Sun Chemical and Heidelberg are investigating new opportunities of working together in a move that will bring further benefits to customers of the world’s biggest ink and press makers. Colour specialist, Sun Chemical, the world’s largest maker of inks and pigments, is linking up with Heidelberg, the world’s largest sheetfed offset press manufacturer, on new projects that will have spin-offs for customers around the globe.
The foundations have been laid for longer-term co-operation through the two companies continuing to share knowledge and experiences.
Ground-breaking research and development between Heidelberg and Sun Chemical on offset press inking was pivotal to the success of the new Heidelberg Anicolor unit that is an integral part of a new Speedmaster SM 52 four-colour press launched at Ipex.
The result has been an important development in sheetfed offset press design.
The unit, which has no inking zones, makes it possible to produce even the shortest of runs using standard offset workflow but with significantly higher margins.
Mike Winthrop, who heads up the Consumables Corporate Division of Heidelberg, says, “We are working together closely with Sun Chemical and looking at ways of forging new co-operation opportunities that will benefit our customers. Ipex seemed an appropriate opportunity to have interesting discussions.”
Felipe Mellado, Corporate Vice-President, Marketing and Technology, Sun Chemical Europe, says, “Our partnership with Heidelberg demonstrates both companies’ commitment to advance developments. This innovative breakthrough is one of the most important developments in sheetfed offset press design. We are working together on the next stages of the partnership, and more details will be announced soon.”
Sun Chemical, the world’s largest producer of printing inks and pigments, is a leading provider of materials to packaging, publication, coatings, plastics, cosmetics, and other industrial markets. With annual sales approaching US$4bn, Sun Chemical has over 12,000 employees supporting customers around the world. The Sun Chemical Group of companies includes such well-known names as Coates, Hartmann, Kohl & Madden, and US Ink. Sun Chemical Corporation in the US and Sun Chemical Limited in England are subsidiaries of Sun Chemical Group B.V., the Netherlands. Sun Chemical has headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.A.; Slough, England; and Weesp, the Netherlands.
With a global market share for sheetfed offset printing machines of more than 40 per cent, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is the world’s biggest solution provider for commercial and industrial customers in the print media industry. Headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, the company focuses on the entire process and value chain for popular format classes in the sheetfed offset and flexographic printing sectors. Apart from printing presses, the product portfolio includes plate imaging devices and finishing equipment, as well as software components designed to integrate all print manufacturing processes. In addition, Heidelberg offers a wide range of spare parts, consumables, used equipment and services, along with extensive training programs provided by the Print Media Academy. Furthermore, the company assists its customers’ investment plans by offering financing concepts.
Heidelberg is most active within the major OECD industrial regions and is expanding its involvement within growing markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe. With development and production sites in five countries and some 250 sales offices world-wide, the Company offers services to more than 200,000 customers around the globe. Heidelberg generates 85 per cent of global sales through company-owned sales offices and well above 80 per cent outside of Germany. In fiscal year 2004/2005, Heidelberg achieved sales of €3.207bn referring to the divisions Press, Postpress and Financial Services as well as a net profit of €61m. As of March 31, 2005, Heidelberg employed 18,700 staff worldwide.
