March 30, 2004 -- (WhatTheyThink.com) -- Prepress, press, and postpress is not a dying business, in fact it will continue to be a growth business according to Niels Winther, president of Heidelberg USA. The comments were made in an exclusive interview published today at WhatTheyThink.com. (Available to Premium Access Members.) After spinning off the web and digital division, the “new” Heidelberg is focused on sheet-fed offset printing presses, prepress systems, finishing equipment, and workflow systems. Below are some of the comments Winther made to Senior WTT Editor, Gail Nickel-Kailing. The Digital Market Winther: “Digital printing has co-existed with offset printing in the past and will continue to co-exist in the future. When customers ask us about digital solutions and digital opportunities, we will bring them in contact with Nexpress. There’s a lot that can be done on a digital device and a lot that can be done on an offset press, both a DI press or an offset press with CtP. We will not be distributing digital equipment; Kodak will be distributing NexPress. “For a printer who is looking at static printing and doesn’t see much opportunity in his customer base for variable data printing, there are many choices in offset solutions. That’s where we come in. We will look at what each technology can do, and where it fits and where it doesn’t.” The Printing Market Winther: “We think there is still a vast opportunity for many printers to grow their businesses by offering more than just ink on paper, by offering programs that take customers from design through delivery. The past two to three years have been tough for the industry, and now there is a lot of capacity that needs to be upgraded, not just this year but going forward. “We are introducing more than 50 new products and innovations at drupa in our core businesses, and that will drive increased demand in the future for Heidelberg.” Heidelberg’s Future Winther: “Heidelberg has been the market leader in the past; we are the biggest in the world when it comes to sheet-fed offset, prepress, and postpress. We intend to stay there and we intend to grow the business. We did not make these changes to become a weaker company; we did it to become a stronger company. “We have a very clear focus on those three business segments and are allocating a considerable amount of money for R&D in those segments. That will drive Heidelberg to an even stronger position going forward.” Premium Access Members can read the full interview by visiting www.whattheythink.com