Just a few months after installing its first Jetfire 50 press, Chinese printer Shengda Printing Technology has signed up Heidelberg for ten additional systems of the same model. This massive order illustrates the company's clear focus on short-run digital printing.
Based in China and regarded as the country's largest web-to-print platform, Shengda processes more than 80,000 orders a day, over 95% of which come from an online interface. Shengda already boasts more than 10 million impressions achieved since the commissioning of its first Jetfire 50 system in June 2025.
A level of automation that won over the Chinese group
The ten new Jetfire 50 presses will be installed at several of the Chinese group's production sites, with the first two systems scheduled for delivery in December. They will bolster a press fleet that includes some 200 Heidelberg offset printing units, in medium and large format.
With direct connection to digital production lines via Prinect workflow and JDF import, Shengda has a highly automated digital solution for short-run production of customized covers combined with standardized inner signatures, all in a single pass.
According to Heidelberg, the choice of Shengda was made after extensive comparative testing of different digital printing technologies available on the market. Colorimetric quality, production stability and equipment availability, backed by the German manufacturer's worldwide after-sales service network, were all important factors in the decision.
"The level of automation and performance of Jetfire systems is impressive, and perfectly matches our vision of a digital future." explains Cui Wen Feng, owner of Shengda Printing Technology, in a press release.
20 to 30 digital production lines
The executive adds: "In the medium term, we plan to install between 20 and 30 digital production lines. Investing in Jetfire systems is a key step towards this goal." .
The Chinese group has already invested over 300 million yuan (around 39 million euros) in this area. It currently produces six million A4 digital pages a month, out of a capacity of eight million.
For Heidelberg, this order is presented as proof of the relevance of its positioning in the industrial inkjet market. According to the German manufacturer's projections, the global digital market accessible to Heidelberg, including services and consumables, should grow from 5 to 7.5 billion euros by 2029.
And to help offset printers wishing to invest in Heidelberg's digital, inkjet or toner solutions, the German manufacturer now offers an online configurator that simulates various hybrid production scenarios. Based on the number of jobs and desired print runs, the tool recommends the optimum combinations of digital and offset solutions, with the option of comparing the results obtained.
