The first Speedmaster XL 145 with dual coating technology (XL 145-6+LYYL) is currently being installed at a German packaging print shop, which aims to use the new press to achieve a whole range of new finishing options.

In the commercial sector, Druckhaus Mainfranken, a subsidiary of Schleunungdruck and the online portal Flyeralarm, recently commissioned the second Speedmaster XL 145-4. Both the format 6 presses come with Prinect Inpress Control. The spectrophotometric inline measuring system Prinect Inpress Control measures and controls color and register automatically on the fly and irrespective of the speed. It helps deliver outstanding productivity as there is no need to remove sample sheets or halt the machine during makeready. 

At Druckerei Biewald in Hannover, a Speedmaster XL 162 has been in use for large-format commercial printing since the beginning of the year. Besides commercial work, this 7B five-color press with coating is also used to produce displays. In this application, it exhibits extraordinary color consistency and outstanding solids printing.

"We have achieved what we set out to do - win over established large-format users for Heidelberg by offering a new press concept that delivers short makeready times, improved print quality and even better reliability," explains Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg). Since their market launch at drupa 2008, some 30 presses from the new 145 and 162 large-format ranges have been sold worldwide. "We are particularly proud that we have achieved such major success over recent weeks with large-format presses for the packaging printing sector, which is so strategically important to us," continues Schreier. One of the largest packaging printing groups in North America recently chose to purchase a second Speedmaster XL 162.
 
Approximately half of all the presses sold to date have been bought by companies operating in the packaging sector (folding cartons and displays). The other half are being used in the commercial and publishing sectors. A total of twelve presses are already under production. At the top of the leader table for installations and sales is Germany, followed by France, Italy and the U.S.

Heidelberg is continuing to expand its workflow, prepress, press, and postpress portfolio and is the only manufacturer that can offer an end-to-end range of solutions from a single source. To coincide with the introduction of the new, large-format Speedmaster series, the Suprasetter range of CtP platesetters has also been expanded to cover the new formats. This entirely new generation of presses is based on the Speedmaster XL platform and constitutes the very latest in cutting-edge technology. The presses offer options that many large-format customers have long been waiting for, such as synchronized washup processes, simple handling, and improved inking unit control. This cuts makeready times significantly and results in substantial material savings.