Over 200 guests from around the world attended Heidelberg’s SHIFT 2025 ‘expert networking’ event at its Home of Print in Wiesloch-Walldorf, a new summit to exchange ideas on process digitization and hybrid print production. The event drew on working examples of production, using the facility’s Jetfire 50, upcoming Jetfire 75 and Versafire digital printing systems, integrated into end-to-end workflow with Heidelberg’s Prinect Touch Free system.
Over 200 'experts' from around the world were invited to attend the inaugural Heidelberg SHIFT event
Day One of SHIFT focused on practical applications from various companies with six speakers holding court, including Rob Cross, co-managing director of Micropress Printers in England, who described how his company has accelerated its processes and alleviated the shortage of personnel thanks to automation, robotics, and AI. Micropress produces on a Speedmaster XL 106 with Plate to Unit and on several digital printing systems. All processes are controlled via Prinect. At the folding machines, robots, including a StackStar P from Heidelberg, place the packages on pallets. Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) move the pallets between the individual machines.
Another example on show was Bauer Packaging, a local Geman company who specialize in label printing and packaging production. Using a combination of Prinect Production from Heidelberg and Symphony from Ctrl-s, Bauer has largely digitized its production: the numerous label orders are bundled, the impositions are automatically laid out, and the output is sent to several digital printing systems. Compucut Auto-Control calculates the cutting programs fully automatically on Polar cutting technology. Around 700 orders are processed every day and even orders received by 7pm are delivered on the same day from 9pm. For the more than 600 million folding cartons produced annually, Bauer Packaging works with a new high-performance Mastermatrix 106 CSB die cutter, among other equipment.
Together with its partners, Heidelberg used SHIFT 2025 to present itself as a solution provider and system integrator for end-to-end production in commercial and packaging printing - from the PDF file to the delivered product. Special attention was paid to hybrid print production with Speedmaster technology on the one hand and digital printing with Jetfire 50 and Versafire systems on the other. The focus was on fully automated workflow control via the new Prinect Touch Free workflow. The AI-supported software guides an order independently and without human intervention through the entire manufacturing process, always taking into account the most cost-effective production route, available capacity, the current order backlog, and delivery dates.
Prinect Touch Free is scheduled to be available from the end of 2025.
Confirming plans for SHIFT 2026, Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology and Sales Officer at Heidleberg, says: "SHIFT offers a unique platform where participants can network, discuss the topic of digital transformation and gain inspiration for solutions. This event supports our customers as partners with all our process expertise and experience in process digitalization."
