Equipment

Heidelberg will expand its Dymatrix die-cutter range at next year’s Drupa printing exhibition to complement new very-large-format packaging presses that will also be revealed at the show.

The German printing group has identified packaging as one if its key markets and wants to build on its acquisition of converting equipment specialist Jagenberg in 2003.

Heidelberg’s packaging portfolio also includes the Varimatrix 105 CS, an entry-level die-cutter, and the Diana X folder-gluers.

The group’s UK arm only started selling the Varimatrix 105 in September and has not secured any orders so far to add to the 50 machines sold worldwide in the past two years.

But Paul Thompson, UK product manager for packaging and label finishing systems, said the firm was working on a dozen projects and would be pushing the product with the aim of “closing the gap” on market leader Bobst.

Thompson said Heidelberg had spent time developing its infrastructure in die-cutting and folder-gluers since the Jagenberg acquisition.

Heidelberg is also installing a new packaging demonstration area at its Tamworth showroom which it plans to open in April.

It will house a die-cutter, folder-gluer and Speedmaster XL 105-6LX with full UV interdeck and end-of-press drying.

The company will also be touring the UK with its packaging demonstration vehicle in March.

Heidelberg is building a new plant at its Wiesloch factory in Germany to manufacture the Speedmaster XL 142 and XL 162 presses that will be launched at Drupa.

It entered the packaging market in 1990 with the Speedmaster CD 102 and has since expanded on that with the Speedmaster XL 105 and subsequent models.