Heidelberg Presents Solutions for the Smart Print Shop

“Heidelberg is very good at offering services and products,” said Felix Mueller, president of Heidelberg USA (N1643). He noted that success in today’s printing businesses requires a thoughtful mix of people, technology, and processes. Those components, he says, are what is required for Heidelberg’s smart print shop concept.

According to Clarence Penge, SVP, project management, North America, for Heidelberg, a primary task is taking businesses and processes to the next level. This is done, he says “by improving processes through integration, automation, and training. When you do that, you improve overall efficiency.”

Penge described how Heidelberg’s portfolio of technologies, including AI and intuitive user interfaces, serves as an ecosystem. “All elements need to tie together. Performance is really the key,” he said.

About the company’s technologies, Penge said, “Physical hardware is easy to see. What is most interesting is behind the scenes, where innovation happens.” He highlighted how Heidelberg is demonstrating a smart print shop in its booth — running nine different jobs each day, demonstrating technology, process control, and automation.

Further, Penge highlighted the company’s new CX104 press, which has seen more than 2,000 orders since being introduced in 2020. That press, he says, has been delivered in a variety of configurations to address he needs of commercial, packaging, and label producers. Other technologies highlighted included Heidelberg’s partnership with Ricoh: he said more than 300 Versafire digital printing systems are currently installed in the US. New folding and stacking systems ease production and increase margin. Print Shop Analytics software provides direct contact with technical experts.

Highlighting the need for effective training in the industry, Penge described a series of free, information rich training programs, held at the company’s Kennesaw, Georgia, training center. Programs are currently scheduled through March 2023.