Heidelberg adds carbon neutral option across Speedmaster range

Heidelberg is now offering a carbon neutral option as standard on all its Speedmaster presses.  Companies opting for this environmental option will receive certification showing how many tonnes of carbon have been offset.  

Each certificate features an ID number that is clearly attributed to the printing press.  By entering the number the printer can track the climate project he supports online.

The greenhouse gas emissions that result from manufacturing the press, for instance in the production of iron, will be compensated by climate protection projects. This is in line with the Kyoto Protocol.  Although there is no international standard for calculating the CO2 footprint of printing presses, Heidelberg has worked with Darmstadt University of Technology to create one.

Matt Rockley (pictured, above), marketing manager for B1 and B2 presses at Heidelberg UK, said: ‘The calculation includes the manufacturing and transport costs from cradle to door.  The amount of carbon generated varies from model to model, so the footprint has to be calculated for each configuration. Heidelberg is the only sheet fed press supplier capable of doing this.’

About 220 tonnes of carbon dioxide is generated during the manufacture of a Speedmaster XL 105-5+L, of which half comes from the electronic components.