Heidelberg recently displayed the Speedmaster XL 145 with a top speed of 18,000 sph and the Speedmaster XL 162 with up to 16,500 sph at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site. Over 250 customers and folding carton experts from around the world saw a world premiere at the Heidelberg Info Days, which focused on peak performance in packaging printing. The target groups for these straight-printing presses are large, international packaging manufacturers.

Heidelberg also covers two other business models with its large format – just-in-time production with short runs and customers looking to set their products apart through elaborate surface finishing.

The offering is rounded off with an end-to-end workflow covering prepress, press, and postpress, complete with services, consumables, and consulting. For the first time, the Speedmaster XL 145 was shown at the Info Days working alongside the new Dymatrix XL 145 CSB ance die cutter.

The new “Packaging Speed Performance” （PSP） speed classes at 18,000/16,500 sph are aimed at large, international packaging printers. These companies are active in large-volume printing primarily for packaging in the food and non-food sectors. The overall equipment efficiency （OEE） rating, which is made up of makeready time, makeready waste, average net production speed, and level of utilization, is crucial for this business model. According to Heidelberg calculations a Speedmaster XL 145 with Packaging Speed Performance working three shifts for six days a week produces twice as many sheets as a packaging press built in 2007 at a speed of 15,000 sph. The Speedmaster XL 145 with Packaging Speed Performance can produce 70 million sheets or more each year.

According to Heidelberg the Speedmaster XL 145 PSP and XL 162 PSP feature the longest drying sections on the market. They are equipped with seven slide-in units to ensure smooth production and complete drying at maximum speed. What’s more, the high energy efficiency results in lower energy costs per sheet for customers.