DOVER, NH, June 12, 2003 - American Spirit Graphics will add the first Heidelberg Sunday 4000 web press in the United States early next year at its Minneapolis, Minn., headquarters. The order also marks the 200th Sunday press sold worldwide since Heidelberg introduced the revolutionary gapless blanket technology in 1993. "We are absolutely convinced that the Sunday 4000 will give us some unique advantages," according to Darren Carlson, CEO of American Spirit Graphics. "By combining the high pagination of a double-circumference format with gapless technology, we will be offering superb quality, high production speed, faster makereadies and reduced paper waste." Carlson expects an increase in overall productivity, especially on shorter press runs. "Sunday 4000 features, including semi-automatic plate changing and the Omnicon controls, will allow us to complete version changes faster and more economically than was possible on larger format presses in the past," he said. The four-unit Sunday 4000 at American Spirit Graphics will feature a 66-inch web width and 35-inch cylinder circumference. Heidelberg will equip the press with a fully automatic Contiweb FMR splicer, Ecocool dryer with integrated chill rollers, and a PFJ-3 pinless folder. Heidelberg has installed close to 40 double-circumference Sunday 4000 presses worldwide in 32-, 48- and 64-page configurations. These presses run at speeds of up to 15 meters per second (3,000 feet per minute). American Spirit Graphics specializes in direct mail and advertising products, and the new press will enhance production capacity and speed in these target areas. "The 200-press milestone is a clear reflection of the proven print quality, productivity and efficiency advantages web printers have been able to achieve with Sunday technology," according to Heidelberg vice president Ed Young. He notes that gapless Sunday presses are now running in 21 countries. The original Heidelberg Sunday 3000, introduced in 1993, is designed for long-run catalog and publication printing at speeds up to 15 meters per second (3,000 feet per minute). Since then, Heidelberg has added the Sunday 2000 for commercial applications, the Sunday 4000 for high-pagination printing and the Mainstream for newspapers production. Sunday press models designed specifically for insert printing are also available.