Herbert Walkers continues £10m expansion with new Speedmaster XL 106
Herbert Walkers will take delivery of its second Speedmaster XL 106 from Heidelberg in June
Over 1,500 international guests have descended on the company’s Wiesloch-Walldorf site in Germany amidst a raft of product and solution announcements
Press manufacturer, HEIDELBERG, is celebrating its 175th anniversary at its newly dubbed Home of Print customer demonstration centre in Wiesloch-Waldorf, Germany.
The company was established on March 11th, 1850, as the Hemmer, Hamm & Co. bell foundry and machine shop in Frankenthal. As well as making bells, the company also made printing presses, which laid the foundations for what the company is today.
To celebrate HEIDELBERG’s history, the business has made a number of announcements for new presses and solutions as well as officially opening its Print Media Center (PMC) with its new look, which the company has branded as the “Home of Print”.
Jürgen Otto, chief executive officer of HEIDELBERG, welcomed visitors, which included customers, suppliers, and politicians, to what the company dubs “the printing industry’s largest customer experience centre anywhere in the world”.
The new Home of Print features various end-to-end production systems and according to HEIDELBERG, tracks the company’s “growth strategy for its core business” and presents “future-proof and specific solutions” that will appeal to relevant target groups.
The centre includes the entire HEIDELBERG portfolio incorporated into a single digital ecosystem which includes software, equipment, robotics, post-press solutions, consumables, training, and consulting.
Dr David Schmedding, chief technology & sales officer at HEIDELBERG, says: “Our Home of Print reflects our growth strategy for our core business, which showcases HEIDELBERG as a collaborative total solution provider and end-to-end systems integrator for packaging and commercial printing.”
The new Print Media Center covers an area of 9,000sq m with no fewer than 120 HEIDELBERG specialists on hand to share expertise and support. Each year the site typically hosts 1,000 personalised presentations and is also home to open house events and guided tours.
Speaking about the company’s anniversary celebrations earlier this year, Schmedding said: “The loyalty of HEIDELBERG customers, partners, and staff is a mainstay of the company’s success. The numerous anniversary activities throughout the year are our way of saying thank you to everyone. At the same time, we want to encourage a shared commitment to shaping the future.”
Coinciding with the anniversary and event, HEIDELBERG has announced a number of releases and solutions. Aimed at packaging customers, the company has unveiled the Cartonmaster CX 145 in format class 6 for the very large-format (VLF) market.
The press is based on the Roland Evolution 900 from manroland sheetfed, representing an interesting collaboration between the two companies. In December last year HEIDELBERG confirmed its partnership with Canon Production Printing which has led to the production of the Jetfire 50 B3 inkjet printing system.
“Our new Cartonmaster CX 145 makes HEIDELBERG a full-range provider for folding carton printing,” says Schmedding. “As part of our growth strategy, we are expanding our range of solutions for the packaging sector and, at the same time, plugging a gap in our portfolio,” Schmedding adds.
HEIDELBERG has also announced it is extending its portfolio for industrial digital printing by integrating post-press solutions from C.P. Bourg and Tecnau into its Jetfire 50 ecosystem. The announcement means Jetfire 50 customers can benefit from a single source for sales, software, service, and consulting.
The company has also highlighted the Stahlfolder Fireline, a concept product for cut and folded products which is also being demonstration in Weisloch-Walldorf as a finishing solution alongside the Jetfire 50.
