Brussels, Labelexpo Europe 2015: With the official sales launch of the new Gallus DCS 340 digital press for the growth market of label printing, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is opening up new business models and applications in printing for its customers. The sales channel for the new system is the Heidelberg subsidiary Gallus. The press is supplied with the Prinect Digital Frontend developed by Heidelberg, which the company is already using with great success in its digital presses for commercial printing. Users can therefore integrate the systems into their existing workflow environment. The comprehensive software expertise offers Heidelberg easier access to new and attractive market sectors such as digital label printing.

The new label press system is based on Fujifilm’s state-of-the-art inkjet technology and is the result of a joint development between Heidelberg, the Heidelberg subsidiary Gallus, and Fujifilm. It is already setting a new benchmark in the industrial label printing market in terms of combining print quality, flexibility, and productivity.

Gallus and Heidelberg unveiled the press to the public around a year ago and are now launching it on the market following successful field trials.

“Since our announcement in 2013 on rapidly expanding digital business in collaboration with successful partners and offering new business models and applications to users in the packaging and commercial printing sectors, we’ve come along in leaps and bounds and introduced the first products. The interest and positive response from our customers show we’re on the right track,” says Jason Oliver, head of Digital at Heidelberg. “In launching a digital web press, we have reached a key milestone. At next year’s drupa we’ll also be showcasing digital print innovations for sheetfed printing and thus rapidly expanding our digital portfolio.”

Better market coverage and greater efficiency in sales and service
Heidelberg acquired the Gallus Group, the Swiss manufacturer of web presses for the label and folding carton market, around a year ago. As part of the takeover and collaboration between the two companies in developing new products, Heidelberg and Gallus are now also increasing market coverage and efficiency in sales and service, with Heidelberg gradually integrating the Gallus sales and service organizations into its existing sales network. Asia and Australia are kicking off the process, followed by selected countries in Europe. Gallus customers will then also have access to the entire service and product portfolios of both companies from a single source. Gallus customers will retain their existing contacts and will continue to benefit from the specialist industry expertise they have come to expect and the comprehensive know-how of Heidelberg and the largest service network in the print media industry.

“The growing digitization in the print media industry is increasing customer requirements for efficiency in all manufacturer and supplier sectors. The integration of the Gallus sales and service functions, with their focus on the label market, into the Heidelberg network is thus a powerful response to the changes in our industry and a key signal of a partnership with our customers,” says Stephan Plenz, member of the Heidelberg Management Board responsible for Heidelberg Equipment.