Heidelberg Speedmaster

What it is

The Speedmaster is a series of sheetfed offset printing presses built by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. The series was introduced in 1974, when the Speedmaster SM 72 was the star of the PRINT trade show in Chicago. The SM 102 followed in 1975. Since then the Speedmaster has been developed into a broad range of formats and configurations for commercial and packaging printing.

How it works

Offset printing transfers ink from a printing plate to a rubber blanket cylinder and from there onto paper or board. In a sheetfed press, individual sheets are fed through a series of printing units, each typically applying one colour. Modern Speedmaster presses are highly automated: plate changes, colour control and format changes are managed by software and sensors, reducing set-up times and waste. Variants with coating units and special equipment handle cardboard for packaging.

Why it stands out

Heidelberg built its reputation with the Tiegel, a platen press produced from 1926 to 1985, and then carried that reputation into offset printing. The Speedmaster became one of the best-known names in the printing industry and a symbol of German mechanical engineering. Today, according to Heidelberg, around 60 per cent of Speedmaster presses go into packaging printing, reflecting the shift from print media to packaging. The company has faced difficult years as digital media reduced demand for printed products.

Where you meet it

Speedmaster presses work in commercial printing companies, packaging printers and print shops worldwide. The folding boxes for medicines, cosmetics and food, as well as brochures, catalogues and book covers, are often printed on them.