Heidelberg marks 175 years with 'Peak Performance' event

Commemorating 175 years, Heidelberg showcased advancements in print technology during its 'Peak Performance' event held last week at its North American Print Media Performance & Training Center (PMPTC) in Kennesaw, Georgia. The two-day event welcomed 120 customers from across the US and Canada and featured live equipment demonstrations and a customer panel discussion, highlighting Heidelberg’s technology for the commercial, packaging and label segments.

Heidelberg’s 'Peak Performance' event opened with a panel featuring some of its customers across key business segments, including Jon Tardiff of J.S. McCarthy, Bryan Moquin of Moquin Press and Ian Heslin of Seaway. During the interactive session, Tardiff, Moquin and Heslin shed light on how their companies have optimized the performance of their Heidelberg equipment, specifically the Speedmaster XL 106, in packaging, label and commercial printing, respectively. Beyond operational insights, the panel also represented a generational shift in leadership, as each of these industry leaders has stepped into their roles following the legacy of family-run businesses, signaling a new era in print.

'As Heidelberg celebrates 175 years in business, it’s only fitting to honor the next generation of print leadership who will carry our legacy into the future,' said Clarence Penge, president of Heidelberg USA. 'These leaders are a true reflection of what "Peak Performance" looks like — not just in production, but in driving real business growth.'

Event attendees also had the opportunity to experience firsthand the capabilities of Heidelberg’s latest advancements through live demonstrations of its full equipment portfolio. Featured technologies included the Speedmaster XL 106-8P+L with Fourth Generation CutStar, Stahlfolder TH 82, Polar 137 N 137 AT System 200, Polar 78 cutter, Mastermatrix 106 CSB, Easymatrix 106, Diana Easy 115, Versafire EP and EV, and the Prinect Production and Business Manager. These demonstrations highlighted Heidelberg’s work in enhancing automation, increasing productivity and simplifying the print production process from start to finish.

The newest 'Peak Performance' Speedmaster XL 106 showcased its technological advancements in both commercial and packaging print demonstrations. During the commercial segment, the press ran five different jobs with an average makeready time of less than two minutes. The packaging demonstration highlighted the press’s AI-powered Device Assistance systems, including Air Assistant, which automatically adjusts feeder air settings based on stored substrate profiles, and Wash Assistant, which enables fully automated color washes. Additionally, attendees witnessed the press’s Push to Stop coating unit perform fully automated anilox roller changes, driven by Prinect job data using the Anilox Roller ID and Autoloader. The system also autonomously switched coating plates and transitioned from gloss UV to soft touch UV coating  completing the entire process in under five minutes without operator intervention.

'It’s amazing to see how Heidelberg keeps driving improvements across pre-press, press and post-press,' said Paul Goezler Jr., event attendee and president of Texas-based Goezler Industries. 'They’re truly moving our industry forward with incredible technology. The next generation is coming at us fast — it’s going to be an exciting time with Heidelberg clearly leading the charge.'

In addition to equipment and software demonstrations, attendees were introduced to Heidelberg’s newest breakthrough technologies, including Prinect Touch Free, a hybrid workflow designed to optimize both digital and offset production. With Prinect Touch Free, jobs are first preflighted, then Pathfinder calculates possible production paths using real-time data. The Decision Maker can then automatically select the most efficient route while Scheduler handles the execution and optimization of the production sequence — all with minimal manual intervention. Additional highlights included the Gallus One 'System to Compose' digital label printing system, the high-performance Boardmaster flexographic press, and the Jetfire 50 – Heidelberg’s B3 inkjet printing system, set to be installed at the PMPTC this summer.

For Kurt Koloseike, president and CEO of Pennsylvania-based S. Walter Packaging Group and self-described Heidelberg 'newcomer,' the Peak Performance event delivered an educational and impactful experience.

'It was incredibly insightful to see manufacturing of packaging in a 360-degree environment — from design and concept through production and final packaging,' said Koloseike. “Heidelberg’s end-to-end integration is a key differentiator that played a major role in selecting them as our primary print solutions provider. The event was very influential in shaping how we’ll approach our business moving forward — knowing we have such a strong and capable partner in Heidelberg.'