Heidelberger Druckmaschinen

Summary

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪdl̩ˌbɛʁɡɐ ˈdʁʊkmaˌʃiːnən ʔaːˈɡeː] ) is a German precision mechanical engineering company with registered offices in Heidelberg (Baden-Württemberg) and headquarters in Wiesloch/Walldorf (Baden-Württemberg). The company offers product and services along the entire process and value chain for printing products and is the largest global manufacturer of offset printing presses. Sheet-fed offset printing is used predominantly for high-quality, multi-colour products, such as catalogues, calendars, posters, and labels. Heidelberg produces equipment for prepress, press and postpress.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Company typeAktiengesellschaft
IndustryEngineering, manufacturing
Founded1850
HeadquartersHeidelberg, Germany
Key people
Rainer Hundsdörfer (CEO and chairman of the executive board), Siegfried Jaschinski (Chairman of the supervisory board)
ProductsPrinting presses, platesetters, printing software
Revenue€2.5 billion (2016/2017)[1]
Number of employees
11,511 (31.03.2017)[1]
Websitewww.heidelberg.com
history
The Print Media Academy in Heidelberg

Heidelberg is particularly well known in letterpress circles for the Original Heidelberg Platen Press, commonly known as the "Windmill" after the rotating arms of the paper feed mechanism. It was both power-driven and power-fed. They were manufactured in enormous quantities from 1927 through 1985, and many are still in service well into the 21st century.[2]

Heidelberg "Windmill" platen press, 1950s vintage

By cooperating with Ricoh in 2011 Heidelberg entered a global distribution agreement contract to sell and support the Japanese company's latest production digital colour press, alongside their extensive offset press portfolio.[3]

Like much of the printing industry, Heidelberg has suffered and its employees have been subject to layoffs and pay cuts in past years.[4]

Heidelberg is cooperating closely with Adolf Mohr Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG and acquired the Gallus Holding in 2014. This extends the existing portfolio in terms of Postpress production and label printing. Heidelberg also develops new fields of business by offering industry solutions[buzzword] such as charging stations for electric cars or software solutions[buzzword] for the digital networking of today's process chains across industry.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Annual Report 2016/2017" (PDF). Heidelberger Druckmaschinen. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Howard Iron Works - Printing Museum and Antique Printing Machinery Restoration". www.howardironworks.org. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  3. ^ Whipp, Matt (23 February 2011). "Heidelberg names Ricoh as digital partner". PrintWeek. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011.
  4. ^ Kemper, Gustav. "German unions agree to more layoffs at Heidelberg". World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved 19 March 2013.

[1][2][3]

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Druckmaschinen Datenbank Printing machines since 1900 – Summary of all offset and letterpress machines ever built, including Heidelberg models
  • Year of manufacture Tool for the calculation of the year of manufacture codes (1950–2004) for used Heidelberg printing machines.
  • Documents and clippings about Heidelberger Druckmaschinen in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
  1. ^ Fernando, Chris (3 February 2021). "Heidelberg is Selling its Print Media Academy". Print Pack MEA.
  2. ^ "Heidelberg to Keep Gallus Group – Print Pack Middle East and Africa". Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  3. ^ Fernando, Chris (July 23, 2020). "Heidelberg Sells Off Gallus Group As Part of Restructure". Print Pack MEA.