Waterford games manufacturer installs new Heidelberg Speedmaster

Waterford board games manufacturer Hasbro has installed a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL75-5+LC press at its Cork Road production facility, with a view to reducing outsourcing and retaining better control over quality, colour and costs

The 18,000sph B2 five-colour and coater has been specified with Inpress Control automated colour and register control and Prinect Pressroom Manager digital networking. This means that the company has closed loop colour and is in a position to move ahead and secure ISO 12647-2 colour certification in future. The fifth unit of the press will be used particularly for special corporate colours and the majority of Hasbro’s work is coated. 

“This press will produce a number of Hasbro games including Monopoly, Cluedo and Twister. Although it was a prerequisite that any press we bought had to be able to handle heavier stocks what secured Heidelberg the order was the high speed and quick make-ready on the XL 75, particularly run in conjunction with Inpress Control. It will save paper/board waste and improve labour productivity” says Sam Jordan, Technical Manager.

The Speedmaster XL 75 replaces a 12 year old Speedmaster SM 74 which had clocked up 340 million impressions. A two-colour SM 74 is retained and is used primarily for instruction sheet production.

The plant at Hasbro employs four printers and a prepress specialist. Training is currently in progress following installation of the press. The machine will run double days with a third shifted added as required. The company’s peak period is between June and November as it gears up towards the Christmas shopping season.    

Hasbro has been in operation since 1923 and is a well recognised and respected multinational brand. The facility in Waterford was opened in 1977.