Kennesaw, Ga. -- Edward Enterprises, Honolulu, Hawaii, always had two 40" presses in the shop, but broke with tradition last fall by replacing one of its two full-size presses with a 6-color, 29" Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 perfecting press. "Going to a smaller format was a gamble at the time," said President Mark Ibara. "We weren't sure if we were doing the right thing. Now I can't imagine what would have happened if we hadn't made that decision. Looking back, two 40" presses would have been a handicap in this market. Instead, we've not only upgraded and added capacity, but we've been able to retain market share." In addition, he said, the "super-efficient" new Speedmaster SM 75 uses 10 percent less in raw materials and only one-half the energy to do the same amount of work as the press it replaced, while providing the company with added speed, automation and flexibility. The press is so easy to run, Ibara said, that "It allowed our crews to reach a very high level of productivity within a very short time." The company continues to operate a 6-color CD 102 with hybrid UV, as well as a 2-color Speedmaster SM 52. It also chooses Heidelberg Saphira pressroom consumables, including blankets, press powder and coatings.
 
Employee-owned Edward Enterprises provides quality commercial printing services to a local client base made up of advertising agencies and graphic design firms. The company, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in business this year, recently moved into a new, greener and more efficient facility, where there's no room for less-than reliable equipment. "No matter how punishing the workload, we just can't worry about our equipment. It's the nature of the business we're in; we depend on those presses and we cannot compromise on their durability. We've operated Heidelberg presses for decades, and they run and run and then run some more. When the stakes are high, you chose the best, and that's Heidelberg."