Printing News: Let’s start with the probably most frequently asked question nowadays: How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact Heidelberg in 2020, and how has the road to recovery been so far?

Rainer Hundsdörfer: Naturally, the pandemic hit us severely. Last year at about this time we noticed almost a state of shock in the industry. This eased during summer and continued to improve. From July orders increased, and in December we saw the high point of the year, with worldwide orders surpassing 2019 levels.

The are some differences among customers, however. We need to distinguish between packaging and commercial printers. If there are no events, less advertising, there is less to print. The online activities, however, are not only driving demand for packaging printers, but also for commercial print markets. We have seen a huge increase in inserts for parcels. Each parcel now includes catalogs, vouchers, and flyers. The parcel has become a new channel for advertising, not only for the goods included. It is taking advantage of the unpackaging experience. In addition, the consumer does not need to start his PC to view marketing materials. It creates a new significance for print, where print is faster and easier to use.