KENNESAW, Ga., October 28, 2004 – Heidelberg today announced strong sales at Graph Expo/Converting Expo 2004, where the company mounted an imposing display of press, prepress, postpress and workflow solutions designed to help printers achieve and sustain more profitable business results. Heidelberg’s show theme, “Created with Passion. Made for Success,” underscored its commitment to helping customers enhance productivity and process efficiency in a business environment characterized by shorter run lengths, faster turnarounds, lower prices and competitive pressure. “Heidelberg’s experience at Graph Expo confirms our optimistic view of the future,” said Heidelberg USA President James P. Dunn. “U.S. printers who are focused on growth-oriented products and services came to Chicago to experience these developments first-hand. Especially in a drupa year, Heidelberg welcomed the opportunity to tailor its exhibit to the requirements of the U.S. market. The results confirm that our confidence was not misplaced.” Graph Expo marked Dunn’s first U.S. trade show appearance since assuming the role of president of Heidelberg USA in July. Marcel Kiessling also made his first appearance at the show as the newly appointed president of Heidelberg Americas, Inc. Kiessling formerly was Head of the Germany/Switzerland Market Center and President of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Vertrieb Deutschland GmbH. S.R.O. Heidelberg reported consistently high traffic in its 40,000-square-foot booth, as well as strong attendance at product demonstrations throughout the four days of the show. The company anchored its Graph Expo presence with one of the largest displays of sheetfed equipment on the show floor, featuring eight presses (three in configurations seen at drupa), an assortment of finishing equipment and a variety of informative exhibits. Popular highlights included Heidelberg’s Prinect Experience, a guided tour of eight integrated workstations representing Heidelberg’s answer to JDF-enabled computer-integrated manufacturing. Heidelberg also heightened the presence of its systemservice team, whose Product Life Cycle display served as the backdrop for its launch of an expanded portfolio of service products, including Printready Remote Access and Web-based Remote Service with Intelligent Device Management (IDM), both of which were designated “Must See ’Ems” this year. 56 Jobs In Four Days Heidelberg designed and printed a total of 56 jobs during the four days of the show, drawing on a supply of 650,000 sheets of paper, 500 pounds of ink and 300 gallons of various coatings laid in to meet anticipated printing needs. Depending on the solution center in which the job was run, the types of jobs ranged from donated work for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, letterheads and envelopes, 32-page brochures, high-end posters, packaging work and an application brochure highlighting particular jobs and detailing how they were printed. The first day of the show coincided with the running of the Chicago Marathon, and within hours of the conclusion of the race, Heidelberg had printed samples of a poster of the winners on the Speedmaster CD 102. A total of 1,050 violet plates made from Heidelberg Prosetters were run at the show. Must-See ’Ems and Worth-A-Looks Heidelberg was honored by the Graphic Arts Show Company and Print Outlook with five “Must See ’Ems” and “Worth a Look” awards. These recognitions are granted each year to products, services and booth demonstrations deemed by a panel of 15 industry consultants and trade editors to represent technology trends with important applications and wide-ranging potential. Honored this year were: •Prinect Experience Workflow Tour •Printready Remote Access (Web-based Remote Service for prepress) •Suprasetter family of external drum thermal platesetters •Remote Service with Intelligent Device Management (Web-based Remote Service for press and postpress products) •Stitchmaster ST 350 saddlestitcher Sheetfed Stars The sheer weight of the heavy iron in the Heidelberg booth underscored the company’s commitment to sheetfed innovation by showcasing the equipment, enhancements and technology that have raised the bar for industry performance in the sheetfed sector. Anchoring Heidelberg’s massive presence was a multimedia presentation in Heidelberg’s 70-seat main theater, where eight sheetfed presses, representing Heidelberg innovations in the small entrepreneurial, medium-size commercial and industrial and specialty markets, played to packed houses several times each day. Two members of Heidelberg’s well-known Speedmaster family received extensive makeovers earlier this year, the results of which were revealed to the North American market at Graph Expo 2004. The results were much more than skin-deep, however. The highly automated Speedmaster SM 102-10 PC2S perfector emerged with ergonomic enhancements and extended preset functions designed to keep makeready work to a minimum. Also on display were the Speedmaster CD 74 with optional perfecting in 20.87x29.13” and 23.82x29.13" formats, and the 27.5x39.4" perfectors in the Speedmaster CD 102 series, featuring new feeder and delivery systems as well as coating innovations. In addition to these highly automated, long-run heavy hitters, a pair of Quickmaster QM 46-2s – one with in-line perforating and numbering and another with specially designed guards—attracted their fair share of attention at the show, as did the 13.38x18.11" QMDI 46-4 Pro direct imaging press. The Printmaster PM 52 and the Speedmaster SM 52 six-color perfector with coater ably represented Heidelberg’s capabilities in the 20" category. “Each Heidelberg press is thoughtfully designed to enhance manufacturing throughput and process improvement for printers of every size – from small entrepreneurial shops to high-volume industrial plants,” said Steen Jensen, senior vice president, product management for sheetfed. “All have been engineered with the high performance and flexibility required by our customers. Graph Expo visitors were most attentive to the superior performance, flexibility and quality of Heidelberg equipment. A number of presses were sold at the show and we anticipate that these customers, among others, will turn to Heidelberg again and again as their businesses needs evolve.” Heidelberg marked a sheetfed milestone at Graph Expo this year, closing the sale of its 10,000th Printmaster QM 46 to Linda and Paul Ramirez, owners of PIP Printing & Document Services a Franchise Services, Inc., company located in Paramus, N.J. (Franchise Services is the largest printing franchisor in the United States operating worldwide under the Sir Speedy, PIP Printing & Document Services and MultiCopy brand names.) Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the popular Printmaster QM 46 sets the industry standard for single-color and two-color presses in A3 format. Heidelberg Chief Executive Bernhard Schreier congratulated the owners during a special certificate ceremony held Monday, Oct. 11 in the Heidelberg booth. Speedmaster Breakfast In appreciation of its loyal customers, Heidelberg hosted its annual Speedmaster Innovations Breakfast, during which John Dowey, vice president, sheetfed product management, and Heidelberg factory representatives answered questions and discussed with Speedmaster owners their needs for the future. Presentation topics included the Speedmaster XL 105, Perfecting Coating Solutions, Speedmaster 74 flexible perfecting press, Speedmaster SM 52 eight-color long perfector, and Prinect innovations designed to enhance productivity and make business management easier and more rewarding. The Prinect Experience Heidelberg showcased its computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) solution in a portion of its stand set aside to demonstrate the interaction of its Prinect family of workflow components. A popular attraction at drupa 2004, the Prinect Experience proved no less intriguing to a stateside audience. An average of 100 visitors a day embarked on a guided tour of eight integrated workstations aligned to demonstrate how CIM can enable printers to leverage their existing equipment for highly efficient print production. Consumables Heidelberg also unveiled notable additions to its consumables product line, including the U.S. introduction of Heidelberg’s thermal processless Saphira Caleidoplate 46 for Quickmaster DI 46 Pro and Plus presses. In addition, Heidelberg Consumables demonstrated the Saphira Violet Plate with Prosetter 74 and 102 SCL, Christala Quickplate Polyester Plates with Quicksetter 330E, Saphira Proofing Paper with the H-P 5500 and the Heidelberg Perfect Dot Blanket on the Quickmaster 46 two-color, Quickmaster 46 four-color DI Pro, and Speedmaster CD 74 six-color, Speedmaster CD 102 six-color and Speedmaster 102 10-color sheetfed machines. Quality Assurance In a further demonstration of its commitment to helping printers remain competitive, Heidelberg launched its Signature Quality Seal program Graph Expo 2004. The new quality assurance program ensures the quality and reliability of Heidelberg pre-owned equipment at affordable prices. Every Signature Quality Seal press Heidelberg supplies undergoes a stringent refurbishment by qualified Heidelberg technicians. After initial inspection, the machine is cleaned, refurbished as required and tested for performance. The result: a high-quality machine that will provide years of service. Computer-to-Plate Heidelberg continued to set new standards in the prepress sector with its introduction of the Suprasetter family of thermal external-drum platesetters. Developed in-house by Heidelberg, the versatile Suprasetter family features advanced computer-to-plate imaging technology and supports all Heidelberg plate formats for sheetfed and commercial web offset printing. Models are available in five different speeds and with various automation settings from manual to fully automatic, including a high-performance system with Multi Cassette Loader, providing a printer with the means to expand his capability as his workload expands. Signa Station Upgrade Also making its North American debut was Prinect Signa Station v. 1.0 in a flexible new software design that simplifies the planning, creation and management of print sheets. The new software, part of Heidelberg’s Prinect portfolio, features an assistant that guides users through the impositioning process one step at a time, with the aid of user-selected templates. Signa Station 1.0 supports five different binding types and can automatically incorporate a gripper fold or postfold into the folding sheet. Prinect Signa Station generates all of the presets for cutters, folders and stitchers using industry standard CIP4-PPF and JDF. “Printing Starts with Finishing” Heidelberg introduced its line of Eurobind perfect binders for small and mid-sized printers to the North American market at Graph Expo. Also making its domestic debut were the high-volume Stitchmaster ST 350, a top-quality, operator friendly, semi-automatic saddlestitcher (shown connected with Heidelberg’s newly expanded Web-Based Remote Service to demonstrate the functionality of Intelligent Device Management), as well as the entry-level Stitchmaster ST 90 saddlestitcher. Finishing highlights included the Stahlfolder Easyfold and TH 66 buckle-plate and KH combination series folders and, in a mark of Heidelberg’s interest in the package printing market, the high-speed Dymatrix 106 CSB die cutting and embossing system. “We at Heidelberg like to say that printing starts with finishing,” said Larry Tanowitz, senior vice president for postpress. “In fact, it is hard to find an activity in the print process that can benefit more from advances in automation and quality control or that can generate more potential return on investment right now.” Donation To GATF In a dedication ceremony, Heidelberg donated eight JDF-compatible components to the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) to upgrade its training and education facility in Sewickley, Pa. The donated equipment includes a POLAR System 2 (L-R-137-T) cutter with 137 XT Autotrim and LW-1000-6 lift, an RA-4 jogger, a scale, a Dorner conveyor system, a TR-1ER-130-5 Transomat system, and a Stahl TH 66 6/4/4 folder with SAK standard delivery, as well as Prinect Compucut and Prinect FCS 100 software packages. Remote Service Heidelberg’s systemservice team made the most of its well-defined and highly visible presence in the Heidelberg booth. With the help of a display called "Product Life Cycle Services," Heidelberg demonstrated its comprehensive support services in sequence from equipment installation to de-installation. Visitors to Heidelberg’s systemservice display saw more than 180 demos, including simulated service calls between the “customer” and a Heidelberg expert at the Technical Help Desk headquarters in Kennesaw, Ga. In addition, the team launched a complete portfolio of service products, including several new options, including •Interactive Web-based Remote service for prepress products (Printready), a designated “Must See ’Em.” •Web-Based Remote Service for press and postpress products, an expanded service product that extends the availability of Heidelberg’s popular interactive Global Remote Service solution from prepress products to mechanical/electrical equipment via Intelligent Device Management (IDM), also designated a “Must See’Em” this year •Info Scout, the electronic parts manual of the future. •ESelfhelp, the next generation of Heidelberg’s popular eSupport online troubleshooting service product. “Heidelberg understands that we are successful only when our customers are successful,” said Geoff Loftus, senior vice president, customer support for Heidelberg USA. “The feedback we received at Graph Expo shows that customers appreciate our efforts to meet their needs in a highly competitive market. Our success at Graph Expo 2004 will serve as the basis for further expansion of our service portfolio in time for Print 05.” In all, Heidelberg’s systemservice group recorded the sale of more than 50 Remote Service, Web-Based Remote Service/Prepress and Fitness Check contracts during Graph Expo 2004. New Integration Partner Finally, Heidelberg announced its cooperation with German MIS software provider Hiflex in the field of JDF integration. The partnership complements Heidelberg’s Prinect portfolio, which also features partnerships with Hagen, Prism and EFI. At Graph Expo, the companies demonstrated the integration of Heidelberg’s Prinect Printready prepress system and Prinect Data Control for press and postpress with Hiflex MIS software.