Heidelberg’s Innovation Week, with the theme of “Unfold Your Potential,” runs from October 19–23. As a virtual event, content will be available globally with translations into several languages. Heidelberg developed an app in which customers and prospects can contact and book time with their local sales rep or specialist. It will be the first time Heidelberg has run an event of this kind. As well as a raft of sessions around Heidelberg’s latest solutions for commercial, packaging, and label printing, the topics include autonomous printing and productivity gains.

The last 12 months could be described as tumultuous for Heidelberg with reorganization of its board, closing and selling off business units, workforce reductions, and obviously the impact of the coronavirus. In an introductory speech, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer confirmed that the company is now on financially sound footing and prepared for the challenges ahead.  

Apart from declining offset press sales due to shifting demand and more productive presses, the coronavirus pandemic led to a steep decline in press orders. There has been some rebound in print volumes leading to good service and supplies sales, but press sales lag behind. Commercial print markets especially remain sluggish, but packaging is faring better. While demand in Europe is down, China is picking up across all segments. Hundsdörfer also believes that the number of presses manufactured in China will grow, driven by internal demand and more exports.