• Printing company 2x2 installs Russia’s first Speedmaster CX 75
• Prinect workflow via subscription model
• Postpress upgraded with Polar N 92 cutting machine and Stahlfolder Ti 52 folding machine
• Significant increase in productivity through highly automated production process

The printing company 2x2 in the city of Blagoveshchensk in the Far East of Russia has installed a complete solution from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg). The package includes Russia’s first Speedmaster CX 75 five-color press with coating unit, Prinect Production Manager workflow software, and a Polar N 92 cutting machine and Stahlfolder Ti 52 folding machine for postpress. The company’s intention with this substantial investment is to further expand its market position and strengthen its competencies.

At the moment its orders come from different market segments, including advertising agencies. Its catchment area extends beyond the city limits of Blagoveshchensk into the regions of Amur and Primorsky. “Our current production facility is on the outskirts of the city”, says printing company boss Ivan Semashko. “The new machines mean we can offer our customers a faster service – now we can print a run of ten thousand copies and deliver it to the customer the same day, something that used to take us four days. With the highly automated production process, we are fully prepared for the latest market requirements. Items that local printing customers had to order in other regions and even abroad, we can now supply for them in the Amur region.”

The printing company 2x2 has purchased the Prinect Production Manager workflow software as a subscription model. It is a cloud-based subscription package, for which Heidelberg charges a monthly usage-dependent fee. This is the latest business model recently launched by Heidelberg. The Prinect Production Manager provides the resources for setting up an integrated workflow covering all the steps involved in the production process, and is an ideal solution for establishing a Smart Print Shop.

Satisfied customers
The newly installed machines have enabled 2x2 to increase its productivity. “We have reduced makeready times significantly. Before we printed three jobs a day, now we can print eight and more,” explains planning engineer Alexander Ogorodnikov. “On the Speedmaster CX 75, the ink feeding is controlled via Prinect Easy Control. This saves us time and also reduces waste since we only need 100 sheets for job changes instead of 400. Customers are much happier now.”

The Speedmaster CX 75 is a multi-talent suitable for many different printed products. It processes very light papers as well as heavy cardboard with a thickness of up to 0.6 millimeters – optional even 0,8 mm are possible.

Russian printing companies calling out for industrialized processes
The Russian printing market is currently in a difficult situation, both because of the economic environment and the growth of the print industry. Demand for offset printing presses has decreased compared with previous periods, yet despite this Heidelberg CIS – Heidelberg’s Russian sales company – has managed to hold its own and is a leader in the market. Sales of the Versafire digital printing system are also growing nicely, reflecting its use by Russian printing companies to expand their portfolios and optimize production processes. Technical service and the supply of spare parts and consumables are becoming more and more important in the Russian printing business. Heidelberg CIS is optimizing its offerings in this area to help its customers maximize their production efficiency.

Russia’s first Speedmaster CX 75-5+L printing press has been in operation since spring this year in the 2x2 printing company in Blagoveshchensk.