After Merger Talks Called off, Heidelberg Remains Optimistic

The proposed merger of manroland AG with Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG would not have been “logical at second glance,” says Jürgen Rautert, Heidelberg’s sales chief, who spoke at the company’s factory and headquarters in Wiesloch, Germany, reported Packaging News on Oct. 23.

Although Germany-based manroland reportedly called off talks regarding the merger between the two major printing press makers due to Heidelberg’s weak financial results, Rautert said he was cautiously optimistic that there is “an investment traffic jam coming” after a lack of investment in the past 12 months. He expects a clear increase in sales by year-end 2010 or early 2011.

The Wiesloch factory also contains Heidelberg’s now fully operational packaging showroom. The manufacturing hall showcases the very-large-format Speedmaster XL 145 and XL 162 presses. The company has sold almost 40 of these machines worldwide since their launch at drupa 2008.

The company also is developing across the group its consultancy, which was first offered in Australia. Rautert says the network is growing and expects in 10 years “there will be no sale without a business case made by us supporting the sale.”

Heidelberg reported at the beginning of October that it would eliminate 1,500 positions at its German operations, bringing its global work force reduction to 4,000.