Heidelberg marks milestone with a new centre

Heidelberger celebrated its 175th anniversary on 2 June 2025 with the inauguration of the Home of Print, billed as the world’s largest customer experience centre for the print industry. Held at its Wiesloch-Walldorf site, the event drew over 1,500 guests from around the globe, including customers, suppliers, and industry stakeholders.

The Home of Print is more than a showroom. Rebuilt from the existing Print Media Center, the 9,000-sqm facility embodies Heidelberg’s strategic shift toward becoming a collaborative, end-to-end solutions provider.

Jurgen Otto, CEO of Heidelberg, opened the celebration by stating, “We have now been the Home of Print for 175 years.” He added, “Our vision is to support our customers across the entire value chain. It’s not just about presses anymore. We  want to be their technology partner—from data analysis and workflow integration to post-press automation and training.”

That philosophy is being put into practice. Visitors can now see live demonstrations of integrated systems across packaging, labels and commercial printing, all built around the company’s Prinect software platform and supported by case-specific application know-how. Heidelberg’s ecosystem includes production units from MK Masterwork and Polar, as well as post-press integrations from CP Bourg and Tecnau.

Dr David Schmedding, chief technology and sales officer, added, “Our Home of Print reflects our growth strategy for our core business, which showcases Heidelberg as a collaborative total solution provider and end-to-end systems integrator for packaging and commercial printing. This is unique in the industry.”

A highlight of the event was the launch of the Cartonmaster CX 145, a very large format press targeting high-volume folding carton production, particularly in food, beverage and FMCG segments. Otto noted, “The CX 145 fills a strategic gap in our packaging portfolio. It allows us to serve customers who demand both volume and format flexibility, especially in a sector where requirements are evolving quickly.”

Also on display was the Mastermatrix CSB 106 die-cutter, now integrated with the Prinect workflow, and the Jetfire 50 platform, extended with inline and nearline finishing options. These moves signal a growing emphasis on hybrid and digital production, where Heidelberg hopes to remain competitive through modular design and automation.

The data dimension is equally central. “In our data lab, we show customers how analytics can drive uptime, quality and efficiency,” Otto explained. “From job costing to predictive maintenance, we’re helping printers run smarter operations.” Each year, about 1,000 custom demos are conducted at the centre, where customers bring their own jobs to test Heidelberg machines in real-world scenarios. Over 120 experts are on site to provide support from planning to post-demo consultations.

For Heidelberg, the Home of Print represents a broader pivot. The company is betting on a recurring engagement model, combining hardware, software, service, and consultancy into a cohesive offering. Otto is clear about the rationale. “The industry is changing. We see our role not just as a manufacturer, but as a transformation partner.”

Yet transformation brings challenges. Moving into data services, workflow software, and integrated automation demands new competencies and patience from customers facing industry pressures such as falling run lengths, paper price volatility, and the need for capital efficiency.

Still, the opening of the Home of Print offers a credible signal. “We are investing not only in equipment but in knowledge, collaboration and outcomes,” Otto said. “If the last 175 years have taught us anything, it’s that innovation must go hand in hand with partnership.” For an industry under constant pressure to adapt, that may be the kind of reassurance it needs.