Heidelberg to Take Customers’ Businesses to the 'Next Level' at PRINTING United Expo

With an innovative Ecosystem of solutions designed to take its customers’ businesses – regardless of size or segment – to the “Next Level,” HEIDELBERG USA will exhibit in Booth N1643 at PRINTING United Expo in Las Vegas, NV, October 19-21, 2022. HEIDELBERG’s booth will feature an end-to-end modular Smart Print Shop, which integrates People, Process, and Technology – aimed at demonstrating customers’ potential for digital transformation across the entire manufacturing supply chain.

“Our customers today are facing a plenitude of issues – inflation, supply chain interruptions, lack of skilled labor,” said Felix Mueller, President of HEIDELBERG North America. “At PRINTING United we want to show them that three elements – People, Process, and Technology – are key to surviving not only today’s challenges but whatever arises in the future. HEIDELBERG is invested in helping our customers thrive in these areas and accelerate their businesses to the next level.”

Linking Technology & Process via The Smart Print Shop

Highlighting its “Technology” solutions, HEIDELBERG will demonstrate a scalable Smart Print Shop, which includes the new Speedmaster CX 104, Versafire EP digital press, POLAR N 137 PRO cutter, and Stahlfolder 66 SSP – all connected via Prinect Production & Business Manager. At the show, the Speedmaster CX 104 will be equipped with IST UV (HEIDELBERG’s partner in Booth N1643) and the patented, navigated Push-to-Stop technology. The new press has quickly become popular amongst commercial and packaging printers due to its flexibility and key features that drive performance. Offering a brand-new format size and ergonomic design, the CX 104 includes the HEIDELBERG User Experience, which together with the Intellistart 3 system and a whole host of assistance systems, ensure short makeready times and the best possible support for operators.

HEIDELBERG will also feature the Versafire EP with Prinect Digital Front End in its Smart Print Shop in Las Vegas. Over 300 printers in the US have selected the Versafire for its high-quality digital print, versatile substrate range, and low cost of ownership. Downstream in the Smart Print Shop, print jobs will be finished on the POLAR N 137 PRO cutter with image process visualization, which aids operators even with complex cutting sequences, and the Stahlfolder 66 SSP. The Stahlfolder SSP boosts process efficiency thanks to its three shafts for scoring, slitting, and perforating combined with folding and feeding from a flatbed feeder.

While individual products will be available for demonstration, HEIDELBERG can help customers build an entire Smart Print Shop by seamlessly connecting each part of the manufacturing “Process” via its Prinect Production Manager. This integration gives customers the ability to control and optimize their production and business processes intelligently. Using cloud-based tools to drive print shop analytics and artificial intelligence to make performance recommendations, HEIDELBERG is helping its customers maximize both efficiency and output.

The Key Element – People

“Many companies in our industry have focused solely on developing ‘technology’ and ‘process’ solutions for their customers. What they’ve neglected, and what some would say is the most important element of the Ecosystem, is ‘people’,” said Clarence Penge, Executive Vice President of Product Management for HEIDELBERG USA. “As an industry leader, we are obligated to educate and train our workforce in a new way – from a manufacturing performance mindset – to ensure they know what is possible both now and, in the future.”

Looking to the longevity of the industry, HEIDELBERG recently restructured its Print Media Center with a strong focus on training programs designed to build and grow the skills of current and future operators and print industry professionals. The newly named Print Media Performance & Training Center, located in Kennesaw, Georgia, officially “opened” its doors to customers earlier this year. Seeing training as an industry critical need, HEIDELBERG will offer most of the classes in the Performance and Training Center to participants for free. HEIDELBERG already hosted its first three classes, Sheetfed Feeder Training, Quality Printing, Commercial Folder Basics, in August. To see a current schedule of classes, click here.

“It is our responsibility to link the people, process, and technology to ensure our customers’ success,” said Penge. “Investing in all three areas are key to propelling their businesses to the next level.”

Further efforts to build up the pipeline of new workers in the industry include HEIDELBERG’s active Apprenticeship Program. Additionally, at PRINTING United, HEIDELBERG will donate $1.00 for every badge scan in Booth N1643 to SkillsUSA, a nonprofit national education association that serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, which includes Graphic Communications. HEIDELBERG’s efforts are also part of a charitable partnership it started with Ricoh at PRINTING United in 2019 to give back and raise awareness for various causes. For every badge scanned at Ricoh’s Booth N1928, a donation will be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

Customers will have the opportunity to learn about HEIDELBERG’s full Ecosystem of solutions in Booth N1643 at PRINTING United. An overview and demonstration of the Smart Print Shop in action will be given three times daily at 9:30AM, 11:30AM, and 2:00PM. Additional information about the presentations, HEIDELBERG’s press conference, and other information about PRINTING United will be announced on HEIDELBERG’s landing page.

Source: Heidelberg

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with In-plant Impressions. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of In-plant Impressions.