Heidelberg: sales and result up on previous year

Print Solutions

Heidelberg has announced that it is seeing growth in areas such as services and digital, which have undergone considerable expansion, while structures and processes have been made even leaner in the sheetfed business.

In its report on the first half of the financial year 2015/2016, it says that the takeover of the Printing Systems Group (PSG) has increased service and consumables sales as planned. The five subsidiaries have been fully integrated into the Heidelberg sales organisation and the management structure adapted accordingly. Half of the planned additional sales of some €100 million from the takeover have been generated after six months. Heidelberg is planning further acquisitions in this growth segment in the future and is expecting services and consumables to account for around 50% of group sales in the medium term.

The greater focus of the research and development budget on digital printing is also becoming increasingly apparent. One example is the successful sales launch of the company’s new digital label press for the packaging market. Unveiling its first industrial sheetfed digital press at the drupa trade show next year will mark the next milestone in the digital strategy.

As for its sheetfed business, the company continued the planned efficiency measures with the aim of increasing flexibility and boosting future profitability. Full implementation by the end of the financial year will further improve the profitability of the sheetfed business, above all in the second half year.

‘We are systematically implementing our growth strategy. New business models and a dynamic portfolio have led to a significant increase in sales,’ said Dirk Kaliebe, CFO and deputy CEO of the company. ‘The reorientation of Heidelberg has also made us more flexible, which means we are better able to respond to market fluctuations and can further improve profitability.