French commercial printer SB Plus in Aulnay, near Paris, has already ordered a second Speedmaster XL 162 from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg). SB Plus specializes in high-quality point-of-sale advertising and prints premium sales displays for the cosmetics market. At the start of 2009, after comprehensive comparative testing, SB Plus was the first print shop in France to install a five-color Speedmaster XL 162 press with coating unit in place of two large-format presses from another manufacturer. "We are impressed with the high productivity, extremely short makeready times, consistent color results, and ergonomic operating concept of the Speedmaster XL 162," explains Richard Moraly, President and Managing Director of SB Plus. "We produce 80 percent of our orders for the cosmetics and perfume industry, and we need to meet top quality requirements for these discerning customers. This is possible with the Speedmaster XL 162. After 15 years' experience in large-format printing, we are very critical and demand the very best for our customers." 

In total, the group's machine park currently includes six of the latest-generation Heidelberg presses for the 50 x 70, 70 x 100, and 120 x 160 cm (19.69 x 27.56, 27.56 x 39.37, and 47.24 x 62.99 in) formats. 

Minimal makeready times enable short runs 
The customer's new Speedmaster XL 162 is a four-color press with integrated Prinect Inpress Control color measurement and control system that controls color and register on the fly for minimal makeready times and low paper waste. This is particularly important for SB Plus, because display printing involves average run lengths of 5,000 sheets per job. "A washup cycle on the Speedmaster XL 162 takes less than four minutes, which saves a huge amount of time with frequent job changes," explains Bruno De Bue, Managing Partner of SB Plus and Managing Director of sister company SB Graphic. "We also use Prinect Inpress Control for every job, because it ensures minimum makeready times and low waste, which also benefits the environment."

With a current workforce of 59 employees, SB Plus generates annual sales of EUR 12.5 million. SB Plus and SB Graphic are members of the ImpriClub printers' association and hold the "Imprim'Vert" eco-label. In addition to FSC/PEFC certification, they have also been certified to ISO 12647-2 since 2011, with the experts from Heidelberg playing a part in this success. In the same year, both companies also achieved their targeted CO2 balance.