WhatTheyThink

Premium Commentary & Analysis

Heidelberg Promises to Look “Smart” at drupa 2016 (Part II)

The company finally has made a full commitment to digital, most notably with the coming launch of a B1 inkjet press. But conventional production will still anchor its presence at the show.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Heidelberg’s “Fire” family of digital printing systems

In the U.S., according to Harald Weimer, printers average about 6,000 sheets per job. Their pace of production has jumped “from 10 jobs per day to 10 jobs per shift.” Like printers elsewhere in the world, their business model is evolving “from a small craftsman to an industrial enterprise.”

Weimer would know—he was in charge of U.S. operations for Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG from 2011 to 2014. At a trade media briefing in Germany in February, he and other Heidelberg executives said that the printing industry as it exists now is the printing industry that the company is focused on building systems and equipment for—including solutions that represent major departures from the norm for Heidelberg.


Continue reading your article
with a WhatTheyThink membership.

WhatTheyThink Annual Membership

Less than $4/week.

Get unlimited access to in-depth commentary and analysis covering the latest trends, emerging technologies, operational strategies, and key events across every segment of today's printing industry.

Stay informed. Stay competitive. Stay ahead.
WhatTheyThink Day Pass

$5 for 24 hours

Unlimited access to all of WhatTheyThink. Get your Day Pass

Already a member?
Sign In

About Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry is a journalist and an educator who has covered the graphic communications industry since 1984. The author of many hundreds of articles on business trends and technological developments in graphic communications, he has been published in most of the leading trade media in the field. He also has taught graphic communications as an adjunct lecturer for New York University and New York City College of Technology. The holder of numerous awards for industry service and education, Henry is currently the managing director of Liberty or Death Communications, a content consultancy.

Recent Articles from Patrick Henry

Groups File Suit vs. California Law That Would Chase

Groups File Suit vs. California Law That Would Chase "Chasing Arrows" Away from Packaging

Only in California: a law that claims to support recycling by removing recyclability symbols from recyclable materials. A coalition that includes print and packaging businesses is pushing back Read More

No Relief in Sight for Printers as Consumables Prices Keep Spiraling

No Relief in Sight for Printers as Consumables Prices Keep Spiraling

Wars, tariffs, supply chain breakdowns, you name it—they’re all kicking up what printers have to spend for raw materials, and the upward trend shows no sign of abating. Patrick Henry rounds up some examples. Read More

How Printers Should Confront the Creeping Threat of Cybercrime

How Printers Should Confront the Creeping Threat of Cybercrime

No printing business is exempt from hacking attacks and the online con games known collectively as “social engineering.” Technology safeguards, cyber insurance, and relentless vigilance are mandatory for firms that don’t want to risk having to close their doors in the aftermath of a cybercrime incident. Read More

Postmaster General Paints Dire Financial Picture; USPS Watchers React

Postmaster General Paints Dire Financial Picture; USPS Watchers React

Is it really true that the U.S. Postal Service could run out of money in the next 12 months? In theory the answer is yes; in realistic terms the answer is no. But the system’s problems are genuine, and without serious intervention, they could prove insurmountable. Read More

Augmented Reality Remains the Real Deal for Making Print Interactive

Augmented Reality Remains the Real Deal for Making Print Interactive

Marketers and printers haven’t run out of innovative ways to infuse print with digital content with the help of augmented reality, an if-you-can-dream-it, you-can-do-it technology if there ever was one. Read More

Recent Printing Industry News

Wednesday, June 03, 2026