09/04/2025
In production since 2021, the Speedmaster CX 104 is the bestseller at HEIDELBERG and the universal press for a whole range of applications in packaging, label, and commercial printing.
A web configurator for the Speedmaster CX 104 is now available to customers on the HEIDELBERG website.
The Speedmaster CX 104 produces at a printing speed of up to 16,500 sheets/hour and can be configured with various AI-supported assistance systems as a push-to-stop machine for autonomous printing.
The Speedmaster CX 104 was first unveiled at China Print 2021 and has since been installed over 950 times. More than 6,100 of its printing, coating, and drying units have been delivered worldwide, making it the biggest-selling sheetfed offset printing press that Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) has ever made, relative to its start of production. In one year, all the systems installed globally churned out a collective total of eleven billion printed sheets.
The Speedmaster CX 104 gives commercial, packaging, and label print shops access to ultra-modern, cutting-edge technology from HEIDELBERG. It runs at a printing speed of up to 16,500 sheets/h and can be configured as a Push-to-Stop press for autonomous printing supported by a range of AI-based assistance systems. In this role, it processes a wide spectrum of printing substrates, ranging from lightweight papers to cardboard, which is what makes it suitable for use in both packaging and commercial printing. It also features the user-oriented and ergonomic Heidelberg UX operating concept. The Speedmaster CX 104 can be freely configured as anything from a four-color system with and without coating unit to a customized machine comprising up to 20 printing, coating, and drying units. It can be equipped with the FoilStar cold foil module and the fourth-generation CutStar sheeter. The longest Speedmaster CX 104 to date comprises 17 printing, drying, and coating units and is being used by a customer to manufacture high-quality packaging and specialty printing products. Decades of know-how and a great many components from the XL technology developed by HEIDELBERG have been incorporated into the Speedmaster CX 104.
The numerous customers who have opted for a Speedmaster CX 104 over recent years include many packaging printers based in Europe, the USA, and emerging markets across Asia. Countless companies have invested not just in the sheetfed offset press, but also in die cutter and folder gluer technology from MK Masterwork. This has enabled HEIDELBERG to harness growth potential in the packaging printing sector.
“The Speedmaster CX 104 is our bestseller and, thanks to its flexibility and versatility, it is a favorite of many of our customers all round the world,” says Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at HEIDELBERG. “The numerous investments in this press and in the postpress systems offered by our partner MK Masterwork show that customers are being won over by our approach as a systems integrator for packaging printing.”
The Speedmaster CX 104 – an outstanding powerhouse
Canadian packaging manufacturer Beneco Packaging was established in 2004 and runs production sites in Scarborough and Cobourg, both in Ontario province. Among the company’s over 4,000 customers are businesses that operate in the food, pharmaceutical industry and the cosmetics sector. In 2023, Beneco Packaging acquired a seven-color press with coating unit – a Speedmaster CX 104-7+L – to run alongside a Speedmaster CX 102. The new sheetfed offset printing press has proven to be a cost-effective and flexible production system for runs of all sizes. According to the customer, the rapid makeready processes and high production output of the Speedmaster CX 104 make it an all-round powerhouse, while its very low maintenance requirements result in excellent availability. “We can run the Speedmaster CX 104 with consistently high production output and outstanding print quality,” points out Carol Jiang, President of Beneco Packaging. The company also uses HEIDELBERG solutions in its postpress operations, including two MK Promatrix 106 die cutters and an MK Diana Easy folder gluer.
Web configurator for Speedmaster CX 104 now available
Just like for the Speedmaster XL 106, customers can now use a web configurator for the Speedmaster CX 104 on the HEIDELBERG homepage. The tool at my-cx104.heidelberg.com enables print shops to display their individual Speedmaster CX 104 configuration tailored to their needs. The user-friendly interface guides users through just a few steps to a model that is tailored to their specific production requirements.
First Speedmaster CX 104 delivered to the Philippines
Philippines-based packaging print shop VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc. started as an in-house university print shop. Since 2014, the company has been operating out of a printing center in Valenzuela City, to the north of the capital, Manila. In the early days, it manufactured folding cartons for pencils and packaging for baked goods, but its customer base quickly grew to include manufacturers of muesli and milk products. In 2022, these growing demands led to a sweeping modernization of the company’s production technology that saw VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc. invest in a Speedmaster CX 104. This was the first machine to be installed in the Philippines from what was then a brand new series. At the same time, the company upgraded its postpress technology with an Easymatrix 106, a Diana Easy 115 folder gluer, and a Polar N 115 PF cutter. The entire workflow, from platesetting with Suprasetter technology to sheetfed offset printing and to the gluing of folding cartons, is controlled via Prinect Production.
Owner Enrico Olivares Santos puts his decision to opt for an end-to-end HEIDELBERG system down to the efficiency that has been achieved across all processes. The high level of automation at all production stages and the service provided by the Global Support Team at HEIDELBERG have helped to boost output. When it comes to running their Speedmaster CX 104, VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc. can count on 24/7 service with live video support.
Investing in long-term growth
OKAHASHI Co., Ltd. is one of the leading packaging printers in Japan. Established in 1953, the company is headquartered in Kashihara City, approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Kyoto. It manufactures packaging made of cardboard, polypropylene, or PET for companies in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
In addition to its head office in Kashihara City, OKAHASHI also has sites in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as in Wuxi, in China. In 2024, as part of its expansion, the company invested in a Speedmaster CX 104-7+L, an MK Promatrix 106 FC hot foil embossing machine, and an MK Diana Eye 55 inspection system. “This investment is part of our long-term growth strategy and marks the start of a new era,” explains President Mikio Okahashi.
The Speedmaster CX 104 features impressive reliability and availability. As head of production Masayuki Fujikawa points out, the press produces some 340 orders and 1.5 million sheets every month, with a job change taking 30 minutes on average and waste levels as low as 2 percent. Looking to the future, OKAHASHI sees color management as a strategic priority. In view of the current skills shortage, the company is concentrating on automation and rolling out data-managed processes. The aim is to safeguard the consistency, speed, and quality of the printing process. Since last year, HEIDELBERG has been helping OKAHASHI with process standardization on all the Speedmaster presses the customer is currently using, including the new Speedmaster CX 104, which utilizes Prinect Inpress Control to monitor quality. The project is showing results, with color stability improving and waste volumes down, while the outlay for final inspection has been greatly reduced.
Allied Media triples productivity with the Speedmaster CX 104
Allied Media is a US-based family company headquartered in Fenton, Michigan, that specializes in print and mailing. Its customers include political parties, major automakers, and local businesses. After several years of working with remarketed equipment, Allied Media invested in a brand new Speedmaster CX 104 4. Just three months after commissioning the four-color press, the company had tripled its productivity. “Our success in the printing sector is the result of almost three decades of hard work,” says Randy Rockman, President of Allied Media. He views his company’s turnaround time and delivery to the United States Postal Services as unmatched – just like its dedication to its customers.
Order volumes have steadily grown and had stretched the company to the limits of its capacities. To meet its deadlines, it needed high-performance technology. The company chose a press from HEIDELBERG primarily because of the overwhelmingly positive experience it has had with other systems it has been using, such as a Suprasetter plate-setter, three Versafire digital printing systems, and a Stahlfolder KH 82 folding machine.
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.
Matthias Hartung
Press Officer – Print Systems and Technology
Phone: +49 (0)6222 82 67174
Email*: matthias.hartung@heidelberg.com
09/04/2025
The Speedmaster CX 104 was first unveiled at China Print 2021 and has since been installed over 950 times. More than 6,100 of its printing, coating, and drying units have been delivered worldwide, making it the biggest-selling sheetfed offset printing press that Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) has ever made, relative to its start of production. In one year, all the systems installed globally churned out a collective total of eleven billion printed sheets.
The Speedmaster CX 104 gives commercial, packaging, and label print shops access to ultra-modern, cutting-edge technology from HEIDELBERG. It runs at a printing speed of up to 16,500 sheets/h and can be configured as a Push-to-Stop press for autonomous printing supported by a range of AI-based assistance systems. In this role, it processes a wide spectrum of printing substrates, ranging from lightweight papers to cardboard, which is what makes it suitable for use in both packaging and commercial printing. It also features the user-oriented and ergonomic Heidelberg UX operating concept. The Speedmaster CX 104 can be freely configured as anything from a four-color system with and without coating unit to a customized machine comprising up to 20 printing, coating, and drying units. It can be equipped with the FoilStar cold foil module and the fourth-generation CutStar sheeter. The longest Speedmaster CX 104 to date comprises 17 printing, drying, and coating units and is being used by a customer to manufacture high-quality packaging and specialty printing products. Decades of know-how and a great many components from the XL technology developed by HEIDELBERG have been incorporated into the Speedmaster CX 104.
The numerous customers who have opted for a Speedmaster CX 104 over recent years include many packaging printers based in Europe, the USA, and emerging markets across Asia. Countless companies have invested not just in the sheetfed offset press, but also in die cutter and folder gluer technology from MK Masterwork. This has enabled HEIDELBERG to harness growth potential in the packaging printing sector.
“The Speedmaster CX 104 is our bestseller and, thanks to its flexibility and versatility, it is a favorite of many of our customers all round the world,” says Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at HEIDELBERG. “The numerous investments in this press and in the postpress systems offered by our partner MK Masterwork show that customers are being won over by our approach as a systems integrator for packaging printing.”
The Speedmaster CX 104 – an outstanding powerhouse
Canadian packaging manufacturer Beneco Packaging was established in 2004 and runs production sites in Scarborough and Cobourg, both in Ontario province. Among the company’s over 4,000 customers are businesses that operate in the food, pharmaceutical industry and the cosmetics sector. In 2023, Beneco Packaging acquired a seven-color press with coating unit – a Speedmaster CX 104-7+L – to run alongside a Speedmaster CX 102. The new sheetfed offset printing press has proven to be a cost-effective and flexible production system for runs of all sizes. According to the customer, the rapid makeready processes and high production output of the Speedmaster CX 104 make it an all-round powerhouse, while its very low maintenance requirements result in excellent availability. “We can run the Speedmaster CX 104 with consistently high production output and outstanding print quality,” points out Carol Jiang, President of Beneco Packaging. The company also uses HEIDELBERG solutions in its postpress operations, including two MK Promatrix 106 die cutters and an MK Diana Easy folder gluer.
Web configurator for Speedmaster CX 104 now available
Just like for the Speedmaster XL 106, customers can now use a web configurator for the Speedmaster CX 104 on the HEIDELBERG homepage. The tool at my-cx104.heidelberg.com enables print shops to display their individual Speedmaster CX 104 configuration tailored to their needs. The user-friendly interface guides users through just a few steps to a model that is tailored to their specific production requirements.
First Speedmaster CX 104 delivered to the Philippines
Philippines-based packaging print shop VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc. started as an in-house university print shop. Since 2014, the company has been operating out of a printing center in Valenzuela City, to the north of the capital, Manila. In the early days, it manufactured folding cartons for pencils and packaging for baked goods, but its customer base quickly grew to include manufacturers of muesli and milk products. In 2022, these growing demands led to a sweeping modernization of the company’s production technology that saw VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc. invest in a Speedmaster CX 104. This was the first machine to be installed in the Philippines from what was then a brand new series. At the same time, the company upgraded its postpress technology with an Easymatrix 106, a Diana Easy 115 folder gluer, and a Polar N 115 PF cutter. The entire workflow, from platesetting with Suprasetter technology to sheetfed offset printing and to the gluing of folding cartons, is controlled via Prinect Production.
Owner Enrico Olivares Santos puts his decision to opt for an end-to-end HEIDELBERG system down to the efficiency that has been achieved across all processes. The high level of automation at all production stages and the service provided by the Global Support Team at HEIDELBERG have helped to boost output. When it comes to running their Speedmaster CX 104, VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc. can count on 24/7 service with live video support.
Investing in long-term growth
OKAHASHI Co., Ltd. is one of the leading packaging printers in Japan. Established in 1953, the company is headquartered in Kashihara City, approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Kyoto. It manufactures packaging made of cardboard, polypropylene, or PET for companies in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
In addition to its head office in Kashihara City, OKAHASHI also has sites in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as in Wuxi, in China. In 2024, as part of its expansion, the company invested in a Speedmaster CX 104-7+L, an MK Promatrix 106 FC hot foil embossing machine, and an MK Diana Eye 55 inspection system. “This investment is part of our long-term growth strategy and marks the start of a new era,” explains President Mikio Okahashi.
The Speedmaster CX 104 features impressive reliability and availability. As head of production Masayuki Fujikawa points out, the press produces some 340 orders and 1.5 million sheets every month, with a job change taking 30 minutes on average and waste levels as low as 2 percent. Looking to the future, OKAHASHI sees color management as a strategic priority. In view of the current skills shortage, the company is concentrating on automation and rolling out data-managed processes. The aim is to safeguard the consistency, speed, and quality of the printing process. Since last year, HEIDELBERG has been helping OKAHASHI with process standardization on all the Speedmaster presses the customer is currently using, including the new Speedmaster CX 104, which utilizes Prinect Inpress Control to monitor quality. The project is showing results, with color stability improving and waste volumes down, while the outlay for final inspection has been greatly reduced.
Allied Media triples productivity with the Speedmaster CX 104
Allied Media is a US-based family company headquartered in Fenton, Michigan, that specializes in print and mailing. Its customers include political parties, major automakers, and local businesses. After several years of working with remarketed equipment, Allied Media invested in a brand new Speedmaster CX 104 4. Just three months after commissioning the four-color press, the company had tripled its productivity. “Our success in the printing sector is the result of almost three decades of hard work,” says Randy Rockman, President of Allied Media. He views his company’s turnaround time and delivery to the United States Postal Services as unmatched – just like its dedication to its customers.
Order volumes have steadily grown and had stretched the company to the limits of its capacities. To meet its deadlines, it needed high-performance technology. The company chose a press from HEIDELBERG primarily because of the overwhelmingly positive experience it has had with other systems it has been using, such as a Suprasetter plate-setter, three Versafire digital printing systems, and a Stahlfolder KH 82 folding machine.
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.
Press Officer – Print Systems and Technology
Phone: +49 (0)6222 82 67174
