Heidelberg sets the CO2

Carbon neutrality: the ultimate prize

On 5 June 2008,World Environment Day, Heidelberg will neutralize the climate effects of a day’s production at the industry’s trade fair in the areas of pre-press, press, post-press.

The CO2 emissions created on this day will beoffset with investment in a climate protection project via the charitable Swiss foundation, myclimate, according to the internationally recognized gold standard. This assures that the unavoidable emissions will be neutralized by climate protection measures elsewhere. The project plans to use biomass, which is otherwise burnt as waste in fields in India, to generate power and heat. Besides the ecology advantages, the farmers there will have increased income.
The amount of the calculated CO2 emissions on World Environment Day are based on paper quantities used for demonstration purposes of over 70 tonnes and the total electric power for the machines used amounting to 3 MWh as well as printing plates, ink, lacquer, alcohol, dampening additives and cleansers.

Every print job leaves its carbon footprint and this also occurs in the manufacture of printing presses. The raw materials used and the subsequent production and installation processes including the transportation involved are all relevant. The delivery to the customer plays a minor role in this.

Heidelberg together with specialist firms has been exemplary in developing a calculation model on the Speedmaster XL 105-6+L that allows comprehensive calculation of the carbon footprint. Heidelberg’s customers are finally in a position to print their climate neutralized products on climate neutralized printing machines.