Heidelberg Goes Back to its Roots: Interview with Niels Winther, President

No one should have been surprised when Heidelberg made the announcement that it would sell its digital division to Eastman Kodak, while transferring its web offset division to Goss International. After all, we had plenty of warning. Last November, the company released plans to reposition the digital operations and divest the web division.

So what remains? After spinning off the web division, acquired in 1988, and the digital division, established in 1999, the new Heidelberg is focused on sheet-fed offset printing presses, prepress systems, finishing equipment, and workflow systems. What's old is new again! Heidelberg's history with sheet-fed printing goes back more than 150 years, and they aren't about to stop now.

Niels M. Winther, president of Heidelberg USA, generously shared time from his busy schedule to provide some insight into Heidelberg's plans and strategies. Following are his answers to a few questions posed to him in a recent telephone call.

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