Heidelberg presented an impressive showcase on digitizing the printing industry at Print China from 9 to 13 April in Guangdong. The event was the largest in its field in the most important growth market for the printing industry. “The interest shown by customers in response to our digital solutions for optimizing the entire system and for developing new business models was very gratifying. It was highly evident at the trade fair that we are also actively driving forward the digitization of our sector with innovative approaches in China,” says Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer.

Digital packaging printing and Smart Print Shop at the center of customers’ focus

Topics relating to digital packaging printing, particularly the new ‘boxuni’ web-to-pack platform, proved the most appealing, addressing the interests of packaging designers, print buyers, and packaging manufacturers in a single ecosystem. Some 1,000 people were drawn to the simultaneous open house on this subject at Heidelberg customer Xianjunlong, where both companies jointly demonstrated an end-to-end production line for digital packaging printing – starting with the web-to-pack platform, then printing on a Primefire 106 from Heidelberg, and finishing off with the postpress processing systems from Masterworks, a partner of Heidelberg.

Another popular highlight was the range of presentations by Heidelberg on the Smart Print Shop and its seamlessly digital workflow, and the opportunities presented by autonomous and navigated printing.

The company secured numerous sales contracts throughout the five days of the trade fair for the Speedmaster CX 102 , including the Performance Kit, the Versafire EV digital printing system, and the integrated finishing systems from Heidelberg and Polar. Visitors mainly from China and other Asian countries were also able to see the debut of the Speedmaster CD 102-8+L UV which is the longest sheetfed offset press assembled in Heidelbergs Chinese production site in Shanghai/Qingpu. The take-up number for services was particularly satisfying, considering that China is known to be traditionally more reticent in this regard. Some 10% of these contracts were sealed via the brand new WeChat online platform.

“The Chinese printing industry shows a high level of enthusiasm and interest toward new, data-based business models, digital platform solutions, and end-to-end digitized value creation chains,” says Professor Ulrich Hermann, member of the Management Board responsible for Lifecycle Solutions and chief digital officer at Heidelberg. “Even more than anywhere else in the world, Heidelberg benefits in China from its image as the top brand in the industry. This consequently makes it one of the first ports of call for the industry-focused Chinese customers with regard to these relatively new topics as well.”