April 28, 2005 -- The Forstner printshop in Oberviechtach in the Upper Palatinate region of Germany will be the recipient of the 1000th printing unit for the Printmaster PM 52 B3 press. The PM 52 was unveiled by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) 2003 at GraphExpo in Chicago and went into series production after drupa 2004. With one thousand PM 52 printing units produced in less than one year, the Printmaster concept has proved popular with the market. The Printmaster PM 52 is positioned between the Printmaster GTO 52 and the Speedmaster SM 52. It thus represents the ideal route to growth for small and midsize businesses that print a wide range of commercial jobs. The key features of the PM 52 include its simple direct operation, exceptional print quality and high reliability in production. It is available in one- to five-color models with a wide range of add-ons, such as the perfecting device and Prinect Classic Center (the user-friendly press control station with remote color contr! ol), so that customers can customize the press to their individual needs. These were important factors for Johann Deyerl, CEO at Forstner Druck, when taking the decision to increase his company's print capacity with a Printmaster PM 52. “I was impressed by the speed, reliability and quality of the PM 52” says Deyerl. “Since the proportion of four-color jobs is increasing, we decided to invest in a Printmaster PM 52 four-color press from the outset,” he adds. The new investment means that the company can also produce brochures in runs of 50,000 in-house, work that would otherwise need to be outsourced. In the past, the small family business, founded in 1913 and now with a staff of eight, has been using a GTO 46, a GTO 52 two-color press and an MO press. The printshop has 300 to 400 regular customers who want a full service with fast delivery. Its product range extends from business stationery to brochures, with over 30% of jobs now being four-color. “The new Printmaster PM 52 will quadruple our print capacity,” says Deyerl proudly. Since the company has to handle numerous numbering jobs, the press is also equipped with a numbering unit. Further automation is made possible by the Prinect Classic Center, which enables reliable and precise remote control of ink and register. This option equips the PM 52 for the future and enables it to be integrated online into the workflow via the Prinect Online Kit and Prinect Classic Center. This will enable the full-service printshop to network its prepress and postpress into a single end-to-end process. The Printmaster PM 52 has a maximum speed of 13,000 sheets per hour, a maximum print format of 360 mm x 520 mm (14.17 x 20.47 inch) and a printing stock thickness of between 0.03 mm and 0.4 mm (0.0012 and 0.016 inch). It can therefore print everything from light-weight paper to cardboard or padded envelopes. The key markets for the Printmaster PM 52 are Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the USA and China. Alongside the Printmaster GTO 52 and Speedmaster SM 52, the Printmaster PM 52 rounds off Heidelberg’s product portfolio in the 35 x 50 cm format. Heidelberg can thus provide the perfect solution for every customer need – from entry-level presses for quality offset, greater levels of automation, right up to industrial production.