Different cities, different applications, different models…one brand

– Heidelberg Speedmaster
– the perfect upgrades to printing set-ups across the country

Onyx Printers, Bengaluru installs Heidelberg Speedmaster SX-74 four-colour press:

Pradeep and Channabasappa of Onyx Printers with the Heidelberg Speedmaster SX 74 four-colour press.Of course, we were off to a bumpy start like any other fledgling business, but the journey has been and continues to be incredible. All the hard work is paying off now. We print with passion and enjoy the pressure,” smiles Pradeep Herur, who along with his brother Channabasappa (Channu) runs the show at Onyx Printers in Bengaluru. The print-shop is engaged in packaging and commercial printing.

Onyx Printers recently installed the Heidelberg Speedmaster SX-74 four-colour press, which was displayed at drupa 2012. At the show, the brothers got a chance to take a closer look at the Speedmaster SX-74 and were impressed with the short make-ready times and quick job change-over. They were equally stunned by the excellent quality that was achieved with so much ease. Later, they visited Coimbatore for a special demo on SM 74, a press in a similar format and class, to observe its production capacity in the home environment. Channu was awestruck. He called the press a “game-changer,” for its splendid performance in a local environment operated by a local operator on local raw material.

Heidelberg Speedmaster SX-74 four-colour press is the new benchmark for presses in the 50 x 70 format. The hybrid press, a drupa 2012 model, is a winning combination of the cutting-edge technology of the Speedmaster XL class with the tried-and-tested platform of the Speedmaster SM series.

“We knew it would be a perfect fit for our business model,” Channabasappa pipes up. “Our decision to be leaner and more productive with less stoppage time and less paper wastage levels could be achieved with this wonder machine. One of the most alluring features is the flexibility in configuration,” he adds more thoughtfully.

Onyx Printers has a prestigious clientele that includes Ad agencies and some big names in the corporate sector. About 60 percent of the work at Onyx involves packaging printing and the rest commercial printing. Onyx has also made a successful foray into bag-manufacturing, widening its horizons. The Speedmaster SX-74 could be easily configured to match their requirements perfectly to a tee.

“Heidelberg has been the ultimate dream and destination for any printing firm,” says Pradeep in a tone bordering on reverence. “Buying the Speedmaster SX-74 has had made this dream a reality for Onyx Printers.” Pradeep and Channabasappa are also highly impressed with the sales and training support from Heidelberg. “The installation pace was smooth and the training imparted was classy,” Pradeep says and Channu simply nods in agreement. This was clearly an added benefit. “Our clients are even happier with this latest addition to our family,” Pradeep concludes. “This is reflected in the flurry of new orders, ever since the Speedmaster SX-74 was installed.”

Sri Laxmi Ganapathi installs first-ever Heidelberg SM 74 Press & Suprasetter A106 CtP in coastal Andhra Pradesh:

Veerabhadra Rao and Nagabhushana Rao of Sri Laxmi Ganapathi with Heidelberg SM 74.Sri Laxmi Ganapathi Images is a spectacular growth story. From humble beginning with a letterpress printing 46 years ago in Kovvur, Andhra Pradesh, the firm has made significant headway to become a premier print shop in town. The latest jewel in the crown for Sri Laxmi Ganapathi Images is the addition of Heidelberg SM 74 four-colour press and Suprasetter A 106 CtP equipment.

Both state-of-the-art Heidelberg machines were installed at a new branch of the company in Rajahmundry recently.

With the latest investment, the four-decade old company is now equipped with contemporary technology in-house to cover the entire process chain from prepress to post-press. Under the leadership of the dynamic duo- MV Nagabhushana Rao and MV Bhadra Rao – the firm is constantly expanding its horizons to meet the new challenges in this highly competitive and fragmented business.

The Prinect Press Center of the Speedmaster SM 74, with its innovative intellistart process-oriented operator guidance system, enables straightforward and precise machine control, while the speed-compensated Alcolor dampening system produces brilliant print results.

The company is engaged in printing Hindu literature, academic text books, workbooks, brochures, posters, magazines and wedding cards. Prior to the rendezvous with Heidelberg, Sri Laxmi Ganapathi Images has been working with used machines. Bhadra Rao visited Heidelberg’s Wiesloch production facility in Germany to get first hand feel of the equipment he planned to buy. But, once he set his eyes on the press, and the ensuing demo, his perspective underwent a 180 degree transformation. At that point, the decision to buy the Speedmaster SM 74 became a no-brainer. “It was love at first sight,” he recalls with a chuckle. “We were looking to improve print quality and speed, while reducing paper wastage,” he adds. The SM 74 four-colour press matched his requirements to a tee.

The print-shop has also installed state-of-the-art, Heidelberg Suprasetter A106 CtP–high performance pre-press equipment, which offers exceptional smart plate handling. Equipped with unique thermal laser technology developed by Heidelberg, the plate-setters are almost totally protected against production failures by the Intelligent Diode System (IDS).

The Heidelberg experience has turned both the Raos into hardcore Heidelberg loyalists. “The investment is already beginning to pay off,” says the excited Nagabhushana Rao. “Ever since the equipments were installed, the orders are pouring in,” he adds happily. His enthusiasm is contagious, as this is also Heidelberg’s maiden installation in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, an unexplored market ripe with potential.

Looking ahead, the Raos’ are already considering further investment in Heidelberg equipments in the next few years. This time their choice would run on the lines of a Heidelberg CD 102 press in the 70 x 100 format and a Polar cutter. “Progress is about the choices we make. Heidelberg has turned out to be one of our best business decisions,” concludes Bhadra Rao.

Divine Printers invests in Heidelberg SM 74 press and Suprasetter A105 CtP:

Fr. Joseph of Divine Printers with the brand new Heidelberg SM 74 four-colour press.Divine Printers of Chalakudy, Kerala, is pretty excited about the new Heidelberg embellishments to its printing family – the SM 74 four-colour press and the Suprasetter A105 CtP equipment.

Established in 1995, Chalakudy, Kerala based Divine Printers, operates as the printing subsidiary of the Divine Centre campus. It prints over five lakh copies of a devotional magazine titled Vachanostsavam, and the Bible, both for distribution to devotees.

The significant rise in the circulation of the magazine, as well as the Bible distribution, provided Divine Printers the impetus to shop for a brand new four-color press. Before Zeroing in on the Heidelberg SM 74, Divine Printers did its homework well. “Enquiries in the market led to a unanimous recommendation in favour of Heidelberg. To get a personal handle on the operations, we also visited some of the leading printers in Ernakulam, where Heidelberg presses were installed. Once, we set our eyes on the press, we were hooked. The performance was truly impressive,” Fr. Joseph, the general manager of Divine Printers recalls.

Post Heidelberg installation, Divine is yet to add any new applications to its portfolio, but the print volumes of its in-house magazine and Bible have increased considerably. To top it, Divine Printers is now attracting commercial, word-of-mouth customers as well, without any active promotion from its side. “Our customers are more than happy and we are generating solid revenues,” beams Fr. Joseph.

With the sharp increase in print jobs, Divine has taken another giant leap forward, ending a tradition of outsourcing plates. Instead, the press has now invested in a brand new Heidelberg Suprasetter A105 CtP. The state-of-the-art equipment can process plates in 2400 dpi with a max format of 930 x 1060 mm.

The Heidelberg experience has turned Fr. Joseph into an ardent admirer. He lauds the training and after-sales support from Heidelberg India.

SN Offset Printers, Aluva goes for Heidelberg SM 52 four-colour press:

Fr. Joseph of Divine Printers with Heidelberg Suprasetter A 106 CtP equipment.In a latest move, SN Offset printers of Aluva, Kerala, has installed the Heidelberg SM 52 four-colour press. From humble beginnings as a small binding unit in 1984, SN Offset printers has certainly come a long way today, thanks to Sajeevan’s magic recipe for success.

To Sajeevan, installing a Heidelberg SM 52 is realizing a long cherished dream. With this latest addition, SN Offset is now a one-stop print shop, offering complete print solutions from pre-press through post press, finishing, wide format printing, digital printing, wide format jumbo printing, etc. “You name it, we have it. Our customers need not look any further,” states the proud new owner of the Speedmaster SM 52. He sees his investment in Heidelberg as a game changer. “We invested in the Heidelberg SM 52 to cater many short-run print jobs that are part and parcel of our everyday business. We expect to recover our investment in three years,” his statement exudes confidence.

With an ‘AutoPlate’ feature for fast plate changes and short make-ready times, the SM 52 four-color press is indeed ideal for small and medium-sized commercial print shops. A highly automated feeder with central suction tape helps the press process the widest range of substrates ranging from 0.03 mm to 0.40 mm. The SM 52 has production speeds of up to 15,000 sheets per hour.

Interestingly, Sajeevan had little knowledge of the printing business, when circumstances forced him to takeover the binding unit founded by his sister in 1984. “When I got into the business, I had this strange feeling which you get when you are swimming. You want to feel something solid under your feet. But, the water is deeper than you think it is.” But, Sajeevan managed to swim against the odds.

With this new acquisition, he is now confident about tackling any print job. “We have not had any issues with the press so far,” he boasts, while gratefully acknowledging the strong after-sales support from Heidelberg. “Venkataraman, regional sales manager, visits us often to ensure the smooth and hassle-free operation of the press. Not many companies follow-up so diligently,” he notes with genuine appreciation.

A major chunk or 90 percent of Sajeevan’s business comes from more than 100 small-scale printers from all over Kerala. About 80 percent of these orders are online/web-based. SN Printers has installed order-processing software to handle its thriving online business. With the Heidelberg SM 52, Sajeevan truly believes that he can more than match customer expectations in terms of quality, delivery, and pricing.

SN Offset Printers is also the preferred print solutions provider for Federal Bank, headquartered in Aluva. Sajeevan is considering future investments in variable data printing machines to meet the requirements of this key customer that comprises 10 percent of his business.

For a man, who took up printing by chance, Sajeevan is brimming with plans and promise. His dream is to grow this business into a big-scale, corporate print solution provider and create employment for at least 250 people. “But, I have miles to go before I sleep”, he concludes with a smile.