Hamburg-based print company Siepmann has invested in a new hybrid production environment from Heidelberg, combining offset and digital printing technologies within a single workflow.
The investment includes a Speedmaster XL 106 Peak Performance Generation offset press, a Versafire LV digital press and Heidelberg’s Prinect workflow software. The company, which specialises in package inserts, packaging and partially customised commercial print products, said the move is intended to increase flexibility, efficiency and sustainability as print runs continue to shorten and job volumes increase.
Both presses are integrated through the Prinect workflow, allowing the same jobs to be produced via either offset or digital printing depending on production requirements, while maintaining consistent colour reproduction. The workflow also enables economical production of very short runs on the digital press.
The Speedmaster XL 106, first introduced at drupa 2024, is capable of producing up to 18,000 sheets per hour. At Siepmann, the press is equipped with a range of automation and quality-control features, including Prinect Inpress Control 3 for colour measurement and Prinect Inline Inspection 4 for full-sheet inspection against stored PDF data. Heidelberg said its DryStar Combination Eco dryer technology can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%.
Alongside the offset investment, Siepmann has installed a Versafire LV digital press to expand its digital printing capabilities. The system is designed for small and medium print runs, customised applications and larger-format work, including banner printing, multi-page documents and posters. It also supports finishing options using special colours such as white, gold, silver and metallic effects.
The project also includes the implementation of Prinect Production Manager, which Heidelberg said enables automated production management from job calculation and planning through to finishing, helping reduce waste and minimise operator errors.
“By investing in a hybrid production environment, Siepmann is setting the course for a successful future,” says Dr. David Schmedding, executive board member for technology and sales at HEIDELBERG. “The combination of offset and digital printing, integrated via the Prinect workflow, is unique to Heidelberg and enables maximum flexibility, highest efficiency, and sustainable production. This means Siepmann is ideally equipped to meet the growing demands of the market.”
Managing director Mark Siepmann added: “Our customers expect precision, flexibility, and absolute process reliability. With the new Heidelberg solutions, we are creating the conditions to reliably meet these demands today and tomorrow.”
