Kennesaw, Ga. – In connection with the expansion of its North American Print and Packaging Technology Center in Kennesaw, Ga., Heidelberg USA has released a new white paper detailing Heidelberg's strategy and solutions for the packaging market.

"Packaging Printing: Complete Solutions from A Single Source," discusses trends and opportunities in the packaging market, and traces two decades of Heidelberg's packaging activities, beginning with the 1987 launch of the Speedmaster CD 102, the first dedicated packaging printing press. Heidelberg's 2003 acquisition of Jagenberg and WPM marked Heidelberg's expansion into postpress packaging, followed by the successful launch of a line of high-performance die cutters and folding carton gluers. The subsequent introduction of the ultra-productive Speedmaster XL platform and the addition of CtP devices and presses in the VLF format range at drupa 2008, have solidified Heidelberg's position as the pre-eminent packaging equipment supplier, as well as the only manufacturer that can offer a complete range of package printing solutions from a single source.

The new white paper shows how Heidelberg has applied its core skills in sheetfed offset to the production environment in the packaging industry. Today, Heidelberg not only offers equipment for every stage of the packaging production process, but also integrates each individual area into a JDF-based Prinect Packaging Workflow and streamlines the logistics process. By cutting makeready times, reducing waste, and optimizing material flow, integrated prepress, press and postpress packaging solutions from Heidelberg achieve the lowest possible cost per folding carton. Heidelberg further combines its prepress, press and postpress know-how in the packaging segment with service, consumables and business consulting activities. The inclusion of equipment, software and services from Heidelberg's packaging portfolio has been a powerful draw for visitors to Heidelberg's Technology Center.