Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is marking its 175th anniversary with a week of celebrations at the company’s Wiesloch-Walldorf site in Germany, drawing more than 1,500 guests from all over the world. The highlight is the opening ceremony for the Print Media Center (PMC) in its new look as the Home of Print.

Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG, greeted the customers, suppliers, partners, politicians, and representatives of civil society attending the ceremony with the following words: “A warm welcome to HEIDELBERG and a warm welcome to our Home of Print, the printing industry’s largest customer experience center anywhere in the world. We have now been the Home of Print for 175 years.”

Rebranded as the Home of Print, the redesigned PMC tracks the company’s growth strategy for its core business and presents future-proof and specific solutions that will appeal to all relevant target groups.

For example, various end-to-end production systems are available for the customer presentations in collaboration with partners such as Polar and MK Masterwork – from high-quality folding carton production with the Speedmaster series, high-volume folding carton printing with the new Boardmaster flexographic web printing system, and industrial label production using offset, digital, and flexographic printing through to commercial printing and hybrid print production (digital/offset).

The entire HEIDELBERG portfolio has been incorporated into a single digital ecosystem comprising Prinect software, equipment (including postpress solutions and robotics), consumables, service, training, and consulting.

“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,” says Dr. David Schmedding, chief technology and sales officer at HEIDELBERG.

To coincide with its anniversary, HEIDELBERG has also announced an important addition to its portfolio for packaging customers, unveiling the Cartonmaster CX 145 press for the very large format (VLF, format class 6, 105 cm × 145 cm / 41.34 × 57.09 in). By focusing in particular on high-volume folding carton production in the growing food, beverage, and consumer packaging segment, this system is plugging a gap in the company’s portfolio.

Redesigned as the Home of Print, the Print Media Center at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site covers an area of 9,000 square meters. Each year, approximately 1,000 personalized presentations take place, with customers usually bringing along their own print jobs so they can thoroughly test the machines based on their specific requirements. Throughout the year, the company also organizes open house events for German and international customers.