First unveiled at China Print 2021, Heidelberg’s Speedmaster CX 104 has been installed more than 950 times. Over 6,100 printing, coating and drying units have been delivered globally, making it the biggest-selling sheetfed offset press Heidelberg has produced relative to its start of production. In one year, all installed systems collectively output around eleven billion printed sheets. Aimed at commercial, packaging and label applications, the press runs at up to 16,500 sheets per hour. It can be configured as a Push-to-Stop press supported by AI-based assistance systems and processes substrates from lightweight papers to cardboard. The platform incorporates the Heidelberg UX operating concept and can be freely specified from a four-color configuration, with or without coating, up to customized machines comprising as many as 20 printing, coating and drying units. Options include the FoilStar cold foil module and the fourth-generation CutStar sheeter. The longest Speedmaster CX 104 to date, at 17 units, is used for high-quality packaging and specialty printing. The design integrates decades of know-how and numerous components from Heidelberg’s XL technology. Adoption has been strong among packaging printers in Europe, the United States and across Asia, with many customers also investing in MK Masterwork die cutters and folder gluers, supporting Heidelberg’s growth in packaging printing.
Product overview and market uptake
“The Speedmaster CX 104 is our bestseller and, thanks to its flexibility and versatility, it is a favorite of many of our customers all round the world,” says Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at Heidelberg. “The numerous investments in this press and in the postpress systems offered by our partner MK Masterwork show that customers are being won over by our approach as a systems integrator for packaging printing.”
In production since 2021, the Speedmaster CX 104 is the bestseller at HEIDELBERG and the universal press for a whole range of applications in packaging, label, and commercial printing.
Web configurator for Speedmaster CX 104
Heidelberg now offers a web configurator for the CX 104, similar to the tool available for the Speedmaster XL 106. At my-cx104.heidelberg.com, print shops can define an individual configuration aligned with their production needs. A user-friendly interface guides users through the key options in a few steps.
A web configurator for the Speedmaster CX 104 is now available to customers on the Heidelberg website.
Customer implementations
Beneco Packaging, Canada
Founded in 2004 with sites in Scarborough and Cobourg, Ontario, Beneco Packaging serves over 4,000 customers in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. In 2023, the company added a seven-color Speedmaster CX 104-7+L to run alongside a Speedmaster CX 102. The new press has proven cost-effective and flexible, supported by rapid makeready, high output and low maintenance that contributes to availability. “We can run the Speedmaster CX 104 with consistently high production output and outstanding print quality,” says Carol Jiang, President of Beneco Packaging. Postpress at Beneco includes two MK Promatrix 106 die cutters and an MK Diana Easy folder gluer.
VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc., Philippines
VJ7 Printing & Packaging Inc. began as an in-house university print shop and has operated since 2014 from Valenzuela City near Manila. Early work included folding cartons for pencils and packaging for baked goods, later expanding to muesli and milk products. In 2022, the company modernized production with a Speedmaster CX 104, the first machine from the then new series installed in the Philippines. Postpress was upgraded with an Easymatrix 106, a Diana Easy 115 folder gluer and a Polar N 115 PF cutter. The end-to-end workflow from platesetting with Suprasetter technology to sheetfed offset printing and folding carton gluing is controlled via Prinect Production. Owner Enrico Olivares Santos cites process-wide efficiency, high automation and support from Heidelberg’s Global Support Team, including 24/7 service with live video support.
Okahashi Co., Ltd., Japan
Established in 1953 and headquartered in Kashihara City, approximately 70 kilometers south of Kyoto, Okahashi manufactures packaging made of cardboard, polypropylene and PET for customers in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food. The company also operates in Tokyo, Osaka and Wuxi, China. In 2024, Okahashi invested in a Speedmaster CX 104-7+L, an MK Promatrix 106 FC hot foil embossing machine and an MK Diana Eye 55 inspection system. “This investment is part of our long-term growth strategy and marks the start of a new era,” says President Mikio Okahashi.
Head of production Masayuki Fujikawa reports around 340 orders and 1.5 million sheets per month on the press, with average job changeover of 30 minutes and waste at approximately 2 percent. The company is prioritizing color management and is focusing on automation and data-managed processes in response to a skills shortage, aiming to safeguard consistency, speed and quality. Since last year, Heidelberg has supported process standardization across all Speedmaster presses at Okahashi. The new CX 104 uses Prinect Inpress Control for quality monitoring, with early results showing improved color stability, lower waste and reduced effort for final inspection.
Allied Media, United States
Allied Media, a family-owned company based in Fenton, Michigan, specializes in print and mailing for clients that include political parties, major automakers and local businesses. After operating for years with remarketed equipment, the company invested in a new four-color Speedmaster CX 104 and tripled productivity within three months of commissioning. “Our success in the printing sector is the result of almost three decades of hard work,” says President Randy Rockman. He views the company’s turnaround time and delivery to the United States Postal Services as unmatched, as is its dedication to customers. Rising order volumes had pushed capacity limits, prompting the move to higher-performance technology. The decision for Heidelberg was influenced by positive experience with existing systems, including a Suprasetter platesetter, three Versafire digital printing systems and a Stahlfolder KH 82.
