Annan & Bird Purchases a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 162 VLF Press

A Collaborative, Fact-Based Approach
Heidelberg’s Business Consulting Team worked closely with Consolidated Graphics to perform a comprehensive, fact-based analysis of Annan & Bird’s overall productivity.

Typically, after reviewing a customer’s plans for capital investment, Heidelberg’s Business Consulting team can often recommend the most economical equipment choice by calculating the likely savings that can be achieved by replacing older, less productive presses with a new machine. Because Annan & Bird’s Production Audit was based on actual data retrieved from the company’s own MIS, results of the analysis were notable both for their objectivity as well as for their practical application in the selection of the Speedmaster XL 162 in a configuration that would best meet the company’s needs.

“This was a data-driven process. We used our own data and job files to highlight the differences between presses and reveal the best choice for Annan & Bird, and in the end all that analysis simplified our purchase decision,” said Ric Davis, Executive Vice President, Purchasing and Operations for Consolidated Graphics. “This strategic investment further strengthens our offset printing capabilities, and in particular, boosts Annan & Bird’s commitment to its packaging business.”

In addition to considering run length, number of units and other variables, detailed product testing conducted during two visits by Annan & Bird to Heidelberg’s Hall 11 in Wiesloch, Germany, were key to selecting the 64˝ press. There, Heidelberg was able to demonstrate the XL 162’s capability to pull disparate jobs quickly and accurately into color and register at 15,000 sph without slowing or stopping the press, thanks largely to Prinect Inpress Control, Heidelberg’s in-line register and color measurement and control solution.