Heidelberg

News on suppliers to the packaging printing industry, including items on Blue Dog Bakery and Hornall Anderson; Lebensbaum and Innovia Films; PIA's InterTech Technology Awards; UPM Raflatac; and Michelman.

Printing Industries of America has announced the recipients of the 2012 InterTech Technology Awards, with a total of 12 innovative technologies selected to receive an InterTech star. The technologies receiving this prestigious award have been judged as truly innovative and are expected to advance the performance of the graphic communications industry.

Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, is handing over the company's chairmanship after almost 13 years in charge. The Supervisory Board unanimously appointed Dr. Gerold Linzbach as Heidelberg CEO with effect from September 1, 2012. Schreier will ensure the transition goes smoothly and will accompany the handover process up till the end of the year.

Heidelberg has already sold more than 750 Speedmaster SM 52, SM 74 and CD 102 presses in China, and has also reported an export rate of more than 10 percent for Speedmaster SM 52 and SM 74 standard presses from Qingpu in the Asia Pacific region.

Heidelberg has made a positive start to financial year 2012/2013 (April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013) thanks to a good showing at the drupa 2012 trade fair in Germany. Based on preliminary calculations, incoming orders for the first quarter increased to some EUR 890 million (previous year EUR 665 million)—their highest level for four years.

Many of the innovations in ecology and sustainability that Heidelberg highlighted at drupa will also be presented at EcoPrint in Berlin. These include, for example, a consulting program designed to improve the energy efficiency of print shops, and the Saphira Eco product line of ecological consumables.

News on suppliers to the packaging printing industry, including items on GPA, RotoMetrics, MTL Print, Heidelberg North America and W&H Press.

Simpsonville, KY-based Neff Packaging Solutions is reportedly the first U.S. company to install the latest generation of Heidelberg’s Prinect Image Control spectral color measurement and quality control system. The new Image Control system is used primarily with the company’s new eight-color Speedmaster CD 102 UV press in a double coating configuration.

At drupa 2012, Printers’ keen interest in the huge range of efficient, productive solutions offered by Heidelberg gave a clear signal that investment confidence is returning to the North American market. In total, Heidelberg North America received orders for more than 30 presses, almost 40 postpress solutions, and 30 prepress, workflow, and CtP solutions.

The FetterGroup in Louisville, KY, is reportedly the first company in the United States to purchase a seven-color Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor press. The press will be used in the production of uniquely sized decorative labels for its growing list of clients in several highly regulated markets.