Heidelberg's strategy

[GeorgeA]

Consumables, service, plus maybe digital printing--those are the main new directions for Heidelberg, according to a fascinating interview with Juergen Rautert, Heidelberg's #2 man. A summary of the interview, plus a link to the full text, is here:
Heidelberg’s second-in-command discusses the company’s finances and strategy

[Erik Nikkanen]

Consumables, service, plus maybe digital printing--those are the main new directions for Heidelberg, according to a fascinating interview with Juergen Rautert, Heidelberg's #2 man. A summary of the interview, plus a link to the full text, is here:
Heidelberg’s second-in-command discusses the company’s finances and strategy

I don't get the impression that they want or can to do anything revolutionary with regards to offset printing. Of course most press manufacturers seem to think this way.

There is a real opportunity for a press manufacturer to break away from this prison of lack of vision. What I hear from Mr. Routert's comments is that they have given up on new possibilities. They sound tired of trying to improve the process. Applying expensive technologies to old concepts will not meet the full potential of this process. It is what is done when on has run out of ideas. That is the problem.

[gordo]

[SNIP] What I hear from Mr. Routert's comments is that they have given up on new possibilities. They sound tired of trying to improve the process.

And yet they say they spend 150 million Euros a year on R&D...I wonder what R&D they're doing.

best, gordon p

my print blog here: Quality In Print

[Erik Nikkanen]

And yet they say they spend 150 million Euros a year on R&D...I wonder what R&D they're doing.

best, gordon p

my print blog here: Quality In Print

Doing big things without too much thinking can be very expensive.

Coming up with new understanding of the process and innovative ideas is quite inexpensive. It does take the effort to think a bit deeper.

Most great innovative thinking is done between the ears of someone who is looking for an answer. :-)

Erik

[Internal_R&D_Analyst]

A big portions of Heidelberg's cost cutting solution was less money and projects for R&D just as they say in the article.

They did come up with the anicolor inking technology. There have been rumors for a while that it would be released in a 74 or 102/105 size. I had heard it was actually invented on a 40 inch R&D machine before they perfected it and released it in a 52.

Heidelberg's development of linotype has received very little attention, it was not shown at Drupa but at a shown in Germany just before Drupa took place. Designed for packaging and pharmaceuticals, my guess is they see more opportunity there. Take the sheetfed inkjet Fuji press the frame is made by Ryobi. Heidelberg could be doing the same. . .

[Erik Nikkanen]

A big portions of Heidelberg's cost cutting solution was less money and projects for R&D just as they say in the article.

They did come up with the anicolor inking technology, that blows DI out of the water by using $5 plates instead of $32 for DI. Their have been rumors for a while that it would be released in a 74 or 102/105 size. I had heard it was actually invented on a 40 inch R&D machine before they perfected it and released it in a 52.

Heidelberg's development of linotype has received very little attention, it was not shown at Drupa but at a shown in Germany just before Drupa took place. Designed for packaging and pharmaceuticals, my guess is they see more opportunity there. Take the sheetfed inkjet Fuji press the frame is made by Ryobi. Heidelberg could be doing the same. . .

The anicolor techology is not new. Very similar technology has been used on newspaper presses for about 20 to 30 years.

[Internal_R&D_Analyst]

The anicolor techology is not new. Very similar technology has been used on newspaper presses for about 20 to 30 years.

You're right KBA basically had it on the Karat DI and the Genius 52 for the sheetfed world as well.

[Al Ferrari]

Gravuflow inking is also available in a 74 cm wide unit press: the KBA 74G, which came out about two years after the Karat.

I am curious if anyone knows how well it is selling.

Al

[keldrewett]

Same old tired ideas....

[JPK]

Good luck on that Mr. Rautert, specially after having to beg for 800 milion Euros to the German government to stay afloat last August.

In Germany some people are calling Heidi "the GM of printing".