the press runs autonomously, with operators intervening only when necessary. Automation and intelligent operator guidance are central to this approach.
"The Speedmaster press software now integrates numerous assistance systems that optimize processes and settings in the background—tasks that previously required expert knowledge," explains Rainer Wolf. This advantage is appreciated not only in industrialized nations but also in growth regions such as Asia, Central, and South America. "What began with Push-to-Stop in the Speedmaster series will extend across the entire process chain. In the future, hybrid production systems combining offset and digital printing will be seamlessly managed through intelligent workflows. While automation once focused solely on the press, now the entire print shop is in the spotlight," concludes Rainer Wolf.
