54 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk September / October 2025 - Issue 356 over such a long period when so much has changed in our industry. That is reflected in my previous comment about what has remained the same throughout. Therefore, these legacies are present in our daily culture and habits and are part of the legacy that each colleague must live towards.” Building the Future In 1974, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen expanded its global presence with Heidelberg Graphic Equipment, a dedicated subsidiary made to serve the UK and Irish markets. HEIDELBERG UK celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024, with celebrations also spilling into 2025 to coincide with HEIDELBERG’s 175-year anniversary. In 1999 HEIDELBERG acquired a 30% stake in Gallus, a Swiss printing press manufacturer, which was seen as one of the leaders in label printing technology. The company was fully taken over in 2014 and Ferdinand Rüesch, the former owner of Gallus, became an anchor shareholder at HEIDELBERG. Since the early 2000s, HEIDELBERG has navigated tricky waters including the financial impacts of the September 11th attacks, the 2008 financial crisis, and the transition to online marketing and digital print technology. On the back of this hardship HEIDELBERG began a lot of the collaborations and technologies it uses today. In 2000 the company launched its Prinect workflow software and in 2004 connected a press to the internet for the first time. 2005 saw the business expand into China which was followed over the next twenty years by several innovations and new market introductions, including entering the electromobility market, the robotics space, and a bigger presence in the packaging industry with the release of the Boardmaster carton printing press in 2023. Last year the company returned to drupa and announced a host of technologies and advancements, including the Jetfire 50 digital press, which has been developed in collaboration with Canon in order to offer industrial productivity in the area of digital printing. Speaking about the anniversary, Jürgen Otto, chief executive officer of HEIDELBERG, says: “From early on, we have set technological benchmarks. The Original Heidelberg Platen Press from 1921 still prints today and can even be equipped with modern NFC technology. It’s proof that our machines are built to last and remain part of a continuous evolution. “The legendary demo bus from the 1950s is another expression of our approach: customer focus is not a slogan, it’s lived practice. We go where our customers are. That mindset remains central, at our Home of Print and with our partners around the globe.” CELEBRATING 175 YEARS OF HEIDELBERG Speaking about the company’s future, Miles concludes: “The company has vast expertise, knowhow and IP that can be used to unlock potential growth areas, and we expect to see this aide our growth in new areas but also to enable us to remain the leading provider to the print industry. We are clear that print is our core business and will remain so, and therefore our commitment to the print industry is a cornerstone that will always be in our future.” ▼ HEIDELBERG moved into robotics in 2020 and is gradually expanding its portfolio ▲ 1975 saw the market launch of the Speedmaster series
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjM0NDIxOA==