During drupa trade fair, Heidelberg offered its customers
a comprehensive overview of the digitized future of the printing industry both in Hall 1 in Düsseldorf and at the Print Media Centers at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site. At its booth in Hall 1, Heidelberg and its partners exhibited integrated business models for commercial and packaging printing under the motto “Simply Smart”. The focus was on pioneering innovations for offset and digital printing, prepress, finishing, the workflow, and associated services and consumables.
In opening its Wiesloch-Walldorf factory, Heidelberg’s aim was primarily directed at her customers who want to find out about latest innovations, and varied needs in terms of productivity, automation, and capacity requirements.
Pioneering solutions during Wiesloch-Walldorf factory visit on Saturday 4th of June 2016
After initial bus transfer hiccups, delegates from Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya who had converged at the Messe South Entrance right outside Heidelberg Hall 1 as early as 7am were led into the luxurious bus that conveyed customers straight to Wiesloch-Walldorf factory that houses the two Print Media Centers (separately dedicated to both commercial and packaging). In order to have better experience and real value of the factory visit, delegates were divided into two groups – commercial and packaging – each led by Heidelberg’s Nigeria MD – Mr. Jakob Bejer and Chief Financial Controller – Mr. Godwin Ogwilo.
Just as at the trade fair in Düsseldorf, there were shuttle busses that took delegates from one centre to another. On display at each centre were series of innovative equipment not limited to Speedmaster XL 106-8-P with DryStar LED, Speedmaster CX 102-5+L and Primefire 106. Others were Versafire CV and CP ranges, Gallus Labelfire 340, Stahlfolder KH 82-P, Stahlfolder TH 82-P, Duopress MK21060SER and Diana range of machines. Also exhibited were Easymatrix 106CS, Powermatrix 106CSB, the POLAR Digicut ECO and PRO, and series of other POLAR cutting machines.
Gains of the visit
The tour provided detailed insight into diverse print solutions and applications at both the commercial and packaging Print Media Centres. Customers get first-hand access to specialist expertise available from Heidelberg. As a full day event, there were enough time to speak with experts who offered tips, advice, and inspiration on how to get the most out of the production process. More important also, customers used the opportunity to see what goes on inside the machine, clarify technical details and ask practical information about performance potential of individual products.
WHERE To Print gathered from the Wiesloch-Walldorf experience that the visitation was an eye opener – as delegates not only saw live demonstration of latest models of Heidelberg presses as well as that of her partners – they also noticed that majority of the machines were manned by women operators – just to confirm their ease of use and flexibility.
“Smart services” boost availability and productivity
It is worthy to note that one of Heidelberg’s premiers – Heidelberg’s Service offerings and consumables – or “smart services” – meant to safeguard the smooth running of a print shop round the clock, received commendations from delegates.
Submission
Customers who took advantage of drupa 2016 trade fair (in Düsseldorf from May 31 to June 10, 2016), and visited Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) Wiesloch-Walldorf factory were impressed with not only the hospitality exhibited by Heidelberg Nigeria Team headed by Jakob Bejer (who personally served refreshment in the bus), but most importantly the concept of “Simply Smart” that aimed to continuously improve press efficiency especially looking at the future of print shops – where automation will be embedded even more deeply into a digital supply chain with customers and suppliers, thereby meeting even greater expectations regarding additional services such as shipping and multimedia marketing. The tour ended (though delegates were exhausted after returning back to Dusseldorf at exactly 21:42hr), they were however compensated with new thinking and numerous ways of further doing ‘smart print’ – not only to print buyers benefit but most importantly – with great value to printers and the industry at large. Delegates promised to definitely come back!
