J.S. McCarthy, USA.

J.S. McCarthy Packaging + Print, one of the oldest and largest packaging and commercial printers in New England, USA, recently installed a Speedmaster XL 106 from HEIDELBERG.

With running speeds of 21,000 sheets per hour, this press is among the fastest offset presses for folding carton production worldwide. Since its installation, it has significantly increased the company’s capacity, supporting a 50% growth in its folding carton business.

250,000,000 impressions and counting

The company, based in Augusta, Maine, began as a commercial printer in 1947 and expanded into packaging nearly two decades ago. Strategic investments in infrastructure and equipment over the past seven years have strengthened its position in the packaging segment. A key milestone was the acquisition of a Speedmaster XL 106-4+LYY-P+4+L from HEIDELBERG in 2018. Today, folding carton production represents nearly 80% of the company’s operations, serving the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

That first Speedmaster XL 106 replaced two older presses and boosted productivity by 50%. Initially intended for both commercial and packaging jobs, it now runs almost exclusively folding cartons at 18,000 sheets per hour, with nearly 250 million impressions to date. “The Speedmaster XL 106 delivers reliable, proven productivity day in and day out,” says President Jon Tardiff. “The number of good sheets to the floor is significantly better than what we’ve experienced with other equipment.”

Folding carton production at 21,000 sheets per hour

To meet growing demand, the company recently added 12,000 square feet of office space and installed a second Speedmaster XL 106 from HEIDELBERG, this time an 8-color press with coating unit, UV curing, and Prinect Inpress Control 3. This new press, dedicated solely to folding carton production, replaced an older perfecting press. With speeds of 21,000 sheets per hour, it is the fastest press HEIDELBERG has produced to date.

Since going live, the new press has halved turnaround times. High-volume jobs are now completed in as little as seven days, with the team producing 1 to 1.5 million impressions weekly across three shifts. “Our capacity has expanded significantly,” says Tardiff. “We’re processing work so efficiently now that we believe we can grow our business by another 50%.”

The Speedmaster XL 106 features over 200 optimized components, including intelligent UX, Push-to-Stop technology, and AutoPlate Pro. Logistics systems in the feeder and delivery help manage the high volume of material. “That’s essential to maintaining productivity,” Tardiff explains.

The press also includes Prinect Inpress Control 3, an inline spectrophotometer that measures and adjusts color at full speed. Operators monitor color directly from the Wallscreen, and quality reports can be exported for customers. “Our superior color control has attracted several national brands,” Tardiff notes. Waste is consistently under 1%, thanks to the efficient makeready process.

Sustainability is another key focus. The company chose a carbon-neutral press, offsetting CO₂ emissions from production through Gold Standard climate protection certificates. “We’ve invested heavily in our facility, equipment, and team while prioritizing environmental responsibility,” says Tardiff.

After years of using other manufacturers’ presses, Tardiff is impressed by the consistent performance of the Speedmaster XL 106 from HEIDELBERG. “We used to run three presses with ten crews and still struggled. Now, with just two Speedmaster XL 106 presses and four crews, we have room to grow. These presses deliver exactly what HEIDELBERG promises.”