Printing Industries of America (PIA) has recognised the industrial inkjet printing system Primefire 106 of Heidelberger Druck-maschinen AG (Heidelberg) with the distinguished 2018 InterTech Technology Award.With 39 InterTech Technology awards in total, Heidelberg is the most decorated manufacturer in the industry.
 

“The InterTech Technology Awards recognize truly innovative technologies that are expected to have a significant impact on our industry,” said Jim Workman, vice president for PIA’s Center for Technology and Research. “While less than half the entries received awards this year,” he added, “the judges concluded that the Primefire 106 clearly met the award standard.”
 

Being the first commercially available industrial inkjet digital printing system in the 70×100 (40”) format, Primefire 106 is designed to equip packaging converters with the possibility to add extra value to each produced box, to achieve faster time to market with their products and to streamline supply chain costs with print-on-demand capabilities. Its direct-to-sheet 7-colour imaging and outstanding colour registration allow for variable content in packaging design and for adding unique security printing features for anti-counterfeiting, by making every box unique and traceable.
 

“The Primefire 106 is the flagship in Heidelberg’s Digital Print portfolio as it takes digital production to a new level of productivity, quality and integration possibilities. The combination of Heidelberg’s know-how and print expertise with the Fujifilm Inkjet Technology results in a unique offering for packaging customers seeking to enhance, complement and digitize their production,” stated Montserrat Peidro, head of the business unit Digital at Heidelberg.
 

The Primefire offers the highest quality 1,200 x 1,200 dpi with initial production speeds of 2,500 sheets per hour and is designed to achieve volumes of up to 1.5 million sheets per month. Being a modular platform, the digital printing system allows for further speed increases and feature updates without having to replace the press.
 

“The Primefire is the start of a new era in digital printing technology,” said Dan Maurer, Vice President of Digital Product Management for Heidelberg North America. “We’re extremely proud to be recognized by Printing Industries of America for the prestigious InterTec Technology Award this year. This is an exciting time in the graphic communications industry, and we are eager to see how this new technology will impact the industry and our customers in years to come.”