June 13, 2005—Heidelberg unveiled its new Print Media Demonstration Center (PMDC) to 300 of the country’s most influential printers at a President’s Night ceremony and ribbon-cutting event on May 25. The state-of-the-art facility, located at Heidelberg’s North American headquarters in Kennesaw, Ga., houses a wide range of prepress, press, and postpress equipment, including the new Speedmaster XL 105, which made its U.S. debut at the event.

“We are committed to providing printers of all types and sizes with the equipment and resources they need to enhance operational efficiency, achieve competitive advantages, and save money,” said James Dunn, president, Heidelberg USA. “Our new Print Media Demonstration Center gives printers access to the most comprehensive print demonstration experience available to help them make informed business decisions and grow their market share.”

At 33,000 sq. ft., the PMDC is the largest Heidelberg demonstration center in the world dedicated to the print media industry. It will serve as the venue for hands-on tutorials on a full range of equipment and workflow solutions. In addition, the new facility will be open to the print media industry; customers, vendors, and local universities and dignitaries are among the groups that can take advantage of the center for meetings, conferences, and other demonstration needs.

Mr. Dunn and Heidelberg Chief Executive Officer Bernhard Schreier opened the new center. Attendees were given an exclusive preview and demonstration of the Speedmaster XL 105, the first in the company’s new series of high-end offset presses known as the “Peak Performance Class.” With production speeds of up to 18,000 sheets per hour, the new machine reportedly produces a high-quality product, even on thick stocks.

The Speedmaster XL 105 is said to be ideal for label and packaging printers that handle long runs, a fact made possible by its high degree of automation, large print format of 29x41", and simple operation. The press includes several new features such as a new feeder, the newly released Air-Transfer sheet transport system, and an integrated inking/dampening system.