We have some exciting news that we just can't keep to ourselves any longer: We bought a new press—a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 6+L. It's going to be installed at the end of March and it should be blasting out sheets (18,000 an hour!) by the end of April.

A new press doesn't come cheap—especially not Heidelbergs, which are basically the Mercedes of presses. But we see it as an investment in the future of Villanti, our employees, and our partners. We're already fast and we already deliver a high-quality product, but this new press will double our production speed while also providing remarkable color stability and control throughout every run.

 For people as obsessed with craftsmanship as we are, those features alone would be enough to grab our attention. But the Speedmaster packs an even bigger punch. It will add specialty coatings to our lengthy list of offerings and, not only that, it can run substrates up to 40 pt. This is a really big deal. Why? Because it means that we'll be able to produce packaging—and since the Vermont packaging market is ramping up, the timing couldn't be better. We can't wait to start designing solutions for all of those amazing homegrown products.

The Speedmaster also happens to be the most environmentally friendly press in its class. It is highly efficient, creates shorter make-ready times, results in less paper waste, minimizes water consumption, and maximizes productivity. All of which matters, because how can you say you're investing in the future if you're not also committed to progress and protecting the environment?

Villanti has been looking to the future ever since the beginning, way back in 1959. And, if we're honest, we've also always been a bit restless, trying, year in and year out, to find innovative and efficient ways to improve quality while lowering costs for our partners. This new press is further evidence of our nearly six-decade commitment to doing the best job we possibly can, every single day.

If all goes according to plan, starting in April, the best we can do will get a whole lot better.