The German giant, whose Ipex exhibit took the theme "Connect for success", has boosted the speed of the straight-printing version of itsB2 CD 74 from 15,000sph to 18,000sph. A perfecting version is in the pipeline.

Chief executive Bernhard Schreier said the faster speed would make the machine "ideal" for printers combining short and regular longer runs.

"There are many benefits for commercial, packaging and label printers that work with different materials and run lengths," he said.

The CD 74, which has an option for18,000sph, will be available in October. Other options include a new suction head, an automatic pile-lifting control system, inking unit temperature control, Static StarAdvanced and PowderStar.

Heidelberg also launched a CD 74 with a coating unit before and after sheet reversal. Schreier said despite the CD74-5+LY-P-5+L's complicated name, "the concept is simple".

"It is taking productivity one step further," Schreier commented. "The coating options before and after sheet reversal get customers to the finishing stage much faster than before."