Heidelberg takes over Fujifilm's coatings and pressroom chemicals operations in the EMEA region

Heidelberg (ots) -

- Key step in pursuit of growth strategy aimed at comprehensive,
cross-sector portfolio for customers in EMEA
- Investment in growth segment of consumables expands market position
for coatings and pressroom chemicals
- Customers benefit from comprehensive application expertise,
combined performance promise, purchasing advantages, and synergies
within the portfolio
- Fujifilm will continue to focus on supplying total pressroom
solutions to plate customers.

By taking over the coatings and pressroom chemicals operations in
the EMEA region of its strategic partner Fujifilm Europe BV,
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is expanding into the
attractive growth segment for consumables. This transaction is
another step in pursuing the company's growth strategy of developing
a fully comprehensive cross-sector portfolio that is geared toward
specific customer requirements. Fujifilm will continue to focus on
supplying total pressroom solutions to plate customers.

At the start of the new financial year 2017/18, as previously
announced, Heidelberg adapted the company's structure to its digital
future. This move saw the Heidelberg Digital Technology (HDT) and
Heidelberg Digital Business & Services (HDB) segments established on
April 1, 2017. HDT combines operations in sheetfed offset, label
printing, and postpress and is responsible for developing, producing,
and marketing the appropriate technologies and products for new
business models. HDB, meanwhile, is where Heidelberg will manage its
operations in services, consumables, remarketed equipment, digital
printing technology, and solutions throughout the value-added chain.
The expansion the company is pursuing in consumables and the design
and implementation of new business models are helping to extend this
value creation for customers.

"We are systematically gearing our portfolio towards profitable
growth," says Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO of Heidelberg. "Taking over the
coatings and pressroom chemicals operations of Fujifilm in EMEA is
helping us become a digital company and enabling us to offer our
customers a fully comprehensive portfolio ranging from technology to
consumables and service."

On the path to becoming a leading supplier of consumables

This transaction is a further logical step in expanding the
Heidelberg consumables portfolio following the acquisition of UK
coating manufacturer Hi-Tech Coatings in 2008 and the buyout of
BluePrint in 2014. The company intends to further increase its sales
of consumables in future. "We want to become the world's leading
supplier of consumables in our industry in the medium term," says
Hundsdörfer.

The acquired operations account for a sales volume of approx. EUR
25 million. Heidelberg is thus roughly trebling its previous sales of
pressroom chemicals and achieving a market share of around 10 percent
in Europe. In the coatings sector, Heidelberg is becoming one of the
world's top five suppliers as a result of this move.

The acquisition includes, among other things, the takeover of both
production sites in Reutlingen, Germany, and Kruibeke, Belgium, which
employ a total of about 70 staff. Heidelberg is thus expanding its
market position for consumables precisely where a megatrend for
increased surface finishing and personalization on print products is
driving sustained growth in demand. The transaction is envisaged to
be completed by July 2017.

Focusing on Heidelberg customer needs

"Through our portfolio of high-quality consumables, we are making
a productivity promise to our customers. By not only distributing
these products but increasingly producing them ourselves and offering
them in tandem with our equipment and service solutions, we can
tailor this performance promise to the specific needs of our
customers," explains Dr. Ulrich Hermann, Head of Heidelberg Digital
Business & Services.

The takeover complements the Heidelberg range of environmentally
friendly Saphira printing chemicals from subsidiary BluePrint
Products NV. It also reinforces business with Saphira coatings, which
Heidelberg has consolidated in its subsidiary Hi-Tech Coatings,
particularly for rising customer requirements in digital printing and
in the expanding package printing sector. This leverages synergies
with the existing organizational units, while the purchasing position
in this market segment is being further strengthened. Heidelberg's
customers in EMEA will also benefit from a wider portfolio and
specialist application expertise from the company as both a
manufacturer and distributor of high-quality coatings and pressroom
chemicals. Furthermore, they will have access to the widest
distribution and service network in the sector.

"As a full-service solutions provider, Heidelberg aims to boost
productivity throughout the entire print shop. This will be achieved
through IT and data expertise combined with the intelligent
interlinking of equipment, services, and consumables, all delivered
via one platform. It is against this backdrop that we are
specifically expanding our expertise," says Hermann.

Figure 1: Heidelberg takes over Fujifilm's coatings and pressroom
chemicals operations in the EMEA region, production site in Kruibeke,
Belgium,

Figure 2: Heidelberg takes over Fujifilm's coatings and pressroom
chemicals operations in the EMEA region, production site in
Reutlingen, Germany.

For further information about the company and image material,
please visit the Press Lounge of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at
www.heidelberg.com.

Important note:

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on
assumptions and estimations by the Management Board of Heidelberger
Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft. Even though the Management Board
is of the opinion that those assumptions and estimations are
realistic, the actual future development and results may deviate
substantially from these forward-looking statements due to various
factors, such as changes in the macro-economic situation, in the
exchange rates, in the interest rates and in the print media
industry. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft gives no
warranty and does not assume liability for any damages in case the
future development and the projected results do not correspond with
the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board / Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats:
Dr. Siegfried Jaschinski · Management Board / Vorstand: Rainer
Hundsdörfer, Chairman / Vorsitzender · Dr. Ulrich Hermann · Dirk
Kaliebe · Stephan Plenz Registered Office: Heidelberg · Mannheim
Registry Court / Amtsgericht Mannheim - Registergericht - HRB 330004
· Ust.-IdNr. DE 143455661 Commerzbank AG Heidelberg IBAN: DE32 6724
0039 0192 2640 01 BIC: COBADEFF672 · Deutsche Bank AG Heidelberg
IBAN: DE22 6727 0003 0029 8000 01 BIC: DEUTDESM672 4/

Contact for further details:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG

Corporate Public Relations
Thomas Fichtl
Phone: +49 6222 82-67123
Fax: +49 6222 82-67129
E-mail: thomas.fichtl@heidelberg.com

Investor Relations
Robin Karpp
Phone: +49 (0)6222 82-67120
Fax: +49 (0)6222 82-99 67120
E-mail: robin.karpp@heidelberg.com

Original-Content von: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, übermittelt durch news aktuell