At the end of March 2014, Heidelberg stopped the production of the most successful printing press in its class – the Printmaster GTO 52 and replaced it by Speedmaster SM 52 and SX 52.
As cornerstone for the growth path of most print shops, the Printmaster GTO 52 contributed to today’s successful print business as most printers started their career with a GTO. This is because since its introduction at DRUPA 1972, the printing world appreciates the flexibility, ease of use and sturdiness of the Printmaster GTO 52 culminating in almost 107, 000 printing units produced over the past 40 years with high number of them today still in production.
At a media parley recently, Managing Director of Heidelberg Nigeria Limited – Mr. Jakob Bejer informed that the decision to replace GTO with the SM range was influenced by industrialization need in the printing industry. He therefore noted that today’s print investors require printing machines with features such as competitive, automation, process orientation and productivity – that are critical factors for print business success.
According to Heidelberg John Onuegbulem and Godwin Ogwilo who also spoke at the media interaction, WHERE To Print gathered that the SM 52 is a great press with great value. SM 52 two – and four-colour models are the ideal presses for small and medium-sized commercial print shops that are looking to satisfy growing customer requirements. It offers reliability in production and investments security by delivering excellence when it comes to print quality, reliability, and value retention.
To Heidelberg, the success of the Speedmaster SX 52 is based on performance innovations and a winning, tried-and-tested machine platform. It offers a wide range of applications, with configuration options from two to ten printing units; with or without a perfecting device and coating unit. Different coating systems for conventional or UV applications and an inline die-cutting unit are just a few of the possibilities.
Heidelberg Nigeria also used the occasion to announce this year’s HEI Open Days and Heidelberg Info Days that are expected to provide an over-view of cutting edge technologies and offer solutions for trends in the print media industry. While the HEI Open Days are for February 20, March 26 and 27, April 10, May 22 and June 26, 2014 at Heidelberg site in Germany, the Info Days on specific applications are March 12 (Special applications in commercial printing); April 2 (Hybrid production with digital and offset presses); May 14 and 15 (Printing in perfecting mode with LE UV) and June 4 and 5 (Peak performance for packaging companies).
Jakob Bejer summed up the parley by declaring that Heidelberg will not be exhibiting at Ipex 2014 stressing that, “Ipex 2014 is officially not an IPEX as usual. Not only has IPEX moved the venue to London instead of Birmingham, but IPEX 2014 will also witness non-participation by the major players in the Graphics Industry. In the future DRUPA will be the only major Graphics Industry exhibition, where everyone will participate while news and innovations will be shown at DRUPA – next DRUPA will take place in 2016”.
