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HEIDELBERG plans to expand the Boardmaster application to the growing flexible paper segment

Posted on by darion

Boardmaster from HEIDELBERG: More availability, twice the productivity.

  • Focus on the global increase in demand for sustainable, recyclable and compostable packaging

  • Boardmaster on display in the Print Media Center at the HEIDELBERG Wiesloch-Walldorf plant

Following the successful market launch of Boardmaster, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) plans to expand the range of applications of this new inline web flexographic printing system to flexible paper packaging in the medium term. “The global increase in demand for sustainably produced, affordable and recyclable or compostable packaging makes flexible paper an attractive growth market for us,” says Christian Steinmassl, responsible for the packaging segment at HEIDELBERG. “Our Boardmaster flexographic printing system – which can process water-based inks, coatings and barrier layers at production speeds of up to 600 meters per minute with up to 90 percent availability – is ideal for this market,” he adds.

Director of the Management Board at PMC at the HEIDELBERG Wiesloch-Walldorf plant

From drupa 2024, the complete Boardmaster will be available for customer demonstration in the Print Media Center (PMC) at the HEIDELBERG headquarters in Wiesloch-Walldorf. Options to meet a variety of requirements maximize the number of automation and control features this press can present for the benefit of potential customers. Boardmaster is available in four printing widths from 850 to 1650 mm.

Successful launch – first Boardmaster systems in operation

When creating the system, the company focused on the key challenges and requirements of its customers – significant cost pressure, quality and operational reliability, durability and high investment security. “The systems are already operational in the US, the order situation is very encouraging and we are receiving inquiries from all over the world,” reveals Steinmassl. Printers currently using large-format offset production for food and beverage packaging are also expressing interest. Boardmaster is designed for maximum overall equipment performance in continuous operation with the ability to change tasks in real time. It achieves up to 90 percent availability and a print speed of 600 meters per minute. This equates to twice the productivity of previous, comparable systems. Maintenance costs are 50 percent lower than systems using other printing processes. A high degree of automation and simple operation support production with low employment levels. This also prevents operational staff shortages. Finally, the AI-powered Intellimatch print plate and sleeve scanner helps ensure that print results meet high quality standards.