Heidelberg’s Performance Plus Aims to Maximize Performance, Profits

KENNESAW, GA—November 26, 2013—Heidelberg’s new Performance Plus program builds on the company’s traditional strength in service and support to help customers maximize the output of their print shop. With Performance Plus, Heidelberg supports the rapid business transformation of the print media industry by helping print shop owners achieve the full measure of success their Heidelberg investments have the potential to deliver.

Deficiencies in process, maintenance, training, color management and other areas lead to the inefficient use of software, equipment and staff, ultimately resulting in unnecessary production costs and significant unused profit potential. Performance Plus is a results-driven program that is intended to maximize utilization in any or all of these areas, such that customers running Heidelberg equipment can achieve the highest net output from man and machine.

“Heidelberg is the only U.S. print media company to adopt a holistic approach to performance improvement,” said Richard Mack, who directs the Performance Plus program. “Based in Heidelberg’s comprehensive print media expertise from prepress, workflow, press, and postpress through business consulting, Performance Plus uniquely satisfies the rapidly growing demand within the print media industry for increased efficiency and lower operating costs.”

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Performance Plus is a three-step program aimed at maximizing productivity. Initially, a team of Heidelberg experts conducts an on-site Evaluation, beginning with a review of production data and overall processes. Second, based on the results of the initial survey, Heidelberg business consultants determine current productivity levels and Design a set of specific efficiency and cost savings goals, customized to the individual business. The resulting business case becomes part of an integrated master plan listing all necessary activities, including quarterly review milestones. Implementation brings the full scope of Heidelberg’s expertise into play, including all training, service, support, workshop and consulting activities, as needed. Output and savings are tracked on a continuous basis for the duration of project, typically one or two years.

Performance Plus is ideal for companies with annual revenues of more than $10 million using Heidelberg presses manufactured since 2000, which enable Heidelberg to extract performance data and perform remote diagnostics. Organizations that stand to benefit the most from Performance Plus already will have implemented some form of continuous improvement. In all cases, Heidelberg looks to the individual print shop for the willingness to take necessary additional actions to drive Performance Plus internally. Transparency is essential to the success of the project.

A New Way of Doing Things
Contemporary Graphic Solutions (Pennsauken, NJ) has found Heidelberg’s Performance Plus to be a valuable adjunct to its own company-wide continuous improvement initiatives. Two months into the project, the company has made considerable progress toward attaining a targeted 30 percent performance increase by reducing make-ready times and boosting the output of its Heidelberg presses. “No matter how well-managed, efficient and productive a business is, there’s always room for improvement,” noted Tim Moreton, president of CGS. “We are delighted with our progress thus far, and with Heidelberg’s help, look forward to achieving even higher levels of operational efficiency.”

Performance Plus is a low-risk, results-driven program funded by 50 percent of the total savings achieved by the performance increase. There is no up-front cost to the customer.

“With Performance Plus, Heidelberg becomes the company’s proactive partner in establishing best practices and implementing processes designed to realize significant savings in production, as well as the pre-production phase from request for quote to prepress,” relayed Oliver Demus, Director, Business Consulting for Heidelberg USA. “The method of Value Stream Mapping in the beginning of these projects generates team-building and motivation, and helps companies identify areas for improvement throughout the shop.”

Source: Heidelberg.