KENNESAW, Ga., September 20, 2006 – Print media industry leader Heidelberg recently hosted a two-day packaging event for key industry influencers at its U.S. headquarters in Kennesaw, Ga. The event focused on showcasing the latest technologies and innovations in the packaging market. A major player in the packaging sector, Heidelberg offers a broad range of packaging solutions and has hundreds of cutting lines, die cutters and folder-gluers installed in the U.S. The company also has experienced tremendous success from the introduction of its Speedmaster XL 105 press last year. With in the last 12 months, more than 20 XL 105 presses have been installed across the U.S. Specifically geared towards label, packaging and high-end commercial printers, the XL 105 redefines industry standards for productivity and quality and enables high-end commercial offset printing applications at real production speeds of up to 18,000 sheets per hour. “Heidelberg is committed to helping companies in the packaging market succeed with the most productive, efficient and cost-effective solutions in the market,” said Jim Dunn, president, Heidelberg USA. “We have made huge investments in the packaging industry and will continue to do so in the months and years ahead.” In 2006, Heidelberg has invested in additional technical support and personnel to expand its expertise in the packaging market. The company also has invested in the installation of top-of-the-line packaging equipment in its Print Media Demonstration Center (PMDC) in Kennesaw, Ga. The latest of these installations include Heidelberg's Dymatrix and KAMA die-cutters and Diana folder-gluer, which are ready for customer training and hands-on trial runs. Heidelberg also recently named Mark Rasmussen product manager, packaging for Heidelberg USA. Mark brings nearly thirty years of experience in the packaging industry to his new role, including key positions in operations, R&D, product management and engineering. “This is an exciting time in the packaging industry, which is experiencing tremendous growth and is projected to continue growing at a solid annual growth rate,” said Rasmussen. “Heidelberg offers solutions to meet all types of packaging requirements, from simple folding boxes to premium-quality finished cartons for luxury goods. We provide customizable equipment to ensure that our customers have the right solutions for their specific needs.” Among Heidelberg's packaging solutions are the following offerings: Prepress Solutions: •Suprasetter 105 - Heidelberg's Suprasetter 105 is the newest generation thermal CtP, providing robust flexibility and upgradeability. Suprasetters offer top versatility when it comes to plate handling, format coverage and punching. The machine is available in three format models, all of which can be upgraded to the fastest level. Automation also is field upgradeable, providing automatic slip sheet removal and supporting up to 600 plates online. The Suprasetter is the only CtP in the world to provide both center register with punch for sheetfed and edge register for web. Its unique Plate-on-Demand feature allows press operators at the CP 2000 press console to order the Suprasetter to re-image plates when needed. Built-in temperature compensation ensures registration regardless of temperature fluctuation. The Suprasetter is an investment for the future designed to grow with companies' production needs. Press Solutions: •Speedmaster XL 105 – The newest member of Heidelberg's Speedmaster family of sheetfed offset presses, the Speedmaster XL 105 sets new benchmarks for the fastest makereadies, maximum real production speeds and highest printing quality. The press can attain a maximum speed of up to 18,000 sheets per hour with the largest maximum sheet in its class (29.53 x 41.34 in 75 x 105 cm with an imaging area of 740 x 1050 mm / 29.13 x 41.34 in). It is the ideal production tool for label and packaging printers handling large volumes of multiple-up work. This press offers additional automation features that are attractive for high-end printers, especially packaging printers. Tailor-made material flow solutions in combination with a 34 ½ inch press elevation and fully automatic non-stop systems further boost its production capacity. Tightly integrated into Heidelberg's Prinect workflow and equipped with fully automatic pre-setting as well as comprehensive memory functions of the Prinect CP 2000 Center, the XL 105 enables significantly reduced makeready times. Postpress Solutions: •Varimatrix 105 C and 105 CS – Heidelberg has two new additions to its diecutting family: the Varimatrix 105 C and 105 CS. With their flexibility, short makereadies, accessibility and precise sheet feeding, the new Varimatrix diecutters are versatile and cost-effective entry-level solutions for the commercial and package printing markets. The Varimatrix cuts and embosses paper weighing 80 gsm and over, board and solid board up to 1,400 gsm and corrugated board up to 4mm thick at speeds to 7,500 sheets per hour with a maximum cutting force of 331 tons. Formats range from 15x6 inches to 30x41 inches. •Dymatrix 106 CSB – Built to deliver first-class die-cutting and embossing, the Dymatrix 106 CSB offers high quality, versatility and greater flexibility to multi-purpose commercial printers. The high-speed die-cutter was first revealed to the North American market at PRINT '05. With tighter registration, the Dymatrix can handle a broad range of stocks from light-weight to board varieties. As an added benefit, the machine produces sheets with fewer disturbances due to its constant sheet travel concept. •Diana Pro 114 folder gluer – Heidelberg's high-speed Diana Pro 114 folding carton gluers offer fast makeready and simple operation. The capabilities of these machines can be considerably extended by adding modules. The extension module, for example, adds 1,500 mm to the folding path, permitting many more longitudinal and cross folds to be made. The Diana Pro models lend themselves to a virtually unlimited range of applications: straightline cartons, miniature cartons, conical folding cartons, lockbottom cartons with and without prefolding of creaselines 1 and 3, double-wall cartons with single and double folding, partition cartons, record sleeves, envelopes, CD covers, 4- and 6-corner collapsible boxes, and many other specialty cartons. •KAMA TS 74-60 HFS Die Cutter – The half-format KAMA automatic die cutter system is used by job printers, packaging printers and start-up companies in the box industry to replace hand cutters and cylindrical die cutters. The easily-operated machine is ideal for small to medium runs, and creates perfect creasing and cutting quality. The KAMA TS 74 can be used to produce a wide range of materials such as presentation folders, CD covers, window stickers, book covers, packaging material, product badges and stickers, including a broad range of label applications. •Stahlfolder SSP 82 – The Stahlfolder SSP provides versatile in-line finishing with expandable capabilities to grow your business. This scoring, slitting and perforating machine provide scores, trims and perforations at folder speeds. For optimal scoring, the Stahlfolder Channel Score technology reduces and virtually eliminates the problem of cracking in the fold. Offering unmatched flexibility, the Stahlfolder SSP's capabilities easily can be extended by adding standard units such as mailing tables, regular mailing stations and additional mobile scoring, slitting and perforations. The standard SSP unit comes with a continuous feeder with tilt-up feed table for added capacity, the Stahlfolder patented air stream register table, modular control technology and the scoring, slitting and perforating unit, which consists of three pairs of slitter shaft rollers. •POLAR Automated Cutting for Efficiency System (PACE) – PACE is the industry's first fully automated cutting system from POLAR. By automating the loading, jogging, buffering, cutting, gripping, transporting and unloading processes, PACE produces the highest-quality finished projects in the industry with the least amount of human intervention. PACE increases productivity, lowers costs and reduces waste. As an added advantage, separate elements of PACE's technology can be employed to streamline other production runs and requirements. Printing houses, converters of printed material, paper manufactures and print buyers interested in utilizing every inch of material benefit from the automated cutting function of the machine. •POLAR PW-4ABV – Designed for printers, bookbinders, surface finishers and paper manufacturers, the POLAR PW-4ABV is a best-in-class pile turner that provides numerous customer benefits. The machine provides a short turnaround time of 36 to 48 seconds and can be used for a wide range of applications such as turning material piles, changing pallets, splitting plates and removing waste sheets. With the POLAR PW-4ABV, users experience a better pass of paper through the printing machine due to better aeration. The pile turner also allows for faster acclimatization of material and faster drying, especially for varnished sheets. Easy to operate due to push buttons and a low working height, the POLAR PW-4-ABV is equipped with features such as automatic recognition of pallet height, four large air jets for optimal air distribution and a powerful frequency-controlled blower. In addition to prepress, press and postpress equipment, Heidelberg also provides numerous Prinect workflow and Consumables solutions for package printers. Heidelberg's systemservice experts help print shops secure their investments in Heidelberg packaging equipment, with support offerings from the pre-sales stage to installation and beyond, covering the entire lifecycle of production systems. To learn more about Heidelberg's packaging offerings, visit www.heidelberg.com.