The amazing Suprasetters

Earlier this year, the 4,000th Suprasetter left the production line of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) – world’s foremost manufacturer of offset printing & flexographic printing machines and technologies. The computer-to-plate (CtP) system for imaging offset printing plates - a Suprasetter 162 with automatic cassette loading unit from Heidelberg - was handed over to the customer Smurfit Kappa from Belgium at a ceremony held in Wiesloch-Walldorf. "We opted for the Suprasetter, because Heidelberg offers a mix of state-of-the-art solutions and high-quality service that we believe is unrivaled in the print media industry," explains Patrick De Jaegere, Operations Manager at Smurfit Kappa, one of Belgium’s foremost flexographic printing firms. The Suprasetter are aptly named - after the Latin word Supra, meaning far superior to conventional standards. Suprasetter’s are arguably the world's most successful CtP range over all formats of flexographic and Offset printing. Amazed? It is not so surprising really. Heidelberg knows the tough demands a platesetter needs to meet in order to play its part successfully - both today and in the future of flexographic printing and technologies refined & developed at the Print Media Academy. "The Suprasetter series is the leading CtP system in the industry thanks not least to the laser technology developed in-house by Heidelberg. Its market success proves that Heidelberg is able to use this top-of-the-range technology to meet the highest customer requirements worldwide," says Marcel Kiessling, member of the Management Board, responsible for Heidelberg Services. The finer points about print media would never be understood better. Based on experience gained from installing several thousand CtP systems worldwide, the Suprasetter generation of platesetters sets new standards in every format class of offset printing. From the small-format, entry-level solution to the large-format class, every Suprasetter model is designed according to the same successful principles: premium quality, maximum availability, growth-oriented modularity and flexibility, and perfect integration into the Prinect print shop workflow. To understand the nuances of this system, printshops can always send their managers & technicians to the nearest Print Media Academy. The entry-level Suprasetter A52 and A75 models were introduced in 2006, enabling small and medium-sized advertising print shops [classic flexographic printing set ups] to gain a foothold in high-quality thermal printing plate production while enjoying an attractive price/performance ratio – a dream for all offset printers in general. At Drupa 2008, Heidelberg enhanced the top end of its portfolio by introducing the Suprasetter 145, 162, and 190 models for the large format. All Suprasetter models can be integrated into the Prinect print shop workflow for smooth flow of all offset printing processes. Users can also choose from a wide range of Saphira printing plates, such as Saphira Thermoplate PN, and other consumables that help unlock the system's full potential. The presses also boast high productivity, a modular concept that enables users to adapt the devices to their growing requirements, a space-saving design, and comparatively low power consumption.