Generation change completed

• Features geared to fast makeready and ecological production
• Special capabilities for the pharmaceuticals branch
• High level of value creation

The new Rapida 106 is Siepmann’s dependable means of production for short and medium runs, much to the delight of printer Dirk Beckmann (left), managing director Mark Siepmann (centre) and Ralf Engelhardt from Koenig & Bauer (DE).

Last year, the Hamburg printing company founded and run by the Siepmann family implemented a generation change in more than one sense. Firstly, Mark Siepmann took over responsibility for day-to-day management from his father Thomas. And at the same time, the company replaced a Rapida 106 dating from 2008 with a similarly configured press of the current series. Thanks to its higher automation, the new press promises even greater productivity and is contributing to an expansion of the company’s capacities.

Like its predecessor, the new Rapida 106 is a six-colour coater press with comprehensive automation features to enable fast job changeovers. After all, it is to be used primarily for the production of short and medium runs. Run lengths start at just 250 sheets, and there are many jobs which require no more than 500 sheets. Frequent job changeovers are thus a routine element in daily practice. “In this respect, the Rapida 106 is unbeatable,” says Mark Siepmann. Accordingly, it is hardly necessary to mention that DriveTronic SPC with Plate Ident headed the feature wish-list. The company is equally committed to sustainable resource use and environmental protection. VariDryBlue dryers, CleanTronic cloth-based washing systems and provisions for low-alcohol printing all contribute to this aim.

Special capabilities extend into packaging printing

Siepmann terms itself a commercial printing company. It is not a typical representative of this market segment, however, having built up special capabilities to serve the pharmaceuticals branch. Specifically tailored press and workflow features, in combination with all the necessary certification, qualify the company to produce several million patient information leaflets every year. These jobs ensure continuity and lay a solid foundation in terms of capacity utilisation. Further valuable business is derived from packaging production. Here, the typical numbers and volumes are just the opposite: Short runs of fine packaging for premium consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics have become Siepmann trademarks.

The Rapida 106 must naturally offer a flexibility to match this broad product spectrum. The substrates handled by the press range from 40 g/m2 paper for the information leaflets to solid bleached sulphate board and G-flute corrugated up to 1 mm in thickness.

In digital print, all products are supplied from a run length of one. Alongside, the company has established a series of closed B2B webshops for its customers. Their staff are able to order the required products directly and can be certain that they will comply with the applicable corporate design in every detail. There is even a large-scale partner which hosts multiple webshops among their number. It is perfectly normal for the working week to commence with up to 500 print jobs received via the Internet.

High level of value creation

A broad scope of in-house post-press capabilities is imperative if such a diversity of print products is to be handled internally. Folding is one area where particular attention has been paid. The entire production of brochures and leaflets, as well as a whole range of packaging products, can be realised within the company. The die-cutting capacities have also been geared to the full spectrum of substrates up to G-flute corrugated board. That guarantees a high level of internal value creation. All that is missing is a bookbinding line and a perfect binding machine. Where these steps are required, Siepmann works with reliable partner companies, though it must be said that this applies only to a very small proportion of the jobs printed.

The company founded by Heinrich Siepmann 70 years ago set up its first workshop in one of the massive concrete blockhouses which had previously been part of Hamburg’s anti-aircraft defences. Today, the 63 employees are accommodated at more generous premises with around 4,500 m2 of production space on the edge of the city. Annual turnover lies between nine and ten million euros. Alongside various pharmaceuticals companies, the mainly regional customers are above all advertising and production agencies, consumer goods manufacturers and photographers. In addition, Siepmann offers its capacities to smaller media companies which are looking for a strong cooperation partner.