(See also David Zwang's video interview with Felix Mueller, President of Heidelberg Americas.) 

Kennesaw, Ga. – John Roberts of Minneapolis, Minnesota recently signed the first Heidelberg Subscription contract in the United States. Through their participation in this unique program, John Roberts expects to improve both their print quality and overall productivity.

John Roberts’ Subscription contract includes a new Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106-6+L as well as Prinect software, Saphira Consumables, parts, performance consulting, and service. Everything will be provided by Heidelberg for a monthly fee based on the number of printed sheets produced each month. Heidelberg will also work with John Roberts to analyze their current operations and establish goals for improved production and reduced cost-per-sheet.

“We’re excited to be the first company in the United States to benefit from the Heidelberg Subscription program,” said Scott Zorn, VP of Operations at John Roberts. “We’ve always been a huge believer in Heidelberg. Now, we are taking it to a new level with Heidelberg Subscription and creating a true partnership.”

Highest Quality at Optimum Performance
Replacing two older Heidelberg presses, the Speedmaster XL 106-6+L will help open 30% more daily capacity for additional jobs. With maximum production speeds of up to 18,000 sheets per hour, the peak performance press can handle even the most complex job changes at the fastest speeds possible. The press also includes Prinect Inpress Control 2, which allows the XL 106 to deliver the first measureable result in less than 60 sheets and is ready to start printing in less than 1 minute.

Equipped with “Push to Stop” technology, the Speedmaster’s jobs can be autonomously changed without operator intervention. The press can continue to print until the operator interrupts it. This software system dramatically reduces the number of operating steps in a job change and also enables all operators to achieve uniform results.

“With the new XL 106 with ‘Push to Stop’ technology from Heidelberg, we will be able to increase productivity and create additional sophisticated printing applications with added value opportunities for our customers,” said Michael Keene, Chairman and CEO of John Roberts. “We take great pride in staying ahead of the competition, and this equipment will deliver the highest quality at optimum performance.”

Shared Risk: Beneficial Partnership
While the new technology of the XL 106 alone will increase John Roberts’ productivity, Heidelberg’s Subscription program goes well beyond just providing equipment. The company will also be supplied Saphira Consumables, performance efficiency services, and training that are all perfectly tuned to their applications. Monthly performance efficiency meetings with management from both companies will analyze John Roberts’ KPIs, comparing them to benchmarks from other printers in the industry. These meetings will continuously help set and track ambitious production goals.

“With the consolidation of consumables, service support and performance meetings, we know that this subscription model is going to be great,” said Zorn. “We already have a great relationship with Heidelberg, but we plan on this relationship evolving further. In order for us both to be successful through the Heidelberg Subscription model, we need to improve our efficiencies on the press. With this partnership and all the services that come along with it, there is a lot of opportunity for both of us.”

About John Roberts
John Roberts is a commercial printing, packaging and marketing services provider located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Throughout their 65-year history, John Roberts has continually invested in industry-leading equipment and technology and are a long-term leader in environmentally-sustainable business practices.

Left to right: Scott Zorn, VP of Operations of John Roberts; Michael Keene, CEO of John Roberts; Marnie Janezich, President of John Roberts; Emily Schultz, Director of Client Services of John Roberts; and Mark Carlson, Executive VP of Sales of John Roberts.