Brixen, Italy – Durst, manufacturer of advanced digital printing and production technologies, is expanding its high-revenue Large Format Printing (LFP) segment with a new leadership. Previously, the segment was divided into the areas of web-fed printing in Brixen and flatbed printing at the Lienz production site. With the introduction of the P5 technology platform and the future development of hybrid printing systems, the historically grown structure will be dissolved in favor of better efficiency in the daily dealings with Durst customers and the business unit will be controlled from the Durst headquarters in Brixen, northern Italy.

The new dual leadership will be formed by experienced Durst managers Christian Harder and Andrea Riccardi. Both employees have been with the company for over 20 years and have helped shape the evolutionary stages of Durst inkjet technology in all its facets. As the new Global Sales Director, Christian Harder has cross-segment know-how and has been responsible for successful worldwide sales management for Ceramics Printing in recent years. Prior to that, he was responsible for sales in Eastern Europe and Latin America in the LFP segment. Andrea Riccardi, as the new Head of Product Management, worked for many years in direct sales in the important LFP market Italy and since the end of 2016 has been responsible for the product portfolio in LFP web printing and the further development in Soft Signage/Fabrics Printing.

"The reorganization in the LFP segment brings together the building blocks we set in 2017 with the introduction of the P5 technology platform, the expansion of the Lienz and Brixen customer centers and the new headquarter in Brixen," says Christoph Gamper, CEO of the Durst Group. "The new dual leadership has my fullest confidence and the best prerequisites for further developing the segment and consolidating our position as market leader. By concentrating the management function in the Group, we are also paving the way for optimal networking and integration with the relevant areas in development, software and services. The Lienz location will also benefit from the cross-segment technology transfer.”

Andrea Riccardi (left) and Christian Harder.