U.S. printshop K & D Graphics in Orange, California, has been using one of the world's longest sheetfed offset presses since the end of last year.
 
The Speedmaster XL 105-6+LYY-P-6+L (UV) with CutStar from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is the first Speedmaster XL 105 that can print and coat on both sides in a single pass. Together with two drying units and the CutStar sheeter, the press is almost 38 meters (125 feet) long.
 
K & D Graphics is renowned for its high-quality print products in the commercial and packaging sectors. "With this new press, I have finally fulfilled my dream and we can expand our capacity in premium packaging printing," explains Don Chew, President of K & D Graphics. "We now process sheeted paper and reel stock, coat both sides inline, and thus save a great deal of setup time.
 
The new coating options have already enabled us to win a number of new customers who, along with our regular customers, have been impressed with the enhanced productivity and very high flexibility," he adds. The coating units also make double-sided spot coatings possible. "Using the new press, we can produce a job with a run of 700,000 sheets in single-shift operation in only five days. This previously took us about three weeks on our single-side Speedmaster CD 102 six-color press," says Chew, who is more than happy with his investment. The new Speedmaster is also used for commercial printing and is supported in this regard by Prinect Prepress Interface. K & D Graphics also utilizes Saphira consumables from Heidelberg. These are perfectly geared to the printshop's complex requirements and ensure optimum print results and maximum production speeds.
 
K & D Graphics was founded in 1982 as a garage printshop and today employs over 50 staff. This full-service printshop uses two other Speedmaster CD 102 six-color presses, a Polar cutting system, a TH 82 folding machine, a ST 450 saddlestitcher, and a new Diana X 135 folder gluer.
 
One Pass Productivity - for cost-effective production
Double-sided coating enhances the scratch and scuff resistance of the product, thus offering an enormous benefit for the postpress stage. The appearance of print products is enhanced, with reduced powder application also improving the feel of the products, and UV coatings enabling optimum gloss results.
 
Double-sided coating in a single pass on the Speedmaster XL 105 LPL is a logical development of the Peak Performance Platform from Heidelberg. The conventional version of the Speedmaster XL 105 was unveiled at drupa 2004, followed by the UV version and the double-coating option in 2006. The Speedmaster XL 105 with perfecting device was presented to the public at drupa 2008. Double-sided coating is currently only available for the UV versions. The first conventional press in this configuration is to be installed at a European customer's in summer 2009.