Heidelberg launches ChromaStar ink dispensing range

Heidelberg has launched the ChromaStar series, a modular ink dispensing platform for spot color production in print shops, targeting packaging facilities where manual ink mixing creates production bottlenecks, inconsistent color results and supply chain risk.

The ChromaStar range covers four models, X, S, M and P, scaling from manual batch preparation to high-performance automated dispensing for industrial volumes. The ChromaStar S, designed for annual spot color volumes of one to ten metric tones, is available for customer demonstrations at Heidelberg's Home of Print facility in Wiesloch-Walldorf and was unveiled at the company's Packaging Day in June 2026.

The system processes conventional, UV and low-migration Saphira inks for food and non-food packaging applications, integrating with Heidelberg's Saphira Cloud, Saphira Check and Saphira Control workflow tools to provide end-to-end color traceability and process reliability. A separate proof output supports color-accurate communication across the production chain.

'With the new ChromaStar series, we are offering our customers, particularly in packaging printing, a highly integrated solution that improves productivity, quality, and sustainability in equal measure,' said Dr David Schmedding, chief sales officer at Heidelberg.