Heidelberg Debuts 40" Speedmaster CX 102 Press

KENNESAW, GA—Combining some of the innovations developed for its Peak Performance Class Speedmaster XL 105 press with the long-standing success of the Speedmaster CD 102 platform, Heidelberg USA hosted some 100 commercial, label and package printers at its headquarters here earlier this week for the North American launch of the Speedmaster CX 102 press, which debuted at IPEX earlier this year.

Designed to fill the gap between the Speedmaster XL 105 and CD 102, "the CX 102 launch is the right press, at the right time," noted Clarence Penge, vice president of sheetfed product management, while providing an overview of the new press design. Able to reach speeds of 16,500 sph, the short-makeready CX 102 fits nicely between the 18,000 sph XL 105 and the 15,000 sph CD 102, he said.

Capable of printing thin paper, heavy board stock and difficult substrates, the new press incorporates the gripper system and cylinder bearings found on the XL 105 with a new, stronger printing unit design. The CX 102 is also equipped with the XL 105's fully automated Preset Plus feeder, Preset Plus delivery and dynamic sheet brake. All settings are controlled centrally by the Prinect Press Center with wallscreen integrated with the Prinect Axis Control, Image Control, and the spectrophotmetric Inpress Control color and register measurement system. Jim Mauro, Prinect press control systems product manager, also provided an overview of Heidelberg's Image Control "Next Generation" system, which will be available early next year.

The six-color, 40˝ Speedmaster CX 102 with coater demonstrated at Heidelberg's North American Printing and Packaging Technology Center ran three separate jobs to showcase its fast job changeover capabilities, high print quality and maximum running speed. Optional demonstrations were also provided of Heidelberg's Dymatrix Pro 106 CSB diecutter and Diana X 115 folder/gluer.

As attendees first arrived, they passed by a red Unisource 18-wheeler truck that was parked in front of the Heidelberg USA headquarters facility to highlight the national distribution and bundling agreement announced last June between the two companies. Currently being rolled out in stages starting in the Southeast, customers will have single-source access to Unisource paper and Heidelberg Saphira consumables. They will be delivered from Unisource's roughly 85 distribution centers for, in many cases, same-day order and delivery.

During the welcome dinner on Tuesday, Heidelberg USA President Jim Dunn announced that Atlanta-based Offset Press had received the first "real-life" order as part of the new distribution arrangement. "They made their order this morning, and it was on their loading dock late this afternoon," he revealed.