Heidelberg Focuses on Small Businesses With End-to-end Solutions, Dedicated Area

KENNESAW, GA—August 7, 2007—Heidelberg will showcase its commitment to small print shop owners at Graph Expo 2007 with a dedicated Small Business solutions area in booth #1200 at McCormick Place in Chicago from September 9 -12. Small business printers can now find everything they need from one place, and Heidelberg will demonstrate many of their small business solutions, including prepress, press, postpress and workflow products, at the show.

“Small businesses are the engine of the printing industry, and Heidelberg offers them the best technology available to remain competitive,” said Joerg Daehnhardt, director of product management for general commercial print, Heidelberg USA. “We recently added many products for small-format operations, specifically in workflow software and CtP devices, to provide the efficiency, quality and support small printers need to set themselves apart in customer service.”

Automation is the key to productivity on any size press, including the user-friendly 2-color Printmaster QM 46. At the show, Heidelberg will demonstrate the press’ versatility on two- and four-color jobs. The Printmaster QM 46’s AutoPlate technology ensures accurate feeding of the plate material without tools, resulting in shorter makereadies and quick job changes. The press at Graph Expo will be equipped with inline perforating and a numbering and imprinting device for special applications such as raffle tickets or checks. Consumables that complement the press will be shown, including Saphira Chemfree Thermal plates and Perfect Dot Blankets.

“It is important for small business owners to get the most return on their investments,” Daehnhardt said. “Adding inline applications such as our perforating and numbering to the Printmaster QM 46 diversifies the services offered by printers to their customers, including forms, invoices and lottery tickets.”

Heidelberg’s extensive prepress solutions work together with the press to minimize waste and aid small printers in starting a job correctly from the first moment it is received. The Prinect MetaDimension 52i turnkey high-value PDF solution offering includes Adobe job ticket RIP with automated PDF trapping and an Adobe Acrobat plug-in application for two-page sheet imposition. This technology can be complemented by Heidelberg’s award-winning color management and proofing technology. MetaDimension 52i can be further automated by adding Prinect Printready P for increased JDF job ticket workflow processing.

Also at Graph Expo, Heidelberg will highlight the results of a successful first year run of its Suprasetter A 52, which debuted at last year’s show. “The Suprasetter A 52 is a cost-effective means of moving into thermal printing plate production,” Daehnhardt said. “It provides a way for small commercial printers to produce quality work with cutting-edge technology.”

Heidelberg’s Prosetter 52 also will be featured for small-format work, and is a perfect entry point for small businesses owners who want to expand into violet, metal CtP platesetting.

On the postpress side, Heidelberg’s POLAR 78 X programmable cutter and Stahlfolder USA B 20 folder represent sophisticated Heidelberg functionality tailored for small business printers. The POLAR 78 X will be shown at Graph Expo in collaboration with the Printmaster QM 46 press. The USA B 20 serves as an easy introduction to folding for small print shops. Visitors can experience the folder’s right-angle folding unit and other features that equip small print shops for increased productivity.

In addition to the products featured in the Small Business solutions area, Heidelberg will promote its Printers Advantage program. Unveiled at Graph Expo 2006, Printers Advantage connects small printers with information, access to Heidelberg experts and business solutions to help them solve problems unique to small businesses. Computers will be available at the booth for those interested in signing up for the program. For more information on Printers Advantage, visit www.printersadvantage.com.

Throughout the tradeshow, visitors are invited to attend the free HEI Tech expert spots at the Heidelberg booth, including the following presentation for small business printers:

Small Business Solutions for Your Advantage: Daily at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Wednesday only: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

For additional information about Heidelberg’s small business solutions, visit www.us.heidelberg.com.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
With a global market share for sheetfed offset printing machines of more than 40 percent, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is the world’s leading solution provider for commercial and industrial customers in the print media industry. Headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, the Company focuses on the entire process and value chain for popular format classes in the sheetfed offset and flexographic printing sectors. Apart from printing presses, the product portfolio includes plate imaging devices and finishing equipment, as well as software components designed to integrate all print manufacturing processes. In addition, Heidelberg offers a wide range of spare parts, consumables, used equipment and services, along with extensive training programs provided by the Print Media Academy. Furthermore, the Company assists its customers’ investment plans by offering financing concepts.