Heidelberg

Every printer knows that what happens to the sheet after it is printed is no less critical to the success of the job than the laydown of the inks and the coatings. Offering more postpress and finishing solutions (including digital in-line and near-line) than any other supplier, Heidelberg will capitalize on its presence at drupa 2012 to showcase the value its systems can add in these areas throughout the show.

Of the many hundreds of exhibitors preparing to take part in drupa 2012, none can match the breadth of Heidelberg’s product line or the diversity of services it offers. As the only manufacturer to offer equipment, workflow and services covering the entire value-added chain for packaging printing, for example, Heidelberg will reinforce its focus on the packaging market with solutions that will enable packaging printers to offer an expanded range of applications to their customers.

Heidelberg will present its entire digital print portfolio under the Linoprint name at drupa 2012. The brand message is that offset and digital processes can be truly complimentary—and consistently profitable—when both are integrated properly and production managed fluidly between them.

A common thread running through nearly everything Heidelberg makes is Prinect, a comprehensive line of software solutions for production control, color quality and stability, and business management. Many of these products will be found at drupa 2012 under the banners HEI Integration, HEI Productivity, HEI Flexibility, and HEI End.

The Printmaster GTO 52 from Heidelberg turns 40 this year. The GTO, which stands for Grosser Tiegel Offset (large platen offset), was unveiled at drupa 1972. The GTO’s format (14.17x20.47˝) established a new class in professional high-quality offset printing.

At drupa 2012, Heidelberg will present its offset portfolio in three categories: Speedmaster SM and CD, Speedmaster SX and CX, and Speedmaster XL. These product lines represent the industry’s widest range of choices for sheetfed offset printing, providing an optimal solution for every production requirement.

Adding star power to the Super Shop 9 open house this past Saturday, Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger spent more than an hour touring the new $3 million state-of-the-art printing facility at Venice High School. Improvements to the shop and equipment upgrades, including installation of a four-color Heidelberg sheetfed press, where completed last year.

Heidelberg has announced the following new prepress, press and postpress product installations by Carded Graphics, Precision Graphics of Oregon, Chippewa Graphics, Fidelity Printing and North Star Printing. Carded Graphics became the first U.S. printer to install Heidelberg’s internally integrated Prinect Inspection Control visual inspection system.

Just before Easter, Heidelberg gained entry to Hall 1 and over the holidays large parts of the infrastructure were installed such as lighting, sound, and cabling in the floor and along the ceiling. The Tuesday after Easter saw assembly of the machines get underway. Two weeks later, on April 23, Heidelberg aims to begin testing all the assembled machines to ensure they are fully functional. Everything needs to be ready on the afternoon of May 2, barring a few smaller jobs.

Heidelberg has extended its digital portfolio with emphasis on affordable, high-quality production solutions for the entry-level market. Several new machines from EFI Rastek, EFI VUTEk and Ricoh are included in the current launch.