KENNESAW, Ga., April 6, 2005 – Print media industry leader Heidelberg recently installed a four-color Printmaster PM 52 press and a Prosetter 52 computer-to-metal plate (CtP) system at Collins Digital Imaging Inc., a full-service commercial print shop and digital photography studio located in downtown Atlanta. Collins Printing began as Franklin's Copy Service Inc. in 1971, started by Hal and Jeanne Collins and their two sons, Dana and David. The company grew rapidly by opening shops in strategic locations around Atlanta. In 1976, Hal Collins franchised the business and eventually sold the seventy-franchise chain to ICED. In November 2002, the downtown Atlanta location changed its name to Collins Printing, incorporating the design, printing and copying business along with digital photography services. Recently, Collins has set out to modernize the equipment at Collins Printing in order to maintain a competitive edge. With the addition of the shop’s first four-color press and the transition to CtP, Collins has been able to eliminate waste in terms of both time and labor. In addition, his business has become more cost-effective overall. “With the industry moving into the digital age, we needed to expand our capabilities and upgrade our equipment,” said Collins. “Since the installation, we have been able to take in more four-color jobs, and we have the opportunity to bring in new customers. We decided to buy from Heidelberg because of the name recognition. Due to the company’s excellent reputation in the marketplace, Heidelberg equipment gives a shop instant credibility.” The Printmaster PM 52 is specifically geared towards the needs of small and medium-sized print shops wishing to grow their business in multicolor offset printing. This flexible press meets all requirements by combining a broad spectrum of models, available from one to five printing units, with a sturdy and reliable design as well as an intuitive operating concept. In addition, a variety of optional features allow for improved press performance and decreased makeready. For printers wanting to reach the next level with the Printmaster PM 52, an extremely reliable stream feeder, oscillating form rollers, a strong inking unit and an easy press control are standard features - matching the functionality and print quality of larger presses. Additional automated options include Autoplate, the remote console "Prinect Classic Center" for ink key and register control, blanket washers and fully automated perfecting. “Recently, we’ve noticed that there is growing interest in four-color offset presses within the small-format market,” said Joerg Daehnhardt, Heidelberg product management, small format. “With the modernization of the industry, shops like Collins Printing are upgrading from two-color to four-color presses in order to consolidate resources and expand capabilities. Heidelberg offers the Printmaster PM 52 as a flexible and growth-oriented solution for customers who want to make a long-term investment towards increasing productivity.” While the installation of the new press has expanded the shop’s capabilities, Collins notes that the quality of the plate has improved dramatically with the Prosetter 52 violet platesetter. The Prosetter 52, by handling up to 20 plates per hour, can cope with even the highest throughput requirements. In addition, the machine is designed to upgrade easily from semi-automatic to fully automatic plate loading, for growing businesses such as Collins Printing. “When we decided to upgrade from film to direct-to-plate, we chose metal over polyester plates because we were concerned with quality and longevity,” said Collins. “Heidelberg is known as an innovator with computer-to-metal plate systems and just as we expected, the quality of our product has improved as a result of the new Prosetter 52.” Currently, Collins Printing is using its new equipment to produce brochures and point-of-purchase materials. The shop services clients ranging from small businesses and local academic institutions to Fortune 500 companies, all in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The recent installation coincides with the 34th anniversary of the business. “This industry is all about maintaining solid relationships, and we have an excellent relationship with Heidelberg,” said Collins. “From the minute we signed the order for the new equipment, everything has been handled professionally and with extra care. As a first-time customer, we are extremely pleased.”