By From Bell Foundry to Global Player- A Journey of Innovation and Success.
On March 11, 1850, the Hemmer, Hamm & Co. bell foundry and machine shop opened in Frankenthal, Germany. Initially manufacturing bells and printing presses, this small workshop laid the foundation for what would become Heidelberg Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG). Over the years, HEIDELBERG transformed into a global leader in the printing industry, driven by precision, quality, and innovation.
A Legacy of Leadership
Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG, reflects on the company’s enduring success:
“A company that can sustain its success over such a long period, become a world leader in its industry, and continue to shape the entire sector right up to the present day has strong credentials that are testament to its innovative capabilities. The defining feature of HEIDELBERG is the company’s understanding of markets, customers, and exceptional product quality.”
Sternberg pictured at Drupa 1951 alongside what appears to be two baby elephants.
In 1926 Hubert H. A. Sternberg, a key figure in Heidelberg’s history, was appointed to the board, a position he retained for 46 years. He was credited with modernising production and described as a “marketing genius”, and also a big influence in setting up the first Drupa, held in 1951. He is pictured below at the show alongside two baby elephants.
HEIDELBERG’s Growth Strategy
Expanding Core Business Areas
HEIDELBERG is leveraging growth potential in its traditional core business areas: packaging, digital printing, software solutions, and lifecycle products. The company has significantly expanded its portfolio in industrial digital printing, including services and consumables.
Market Projections
The global digital printing market accessible to HEIDELBERG is expected to grow from €5 billion to €7.5 billion by 2029. This growth aligns with HEIDELBERG’s strategy to enhance its offerings in digital printing solutions.
HEIDELBERG boasts the industry’s most comprehensive service network with a presence in approximately 170 countries. This extensive network ensures customer satisfaction and operational efficiency worldwide.
Packaging Printing: A Growing Segment
Global Trends Driving Demand
The packaging market has grown by over 60% in the past decade. HEIDELBERG is capitalizing on this trend, with packaging accounting for more than 50% of its sales—a figure expected to rise further.
The shift toward recyclable fiber-based packaging is driving growth in this segment. HEIDELBERG’s innovative solutions align with global efforts to replace plastics and other non-recyclable materials.
Hybrid Print Production: Boosting Competitiveness
HEIDELBERG introduced its Push to Stop concept in 2016, revolutionizing printing processes by minimizing operator intervention. At drupa 2024, the AI-assisted Prinect Touch Free workflow was showcased, automating print job assignments for maximum efficiency.
This hybrid production system integrates offset and digital systems from HEIDELBERG and third-party suppliers while covering postpress operations. It enhances competitiveness by optimizing resource utilization and production efficiency.
Growth in Industrial Business and Green Technologies
HEIDELBERG is expanding into industrial business areas such as high-precision mechanical engineering, automotive industry solutions, charging infrastructure, software development, and hydrogen technologies.
By financial year 2028/2029, HEIDELBERG anticipates overall growth potential exceeding €300 million through strategic initiatives and enhanced organizational performance.
175th Anniversary Celebrations
Events and Activities
HEIDELBERG is organizing numerous events throughout its anniversary year to celebrate with customers, partners, politicians, and civil society representatives. The highlight will be a week-long celebration in June at its largest production site in Wiesloch-Walldorf.
The company will host family days at various sites for staff members as a token of appreciation for their contributions.
An anniversary magazine will provide insights into HEIDELBERG’s history while showcasing its vision for the future.
A Shared Commitment to Innovation
Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at HEIDELBERG, emphasizes:
“The loyalty of HEIDELBERG customers, partners, and staff is a mainstay of the company’s success. The numerous anniversary activities throughout the year are our way of saying thank you to everyone. At the same time, we want to encourage a shared commitment to shaping the future.”
Milestones in HEIDELBERG’s History
1850: Founding Years
The Hemmer, Hamm & Co. bell foundry opened on March 11 in Frankenthal.
1921: The Original Heidelberger Tiegel
The first automatic letterpress platen press was built—a springboard to global success.
1926-1972: Leadership Under Hubert H.A. Sternberg
Sternberg modernized production and marketing operations while fostering international growth through export exhibitions and trade shows like drupa.
1957: Expansion in Wiesloch
HEIDELBERG opened its largest production site after rapid construction efforts.
1962-1975: Offset Printing Revolution
HEIDELBERG entered the offset market with groundbreaking presses like KOR (1962), Rotaspeed (1965), GTO (1972), and Speedmaster (1975).
1999-2004: Digitalization Era
HEIDELBERG acquired Gallus for label printing expertise and introduced Prinect software to network machines digitally.
2016-2024: Autonomous Printing
Push to Stop technology (2016) paved the way for AI-driven workflows like Prinect Touch Free (2024).
About Heidelberg
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is a leading technology company specializing in innovation across packaging and digital printing sectors. With approximately 9,500 employees worldwide and production facilities in Europe, China, and the USA, HEIDELBERG continues to drive growth through cutting-edge solutions in automation technology, robotics, green technology and more.
