Operator at Moderna Printing using Contiweb’s automatic splicing technology.
Contiweb, a specialist manufacturer of web-handling equipment and provider of integrated technical solutions for web offset printing, web inkjet printing and packaging production, announced today that Moderna Printing, a Belgium-based commercial printer, has installed the first continuous web-to-sheet configuration of its kind in Europe. This solution combines the efficiency of web offset with the flexibility of sheetfed, maximizing productivity and efficiency in response to shorter print runs and increased cost pressures.
Central to the installation is the inclusion of automatic splicing technology from Contiweb, which brings web-fed production principles directly into the sheetfed environment. By enabling reel changes to take place without stopping the press, automatic splicing supports continuous operation and higher overall equipment efficiency, reducing downtime while maintaining stable production conditions throughout the run.
The investment reflects a broader shift in the periodical printing market. As print runs continue to fall, publishers still demand fast turnaround and high quality, but the volumes are not always suited to heatset web offset production. For printers with a strong background in web offset, the challenge is to extend their competitiveness into shorter runs while preserving the strengths of high-volume production.
Moderna Printing has addressed this by expanding its sheetfed capabilities. Previously, sheetfed production was primarily used for covers, while inside pages were produced on heatset web offset lines. The new configuration enables the production of complete magazines on the sheetfed press for shorter runs, while higher-volume work continues to run efficiently on its heatset web offset. This allows Moderna Printing to retain customers whose requirements are shifting towards lower volumes, while continuing to serve higher-volume work in the most efficient way.
“In the past, a large share of our production consisted of door-to-door advertising leaflets,” explains Eric Bongaerts, CEO of Moderna Printing. “Today, the focus has shifted much more towards magazines, catalogues and special-interest titles, typically produced in shorter runs.”
Plant Manager Marijn Poelmans adds: “With this investment, we have strategically expanded our portfolio. We want to continue serving our customers, which also means remaining competitive for shorter runs. That is why we chose a modern sheetfed press configuration.”
The new line is based on a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 equipped with a CutStar reel sheeter and a Contiweb CB-N Non-Stop Unwinder, enabling web-fed production within a sheetfed press line.
Unlike conventional sheetfed presses, paper is supplied from reels rather than stacks. By eliminating interruptions during reel changes with Automatic Splicing, the setup supports continuous production and improves the productivity of the sheetfed line. At the same time, it allows Moderna Printing to retain the familiar advantages of working with paper reels, including workflow continuity, cost efficiency and the ability to cut sheets to the exact required size, reducing paper waste compared to standard sheet formats.
“We are proud to see this configuration now successfully implemented in Europe,” says Rob Bosman, Sales Director at Contiweb. “Following the first installation in the United States, this project with Moderna Printing confirms the growing interest in combining web-fed efficiency with sheetfed flexibility and we expect to see similar configurations in the future.”