HEIDELBERG Technology Powers Seaway’s Success

Recognized as one of the world’s most productive printers¹, Seaway strives to “combine technology and process automation to elevate what’s possible in print.” The award-winning producer of saddle-stitched and perfect-bound books and magazines recently relocated to a new facility in DePere, WI, effectively doubling its production capacity to support its growing business. Known for its commitment to cutting-edge technology, Seaway has become a model of automation. Recent investments in HEIDELBERG technology across all stages of production – prepress, press, and postpress – have significantly reduced manual operator interventions and improved efficiency, enabling each machine in its shop to be operated by just one person.

Most Sophisticated Press to Date

Seaway currently boasts three Speedmaster XL 106s from HEIDELBERG, including its most sophisticated press to date – the Speedmaster XL 106-8P installed in 2024. Its newest XL 106 is the first in the US to feature Plate to Unit, a fully automatic robotic plate logistics system. This innovative technology, which automates both the delivery and removal of ready-to-hang plates, not only reduces the operator’s workload but also improves plate change reliability – minimizing the risk of plate scratches and helping to reduce paper waste.

The Plate to Unit process begins with Prinect Production, which manages the entire production workflow, from job creation to plate output – automating tasks like job imposition, color management, and plate exposure settings. Additionally, these systems efficiently organize and schedule plate production with Prinect Scheduler and Plate Pilot according to Seaway’s press schedule, ensuring the correct plates for each scheduled job are assigned to the right plate trolleys and then transferring this information to the press. Each plate trolley, which can hold up to ten jobs or eighty plates, is then brought to the press, where plates are automatically placed in and removed from the printing unit without operator intervention.

Seaway’s plate preparation process is further streamlined by two new Suprasetter 106 CtPs, which are equipped with automatic inline bending and punching. Prior to installation, Seaway, who processes 17,000 plates a month, frequently experienced bottlenecks due to manually bending and organizing plates. “There were touchpoints where a person wasn’t adding value to the process,” explained Vice President Ian Heslin. “The automatic bending and sorting eliminate the need for extra handling – resulting in less damaged plates.”

Thanks to the combined efficiency of Prinect and Suprasetter technologies, Ian stated that Seaway’s team has been able to go “lights out” on plate production, even reallocating one person per shift from the plateroom to more valuable positions on the manufacturing floor.

High Automation, High Achiever

Seaway’s highly advanced XL 106 is equipped with additional efficiency boosting peripherals, including non-stop pile changing in the delivery for uninterrupted production of long runs, even at high speeds; Prinect Inpress Control 3 for automatic, inline color control; and the fourth generation CutStar inline sheeter. By using rolls instead of cut sheets, Seaway eliminates the operators’ need to reload the feeder – increasing press availability by two and a half times. The company then connected its CutStar system with the new Contiweb splicer, which eliminates changeover time between rolls, and saves the company 35-50 minutes every eight-hour shift.

Pursuing even further efficiency gains, the XL 106 features Prinect Inspection Control 4, which detects and manages print defects on both sides of the sheet in perfecting mode, at top speeds. During the print run, if a sheet is found to be outside the specified Delta E tolerance or identified as waste, the waste extraction system (tied to the Device Assistant) removes the sheet into a shredding system – ensuring only perfect sheets are delivered to the final stack.

This highly automated press configuration means, without sacrificing quality or run speed, only one press operator is needed per shift. Additionally, thanks to truly autonomous production via Push to Stop, even Seaway’s newest operators can quickly reach the highest levels of productivity and quality from the press. As a result, Seaway has seen a 20% increase in productivity compared to its 2018 eight-color perfecter, achieving an Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of 70% with its newest XL 106 – well above the industry average of 25% for offset printing. This accomplishment is even more impressive given Seaway’s average run length is just 3,200 sheets, and two out of three shifts are managed by operators who have less than six months of experience.

“We designed this press so an operator never needs to be in a particular place, at a particular time to maintain productivity,” said President Kevin Heslin. “The automation creates a buffer, enabling operators to manage the overall production process while the machine handles individual tasks, such as moving the pile at the delivery or changing a roll when it runs out, without constant operator intervention.”

Efficiency – From Start to Finish

Seaway’s autonomous production continues into finishing, where it is equipped with three “Push to Stop” Stahlfolder TH-Ps that change from one folded signature to the next without operator intervention. The folders are complemented by three StackStar P robotic stacking systems (formerly P-Stackers) that autonomously move signature piles from the folder’s delivery onto a pallet.

“Installing the StackStar P made us realize the extent of the operators’ time spent offloading materials from the folder onto pallets,” said Ian. “It had an even bigger impact on our finishing operations than we anticipated.”

The combination of the two technologies enables Seaway, who folds over 100,000 signatures per shift per folder, to run all its folders and stacking systems with only two operators. He added, “Now that the operators are free to monitor and adjust the folders, we can truly maximize running speeds.”

Innovation is Key to Competitiveness

The Heslins’ keen focus on investing in the latest technology has contributed to the company’s consistent 15-20% growth each year for the past decade. To keep up with its growing business and incoming requests from new customers, Seaway recently built a new facility nearly twice the size of its former space with an additional twelve acres for future expansion. The move doubles the production capacity for both the company’s offset and digital inkjet businesses.

According to Kevin, “Ongoing investment in automated technology is essential for staying competitive in the market and achieving our growth and profitability goals. Without it, reaching our productivity targets – particularly on the short-run work that has become our specialty – wouldn’t be possible.”

This focus on automation has not only helped the company tackle the labor shortage in the market but has also attracted a younger, more technologically inclined workforce.  “We’re not going out of our way to recruit a younger crew,” explained Ian, “but when people come in here and see the new equipment, they’re more excited to work here than other manufacturing jobs in the area.”

Looking ahead, Seaway continues to identify new ways to streamline efficiency in its shop and works closely with HEIDELBERG’s R&D department on new technologies. The company recently started using a new multi-dot screen technology that both reduces the amount of ink used during the press run and creates a sharper dot. The first in the US to use the technology, Kevin said it has helped the press get to color quicker and keeps color more stable on press.

In all, running a highly productive plant helps Seaway lower its manufacturing costs and enables the company to achieve turnaround times on jobs that would prove challenging for most of its competitors. The Heslins said, “HEIDELBERG machines are unmatched in day-by-day production and have been proven to hold up to consistently running at their limits. HEIDELBERG is always very willing to listen to our recommendations for improvements and has been extremely helpful in helping us get the most out of our machines.”

1. Based on data collected from connected HEIDELBERG presses worldwide

Source: Heidelberg

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions.