SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 24, 2026 -- Hamburg-based Siepmann Printing GmbH has invested in a fully automated hybrid production environment combining offset and digital printing technology from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, integrating both systems through the Prinect workflow platform. The installation centers on a Speedmaster XL 106 from HEIDELBERG's Peak Performance Generation and a Versafire LV digital press. Together, the two systems allow Siepmann to route jobs between offset and digital printing from a single workflow, depending on run length and demand. The company produces pharmaceutical package inserts, packaging, and high-quality commercial print products — a product mix that places strict demands on color accuracy and process reliability.
Shorter Runs and Higher Job Volumes Push Siepmann Toward Hybrid Production
Print shops across the industry are dealing with a structural shift: run lengths are shrinking while the number of individual jobs per shift continues to grow. For a specialist like Siepmann — producing sensitive materials such as pharmaceutical package inserts alongside high-end packaging and partially customized commercial work — this creates pressure on both scheduling and quality control. The answer the company chose was hybrid production. Rather than treating offset and digital as separate operations, Siepmann now routes jobs between the two technologies within a unified Prinect workflow. Color-accurate output is guaranteed regardless of which press runs the job.
Speedmaster XL 106 Peak Performance Delivers Up to 18,000 Sheets Per Hour
The Speedmaster XL 106, from the Peak Performance Generation HEIDELBERG launched at drupa 2024, runs at Siepmann at speeds of up to 18,000 sheets per hour. Energy efficiency was a stated priority in the investment: the new DryStar Combination Eco dryer technology cuts energy consumption by up to 30 percent compared to previous configurations. Waste reduction starts early. Prinect Inpress Control 3 handles color measurement and correction from the start-up phase, reducing spoilage before full production speed is reached. Quality assurance continues throughout the run via Prinect Inline Inspection 4, which monitors every sheet across its full surface and compares each one against stored PDF data in real time.
For pharmaceutical package inserts, this matters considerably. Errors in that product category carry regulatory and safety implications. Full-surface inline inspection reduces the risk of defective material reaching the finishing or packaging stage. The Hycolor XL inking and dampening unit further supports print quality while keeping waste low. A direct-drive Preset Plus feeder accelerates the machine's ramp-up to production speed and makes job changeovers more efficient — a practical advantage when handling a high volume of distinct short-run jobs.
Versafire LV Extends Siepmann's Digital Range to Large Format and Special Effects
The Versafire LV digital press handles small to medium print runs and customized products that are not suited to offset production at Siepmann's typical volumes. Its format capabilities go beyond standard sheet sizes: the system supports banner printing up to 1,260 mm single-sided and 1,030 mm double-sided, and can produce six- to eight-page documents and large-format posters in a single pass. Finishing options include special colors — opaque white, gold, silver, and metallic effects — that expand the range of applications available to Siepmann's commercial print customers. Integration into the broader production environment is handled via the Prinect Digital Frontend, which connects the Versafire LV to the same workflow logic as the offset press.
Prinect Production Manager Automates the Full Job Lifecycle
The Prinect Production Manager ties the investment together as an end-to-end production management layer. It covers the full job lifecycle — from quote calculation and production planning through to finishing — without relying on standalone solutions for individual steps. Automated routing, scheduling, and control reduce the risk of operator error and support consistent output across job types. The integration also contributes to sustainability goals: tighter production control means less waste, and the workflow's built-in automation reduces the number of manual interventions that typically introduce variability and spoilage.
HEIDELBERG and Siepmann Both Frame the Investment as a Long-Term Positioning Move
Dr. David Schmedding, Executive Board Member for Technology and Sales at HEIDELBERG, described the combination of offset and digital printing integrated through Prinect as unique to HEIDELBERG's portfolio, and said it enables maximum flexibility, efficiency, and sustainable production for customers operating in demanding markets.
Managing Director Mark Siepmann said customers expect precision, flexibility, and absolute process reliability, and that the new HEIDELBERG solutions create the conditions to meet those demands reliably — both now and in the future.
The Speedmaster XL 106 has been running in production at Siepmann since February 2026.
A Production Model Built for Variable Demand Across Sensitive Product Categories
Siepmann's product mix — pharmaceutical package inserts, packaging, and customized commercial print — spans multiple quality and compliance requirements within a single facility. The hybrid setup addresses this directly. Short and ultra-short runs go to the Versafire LV, where the economics of digital production apply. Longer runs and materials requiring the highest color fidelity and inline quality verification go to the Speedmaster XL 106. Both paths converge in Prinect, giving production managers a single point of control regardless of press assignment. For a company operating in markets where delivery precision and error prevention are non-negotiable, that unified control layer is as important as either press individually.