Wetterauer Druckerei in Friedberg recently obtained a certificate for the first climate-neutral printing press in Germany. The Speedmaster SM 74 five-color press with coating unit from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) was installed in the spring of this year. The greenhouse gases produced while manufacturing the press have been calculated and compensated. The calculations took into account all relevant parameters - from the extraction of raw materials and the production of materials to the manufacture and testing of the press and its transportation to the print shop. The new Speedmaster SM 74 uses less IPA (isopropyl alcohol) than conventional presses, which benefits the environment and employee health and creates a clean pressroom environment. The press is also equipped with the Prinect Axis Control standard measuring and control system, which measures color values in the quality control strip and then regulates the color online. This saves paper waste, which is a crucial way of making production operations more resource friendly.

"We have been consistently expanding and redesigning our print shop in line with ecological considerations since 1976," explains Andreas Kugland, owner of Wetterauer Druckerei. "It is our job to combine economy and ecology, while also ensuring perfect quality for the customer. This is exactly what we have achieved thanks to the new Speedmaster SM 74," adds Kugland, who previously worked exclusively with presses from other manufacturers.

The presses print on FSC-certified paper from sustainably managed forests. And the company has switched over entirely to green electricity from power supplier OVAG Energie. Moreover, Wetterauer Druckerei has already manufactured all annual production for 2009 and 2010 in a carbon-neutral manner according to Gold Standard. As a certified member of the climate initiative of the print and media associations, the print shop offsets the volume of CO2 generated through the production of print products by investing in climate protection projects.

Wetterauer Druckerei und Verlag was founded in 1934. Now in its third generation, this fully integrated, cutting-edge print shop currently employs a workforce of 20. Topname manufacturers and advertising agencies are included among the core customers from Germany and beyond who rely on this print shop's services and appreciate its environmentally aware approach to business.