Large crowds at Muller Martini Symposium in Maulburg, Germany: The visitors were given detailed presentations on intelligent documents as well as security and pharmaceutical printing.

On May 11, 2009, Muller Martini showcased the Concepta printing press under the motto "Grow with Productivity". The printing press is ready and waiting for delivery to a South African customer, who requires sophisticated security printing. The visitors were on hand to experience a live demonstration, in which they observed the security features, intelligent added value applications and finishing in top-rate print quality.

Yves Rogivue, Managing Director of Muller Martini Druckmaschinen GmbH, was delighted at the great deal of interest shown in the Symposium's theme: "The niche markets are showing the most potential in commercial printing and we have decided to focus on these using the Concepta." He highlighted security printing as one of these niche markets, e.g. passports, tickets, lottery tickets and intelligent forms. He also alluded to pharmaceutical printing with its extremely thin paper and increasingly colorful printing. The Concepta is also ideal for producing Direct Mailing, which can easily integrate inkjet lettering – from Kodak for example – to customize products. "The Concepta allows us to place emphasis on increased productivity by boosting output, reducing production waste as well job set-up and changeover times and continuing to automate as many processes as possible," explains Yves Rogivue. "As a result, the most efficient level of production can be attained even in niche markets." 

Yves Rogivue, Managing Director of Muller Martini Druckmaschinen GmbH, highlights the benefits of the Concepta web-offset printer in his welcome speech: "By increasing output, reducing production waste as well job set-up and changeover times and continuing to automate as many processes as possible, we can increase productivity in the niche markets too."

The Concepta, equipped with nine offset and flexo-printing units, also comes with a unit for inkjet print heads with IR drying and a processing unit with skeleton rewind for producing self-adhesive labels. During the demonstration, the delivery was carried out using a sheeter with integrated creel delivery from ESS Graphics. The background was produced in the first offset press unit via iridescent printing and then sent to the second offset press unit, where a separate ink fountain was used as a security feature to print using thermochrome ink and an invisible UV fluorescent ink. The flexo-insert in the fifth offset press unit raised a dye spacer, which was covered with black flexo-ink by a second flexo-insert. Finally, silver scratch-off ink was printed on via the flexo-printing unit. 

During the specialist presentations, experts from partner companies SICPA, Kodak and Leonhard Kurz GmbH reported back with latest innovations from the security printing ink, in-line digital printing, and hot and cold foil stamping sectors. To round off the Symposium, a second demonstration took place showcasing another Concepta web-offset printer – this time it was used for pharmaceutical printing. A packing slip was printed with 4/1 colors at the top speed of 365 m/min and was displayed in a folded section. This equates to an output of 35,925 sections per hour, with a section length of 24 inches (61 cm). The maximum production speed, which was achieved in the main by using a 50 g/m2 lightweight paper stock, was the highlight of the demonstration. The integrated Vision Expert 4000 print inspection system checked the print for printing errors, such as missing letters, ink slinging, or imperfections. This complete check guarantees first-class print quality, which is of particular importance in pharmaceutical printing. It also provides exceptional production security throughout the whole process thanks to a PDF comparison with preliminary data. Grow with Productivity.