Heidelberg Technologies Upgrade Quality, Productivity at Print Shops Nationwide
09/02/2008
KENNESAW, Ga. - September 2, 2008 - Heidelberg USA announces the
following new product installations:
Heidelberg Prepress, Press and Postpress Improvements Help Neuform Graphics Switch Gears, Markets
After more than 18 years in printing, Neuform Graphics is shifting its focus from general commercial work to security printing for college diplomas and transcripts. An endeavor of this magnitude required the help of a strategic partner that could offer the latest technologies to keep Neuform Graphics successful: Heidelberg. With its new focus in mind, Neuform Graphics recently installed a new Suprasetter A52 platesetter as well as a 5-color Printmaster PM 52 with perfector in its shop. "We were running direct-to-plate on polyester plates, and we needed a more streamlined workflow," Owner Dean Miller said. "We installed the Prinect workflow system from Heidelberg along with the Suprasetter A52 in order to increase our productivity and improve quality." Heidelberg's Saphira Chemfree thermal plates are in use with the new platesetter. Along with co-owner and spouse Karen Miller, he also decided to replace a competitive sheetfed press with the PM 52. "We are already able to produce more than three times as much as we could with our old press, and we are reaping the benefits of the perfecting capabilities coupled with higher resolution and speed," Miller said. The fifth unit allows the company to run security varnishes. Neuform Graphics also recently finalized the installation of a new Stahlfolder B 20 folder from Heidelberg. The B 20 folder, which is designed to deliver superior flexibility for small-format folding, was installed to extend the trend of higher productivity and higher quality to Neuform Graphics' bindery. Neuform Graphics is now well on its way to becoming an all-Heidelberg operation. "Security printing is a new and evolving market that requires that the right pieces of equipment are in place at the right time," Miller said. "Counterfeit diplomas are a $1.2 billion industry, which is why we went from our 18-year background of designing transcripts and diplomas to focus on stopping the counterfeit market." Along with its Cincinnati division, Guardian Academics, Neuform Graphics is one of the first North American shops to work with Heidelberg on new hidden image technology. Neuform Graphics currently employs seven at its Cincinnati, Ohio shop.
Oregon Printing Reports Increased Productivity with Printmaster PM 52
Oregon Printing in Dayton, Ohio is truly a business in transition. Since its opening in 1976, the company has progressed from a simple, two-color operation to a full-color general commercial print shop that is committed to investing in the latest technologies. Owner Judd Plattenburg, who bought the shop in 2000, recently invested in a new 5-color Printmaster PM 52 from Heidelberg. Along with Bob Allbery, production manager and co-owner, Plattenburg decided to install the new press to help with production bottlenecks that had built up in the pressroom, and had his eye on the PM 52 since witnessing the press in action at the 2007 Graph Expo in Chicago. "The PM 52 has changed our whole shop with the amount of production we are now able to accomplish," Plattenburg said. "Set-up time has dramatically decreased, and overall the press has really helped us change over to a full-color shop. We no longer worry when difficult jobs come through the door." With an ultimate goal of becoming an all-Heidelberg shop, Oregon Printing already runs two Stahlfolders, one POLAR cutter and a Printmaster QM 46 press. Since the PM 52 installation, the shop has seen a boost in sales. "Many of our customers want to see the PM 52 in action, so we invite them in for tours," Plattenburg said. "Seeing truly is believing, and when our customers see the quality work and speed that the PM 52 produces, they are instantly convinced." Oregon Printing uses Heidelberg Saphira Consumables on the new press. With a little help from Heidelberg, Oregon Printing is on track for a 20 percent increase in sales this year.
Stahlfolder Latest Heidelberg Addition for California Shop
For Dave Handmaker, president of Nextdayflyers.com in Rancho Dominguez, Calif., relationships and reliability were the key factors in choosing a new Stahlfolder TH 82 folder from Heidelberg. "We've had a relationship with Heidelberg for a long time," Handmaker said. "Our sales rep helped us think through workflow and planning. We felt comfortable that we were getting a machine that would perform for us day in and day out and also that the service would be there when we needed it." Nextdayflyers.com is an Web-to-print company specializing in short-run full-color work on a variety of different paper stocks, making high quality and fast turnarounds crucial. The shop already depended on a host of Heidelberg equipment - including a Topsetter P 74 platesetter, a 6-color Speedmaster SM 74 press with inline UV coating, an old Heidelberg Windmill and two POLAR cutters - thus staying "all-Heidelberg" with a new Stahlfolder was an easy choice. "Our customers are very demanding in terms of color accuracy and the overall quality of the finished product," Handmaker said. "We feel the folding has to fall within those high standards as well." Nextdayflyers.com was founded 10 years ago as a broker. Now the shop runs three shifts with 70 employees in a 36,000-square-foot facility. "Heidelberg's reputation aligns perfectly with what our customers expect from us," Handmaker said. "We have a next-day turnaround time on a lot of the work we do. We need equipment that's going to be up and running all the time. And we've found that to be the case with Heidelberg."
Heidelberg Technology the Best Fit for Web Litho Inc.
The mantra for family-owned and -operated Web Litho Inc. is that "service, quality, price and commitment equal value." In order to continue delivering on those promises while making top-quality plates, the team at Web Litho recently installed a new Suprasetter A74 platesetter from Heidelberg. The new Suprasetter replaces an older-model competitive platesetter as part of Web Litho's overall goal of becoming a completely integrated, all-Heidelberg shop. "Eventually, we would like to have an entirely streamlined shop that is connected with Heidelberg's Prinect workflow system," Production Manager Tom Bellaver said. "The new Suprasetter A74 is our first 'connected' device, and we love the automation and quality results we are experiencing." Web Litho is using Heidelberg Saphira Chemfree thermal plates on the new Suprasetter. The commercial offset shop currently runs four Heidelberg presses, along with a full bindery of Heidelberg Stitchmaster stitchers, POLAR cutters and Stahlfolder folders. "As we continue to upgrade in the future, our relationship with Heidelberg will be key to automating every area of our shop," Bellaver said. "The solutions that Heidelberg offers us are simply the best fit for our company and our future." The Sterling Heights, Mich. plant currently houses 12 employees.
VISOgraphic Upgrades Bindery with Stitcher and Folder from Heidelberg
VISOgraphic, a general commercial shop in Burr Ridge, Ill., recently added a Stitchmaster ST 350 saddlestitcher and a Stahlfolder TH 82 folder from Heidelberg to its postpress lineup. With a pressroom and bindery full of Heidelberg equipment, the employees at VISOgraphic are no strangers to Heidelberg's performance and efficiency - and the new stitcher and folder have only increased productivity across the shop. "We are running jobs that take 30 to 40 percent less time, even with less labor," said Vice President John Dahlke in reference to the ST 350's performance. "It has been a fantastic production enhancement. The operators love it." Dahlke said ancillary equipment such as the stacker and waste extractor help keep productivity high, and the overall technology on both machines enables employees to work faster and easier. "We love the new air stream register on the TH 82. The new technology gives us better stability and higher production speeds." The shop also runs 8-color and 5-color Speedmaster CD 102 presses, both with coaters, plus a 4-color Speedmaster SM 102 with perfector, and a 5-color Printmaster PM 52 and 2-color Printmaster QM 46 in the pressroom. Rounding out the bindery are two existing Stahlfolders and two POLAR cutters, plus the new stitcher and folder. Service is another reason VISOgraphic chooses Heidelberg. "If a machine goes down, we can get it back up in 24 hours, and that has been consistently true with Heidelberg over the years," Dahlke said. "From boards to mechanical parts to service, that's just been phenomenal."
AlphaGraphics Adds Second Printmaster QM 46 Press from Heidelberg
Rob Kammer, who owns two AlphaGraphics franchises in the Cleveland, Ohio area, has a unique perspective on buying sheetfed presses - for 16 years he was a Heidelberg sales rep. Kammer bought his first Heidelberg press - a 2-color Printmaster QM 46 - shortly after leaving sales and opening his own print shop in 1999. And thanks to continued growth, he recently installed a second QM 46. "The choice to install this press was not a difficult one," Kammer said. "We've had one for eight years and it still works well. The fast makeready, autoplate and common blanket are really what I need - and what we sell to our customers." Kammer also runs a POLAR 66 cutter from Heidelberg. "Heidelberg takes very good care of us," he said. "It's all first-rate, and I would not expect any less."
New Speedmaster CD 102 Press from Heidelberg Helps Allied Printing Expand
Allied Printing recently turned to Heidelberg for its first foray into the 40-inch market - a new 6-color Speedmaster CD 102 press with coater - and the business results are already apparent. A general commercial printer in Ferndale, Mich., Allied was founded in 1972 as a letterpress shop with 10 employees. Today it's a full-service print house with 80 employees providing fulfillment, distribution, mailing and database services, plus digital and offset printing. For Allied, which had a long tradition of running Heidelberg equipment, the decision to stay with Heidelberg was easy. "We've always been a Heidelberg shop," said Tony Pelc, Allied's vice president of operations. "In our opinion, Heidelberg provides the best quality. We were very comfortable with the technology, the support and the level of service." Until its latest press installation, the shop had focused on half-size formats. The larger 40-inch press is already paying off in terms of new business. "It has opened up tremendous opportunities for us," Pelc said. "Fifty percent of what we are running currently we would have never had a shot at before." Allied also added a new Stahlfolder TH 82 to bring its postpress capabilities in line with the larger format press. "The folder is amazing," Pelc said. "It is everything we thought it would be." The shop also runs a Speedmaster SM 74 press and a Stahlfolder folder from Heidelberg. "We're looking at future growth, and we placed a heavy emphasis on partnering with companies we thought would take us to the next level," Pelc said. "We're really comfortable with Heidelberg."
POLAR Cutter from Heidelberg Produces Superior Results for Maryland Trade Binder
As a trade-specific bindery, Superior Binding Inc. depends on reliable postpress equipment that can produce quality results with quick turnaround. The company recently replaced an aging cutter at its Glen Burnie, Md. location with a new POLAR 137 XT cutter from Heidelberg. "After experiencing more than 20 years of reliable output with our older POLAR cutter, we decided to upgrade to the latest technology," General Manager Jay Brigenberg said. "We have three other POLAR cutters in our shop already, and the new POLAR 137 XT fits right into our operation." Superior Binding also runs six Heidelberg Stahlfolders and two old Heidelberg letterpress machines, which it still uses for die cutting purposes. With more than 50 employees, Superior Binding's team is glad to know that they can rely on their new POLAR cutter for the next 20 years and beyond.
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.
Heidelberg is most active within the major OECD industrial regions and is expanding its involvement within growing markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe. With development and production sites in six countries and some 250 sales offices worldwide, the Company offers services to more than 200,000 customers around the globe. Heidelberg generates 85 percent of global sales through company-owned sales offices and above 85 percent outside of Germany. In fiscal year 2007/2008, Heidelberg achieved sales of Euro 3.670 billion referring to the divisions Press, Postpress and Financial Services as well as a net profit of Euro 142 million.
As of March, 31, 2008, the Group employed 19,596 staff worldwide.
Editorial Contact:
Manning Selvage & Lee
Lelia King
404-870-6844
Email: lelia.king@mslpr.com .
Heidelberg Prepress, Press and Postpress Improvements Help Neuform Graphics Switch Gears, Markets
After more than 18 years in printing, Neuform Graphics is shifting its focus from general commercial work to security printing for college diplomas and transcripts. An endeavor of this magnitude required the help of a strategic partner that could offer the latest technologies to keep Neuform Graphics successful: Heidelberg. With its new focus in mind, Neuform Graphics recently installed a new Suprasetter A52 platesetter as well as a 5-color Printmaster PM 52 with perfector in its shop. "We were running direct-to-plate on polyester plates, and we needed a more streamlined workflow," Owner Dean Miller said. "We installed the Prinect workflow system from Heidelberg along with the Suprasetter A52 in order to increase our productivity and improve quality." Heidelberg's Saphira Chemfree thermal plates are in use with the new platesetter. Along with co-owner and spouse Karen Miller, he also decided to replace a competitive sheetfed press with the PM 52. "We are already able to produce more than three times as much as we could with our old press, and we are reaping the benefits of the perfecting capabilities coupled with higher resolution and speed," Miller said. The fifth unit allows the company to run security varnishes. Neuform Graphics also recently finalized the installation of a new Stahlfolder B 20 folder from Heidelberg. The B 20 folder, which is designed to deliver superior flexibility for small-format folding, was installed to extend the trend of higher productivity and higher quality to Neuform Graphics' bindery. Neuform Graphics is now well on its way to becoming an all-Heidelberg operation. "Security printing is a new and evolving market that requires that the right pieces of equipment are in place at the right time," Miller said. "Counterfeit diplomas are a $1.2 billion industry, which is why we went from our 18-year background of designing transcripts and diplomas to focus on stopping the counterfeit market." Along with its Cincinnati division, Guardian Academics, Neuform Graphics is one of the first North American shops to work with Heidelberg on new hidden image technology. Neuform Graphics currently employs seven at its Cincinnati, Ohio shop.
Oregon Printing Reports Increased Productivity with Printmaster PM 52
Oregon Printing in Dayton, Ohio is truly a business in transition. Since its opening in 1976, the company has progressed from a simple, two-color operation to a full-color general commercial print shop that is committed to investing in the latest technologies. Owner Judd Plattenburg, who bought the shop in 2000, recently invested in a new 5-color Printmaster PM 52 from Heidelberg. Along with Bob Allbery, production manager and co-owner, Plattenburg decided to install the new press to help with production bottlenecks that had built up in the pressroom, and had his eye on the PM 52 since witnessing the press in action at the 2007 Graph Expo in Chicago. "The PM 52 has changed our whole shop with the amount of production we are now able to accomplish," Plattenburg said. "Set-up time has dramatically decreased, and overall the press has really helped us change over to a full-color shop. We no longer worry when difficult jobs come through the door." With an ultimate goal of becoming an all-Heidelberg shop, Oregon Printing already runs two Stahlfolders, one POLAR cutter and a Printmaster QM 46 press. Since the PM 52 installation, the shop has seen a boost in sales. "Many of our customers want to see the PM 52 in action, so we invite them in for tours," Plattenburg said. "Seeing truly is believing, and when our customers see the quality work and speed that the PM 52 produces, they are instantly convinced." Oregon Printing uses Heidelberg Saphira Consumables on the new press. With a little help from Heidelberg, Oregon Printing is on track for a 20 percent increase in sales this year.
Stahlfolder Latest Heidelberg Addition for California Shop
For Dave Handmaker, president of Nextdayflyers.com in Rancho Dominguez, Calif., relationships and reliability were the key factors in choosing a new Stahlfolder TH 82 folder from Heidelberg. "We've had a relationship with Heidelberg for a long time," Handmaker said. "Our sales rep helped us think through workflow and planning. We felt comfortable that we were getting a machine that would perform for us day in and day out and also that the service would be there when we needed it." Nextdayflyers.com is an Web-to-print company specializing in short-run full-color work on a variety of different paper stocks, making high quality and fast turnarounds crucial. The shop already depended on a host of Heidelberg equipment - including a Topsetter P 74 platesetter, a 6-color Speedmaster SM 74 press with inline UV coating, an old Heidelberg Windmill and two POLAR cutters - thus staying "all-Heidelberg" with a new Stahlfolder was an easy choice. "Our customers are very demanding in terms of color accuracy and the overall quality of the finished product," Handmaker said. "We feel the folding has to fall within those high standards as well." Nextdayflyers.com was founded 10 years ago as a broker. Now the shop runs three shifts with 70 employees in a 36,000-square-foot facility. "Heidelberg's reputation aligns perfectly with what our customers expect from us," Handmaker said. "We have a next-day turnaround time on a lot of the work we do. We need equipment that's going to be up and running all the time. And we've found that to be the case with Heidelberg."
Heidelberg Technology the Best Fit for Web Litho Inc.
The mantra for family-owned and -operated Web Litho Inc. is that "service, quality, price and commitment equal value." In order to continue delivering on those promises while making top-quality plates, the team at Web Litho recently installed a new Suprasetter A74 platesetter from Heidelberg. The new Suprasetter replaces an older-model competitive platesetter as part of Web Litho's overall goal of becoming a completely integrated, all-Heidelberg shop. "Eventually, we would like to have an entirely streamlined shop that is connected with Heidelberg's Prinect workflow system," Production Manager Tom Bellaver said. "The new Suprasetter A74 is our first 'connected' device, and we love the automation and quality results we are experiencing." Web Litho is using Heidelberg Saphira Chemfree thermal plates on the new Suprasetter. The commercial offset shop currently runs four Heidelberg presses, along with a full bindery of Heidelberg Stitchmaster stitchers, POLAR cutters and Stahlfolder folders. "As we continue to upgrade in the future, our relationship with Heidelberg will be key to automating every area of our shop," Bellaver said. "The solutions that Heidelberg offers us are simply the best fit for our company and our future." The Sterling Heights, Mich. plant currently houses 12 employees.
VISOgraphic Upgrades Bindery with Stitcher and Folder from Heidelberg
VISOgraphic, a general commercial shop in Burr Ridge, Ill., recently added a Stitchmaster ST 350 saddlestitcher and a Stahlfolder TH 82 folder from Heidelberg to its postpress lineup. With a pressroom and bindery full of Heidelberg equipment, the employees at VISOgraphic are no strangers to Heidelberg's performance and efficiency - and the new stitcher and folder have only increased productivity across the shop. "We are running jobs that take 30 to 40 percent less time, even with less labor," said Vice President John Dahlke in reference to the ST 350's performance. "It has been a fantastic production enhancement. The operators love it." Dahlke said ancillary equipment such as the stacker and waste extractor help keep productivity high, and the overall technology on both machines enables employees to work faster and easier. "We love the new air stream register on the TH 82. The new technology gives us better stability and higher production speeds." The shop also runs 8-color and 5-color Speedmaster CD 102 presses, both with coaters, plus a 4-color Speedmaster SM 102 with perfector, and a 5-color Printmaster PM 52 and 2-color Printmaster QM 46 in the pressroom. Rounding out the bindery are two existing Stahlfolders and two POLAR cutters, plus the new stitcher and folder. Service is another reason VISOgraphic chooses Heidelberg. "If a machine goes down, we can get it back up in 24 hours, and that has been consistently true with Heidelberg over the years," Dahlke said. "From boards to mechanical parts to service, that's just been phenomenal."
AlphaGraphics Adds Second Printmaster QM 46 Press from Heidelberg
Rob Kammer, who owns two AlphaGraphics franchises in the Cleveland, Ohio area, has a unique perspective on buying sheetfed presses - for 16 years he was a Heidelberg sales rep. Kammer bought his first Heidelberg press - a 2-color Printmaster QM 46 - shortly after leaving sales and opening his own print shop in 1999. And thanks to continued growth, he recently installed a second QM 46. "The choice to install this press was not a difficult one," Kammer said. "We've had one for eight years and it still works well. The fast makeready, autoplate and common blanket are really what I need - and what we sell to our customers." Kammer also runs a POLAR 66 cutter from Heidelberg. "Heidelberg takes very good care of us," he said. "It's all first-rate, and I would not expect any less."
New Speedmaster CD 102 Press from Heidelberg Helps Allied Printing Expand
Allied Printing recently turned to Heidelberg for its first foray into the 40-inch market - a new 6-color Speedmaster CD 102 press with coater - and the business results are already apparent. A general commercial printer in Ferndale, Mich., Allied was founded in 1972 as a letterpress shop with 10 employees. Today it's a full-service print house with 80 employees providing fulfillment, distribution, mailing and database services, plus digital and offset printing. For Allied, which had a long tradition of running Heidelberg equipment, the decision to stay with Heidelberg was easy. "We've always been a Heidelberg shop," said Tony Pelc, Allied's vice president of operations. "In our opinion, Heidelberg provides the best quality. We were very comfortable with the technology, the support and the level of service." Until its latest press installation, the shop had focused on half-size formats. The larger 40-inch press is already paying off in terms of new business. "It has opened up tremendous opportunities for us," Pelc said. "Fifty percent of what we are running currently we would have never had a shot at before." Allied also added a new Stahlfolder TH 82 to bring its postpress capabilities in line with the larger format press. "The folder is amazing," Pelc said. "It is everything we thought it would be." The shop also runs a Speedmaster SM 74 press and a Stahlfolder folder from Heidelberg. "We're looking at future growth, and we placed a heavy emphasis on partnering with companies we thought would take us to the next level," Pelc said. "We're really comfortable with Heidelberg."
POLAR Cutter from Heidelberg Produces Superior Results for Maryland Trade Binder
As a trade-specific bindery, Superior Binding Inc. depends on reliable postpress equipment that can produce quality results with quick turnaround. The company recently replaced an aging cutter at its Glen Burnie, Md. location with a new POLAR 137 XT cutter from Heidelberg. "After experiencing more than 20 years of reliable output with our older POLAR cutter, we decided to upgrade to the latest technology," General Manager Jay Brigenberg said. "We have three other POLAR cutters in our shop already, and the new POLAR 137 XT fits right into our operation." Superior Binding also runs six Heidelberg Stahlfolders and two old Heidelberg letterpress machines, which it still uses for die cutting purposes. With more than 50 employees, Superior Binding's team is glad to know that they can rely on their new POLAR cutter for the next 20 years and beyond.
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.
Heidelberg is most active within the major OECD industrial regions and is expanding its involvement within growing markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe. With development and production sites in six countries and some 250 sales offices worldwide, the Company offers services to more than 200,000 customers around the globe. Heidelberg generates 85 percent of global sales through company-owned sales offices and above 85 percent outside of Germany. In fiscal year 2007/2008, Heidelberg achieved sales of Euro 3.670 billion referring to the divisions Press, Postpress and Financial Services as well as a net profit of Euro 142 million.
As of March, 31, 2008, the Group employed 19,596 staff worldwide.
Editorial Contact:
Manning Selvage & Lee
Lelia King
404-870-6844
Email: lelia.king@mslpr.com .
