Offset Printing
GPO PRINTS PRESIDENTIAL PORTRAIT ON A HEIDELBERG PRESS
Monday 23. March 2009 - Heidelberg USA is proud to announce that the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has printed the official photographs of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on a 4-color Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102 perfector.
The photographs will hang in more than 7,000 federal installations managed by the U.S. General Services Administration. In all, the GPO will print more than 130,000 photographs in three sizes (8×10″, 11×14″ and 20×24″). The portraits are also available for sale at GPOs Online Bookstore.
This is the first time The White House has taken the Presidents official photograph digitally. GPO used its digital capabilities to produce the photograph of President Obama. Employees then transferred the digital image from a computer to a printing plate and finally to the 4-color Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102, which produced the high quality product. The Presidents photograph is printed on paper containing recycled content and fiber from a sustainably managed forest.
The GPOs massive operation boasts a fleet of Heidelberg presses, including a 2-color Speedmaster SM perfector, a pair of Speedmaster SM 74 single-color presses, a Speedmaster CD 102 6-color machine and a 7-color Speedmaster CD 102 with hybrid UV capability. The bindery hosts an equally impressive lineup, including a Heidelberg Stitchmaster St 350 8-pocket saddlestitcher, and an assortment of Stahlfolders, high-speed POLAR cutting systems and peripherals.