• Numerous innovations for folding carton and label production on Speedmaster XL 106
• Gallus Labelmaster and Gallus Labelfire boost competitivenessin label printing
• Interest in die cutters and folder gluers keeps on growing

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is showcasing its credentials as one of the leading packaging and label production partners in offset, flexographic, and digital printing at Fachpack 2022 (Hall 7A/Stand 616), which is taking place on September 27-29 in the German city of Nuremberg. A team of HEIDELBERG experts will be on hand to answer any questions trade show visitors may have relating to packaging and label printing.

Ease of use and digital integration increase OEE
Finding qualified specialists and continuously boosting overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) are key challenges in packaging printing. This is also the case in label and folding carton production. With its Speedmaster 2020 generation, HEIDELBERG therefore introduced a whole host of assistance systems based on artificial intelligence that shorten the makeready process and make life much easier for press operators. In recent weeks, HEIDELBERG has received a large number of orders for highly automated packaging machines with 16 (or more) printing units from customers in locations such as Europe and North America. This emphasizes the fact that leading packaging companies have recognized the above-mentioned benefits, especially in terms of boosting OEE.

HEIDELBERG also significantly improved Speedmaster XL wet-glue and in-mold label production capabilities last year with the launch of a new Performance Package. In addition to this, the conclusion of a global distribution agreement with the Japanese company AN Corporation for automated Kawahara postpress systems in April 2022 has added further options to the portfolio. As a result, print shops can now achieve end-to-end label/folding carton production when also using the postpress solutions for wet-glue and in-mold labels that HEIDELBERG has already been offering customers for many years in collaboration with Polar-Mohr.

Gallus Labelmaster and Gallus Labelfire for label production
The Swiss HEIDELBERG subsidiary Gallus offers a great many innovations for narrow-web label manufacturers. These relate in particular to the Labelmaster conventional press and the Labelfire digital solution, extending their range of applications further still. The Gallus Labelmaster, for example, is now also available in the 570 format width. The first machine of this type in Germany will be taken into operation within the next few weeks. The Gallus Labelfire for the growth market of digital label printing combines state-of-the-art UV inkjet print quality with the inline productivity of flexographic and screen printing. Just like HEIDELBERG offset technology, it is fully integrated into the Prinect workflow. This flexibility is now being extended even further by offering additional ink series for low-migration applications and specific adhesion requirements, such as printing on tube laminate.

Interest in die cutters and folder gluers for folding carton production keeps on growing
In the packaging postpress sector, too, HEIDELBERG has seen interest continue to grow in recent years – both at entry level and as regards highly automated machines for industrial use. The launch of the new Mastermatrix 106 CSB industrial die cutter and numerous new robotics systems for automated operation of the Diana folder gluers also emphasize the shared commitment of MK Masterwork and HEIDELBERG in this key market segment. With MK Masterwork as a partner, HEIDELBERG has been able to increase its global sales volume for postpress systems in the packaging segment by 50 percent compared to the previous year.

“The fact that HEIDELBERG is exhibiting at Fachpack 2022 shows how important packaging and label printing is to our company,” says Dr. David Schmedding, Global Head of Sales & Marketing at HEIDELBERG. “We have significantly increased our investments in this market segment in recent years and now offer our customers a diverse, updated range of increasingly intelligent and resource-friendly data-based solutions for their entire value chain,” he adds.