Heidelberg and Fujifilm Announce Inkjet Production-Printing Partnership

Japanese imaging company Fujifilm, together with Fujifilm Global Graphic Systems, and German manufacturer of offset presses Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), have unveiled a strategic partnership for inkjet production and commercial printing.

Global Collaboration Targets Commercial and Packaging Print Markets

The two companies says the alliance will have several benefits. First, Heidelberg gains access to Fujifilm’s inkjet printing technology, while Fujifilm will leverage Heidelberg’s strengths in engineering and manufacturing. Both companies will have access to each other’s technologies in the pre-press area.

Heidelberg says its goal is become a global player in the digital-printing applications market.

According to Heidelberg CEO Gerold Linzbach, “In Fujifilm we have found an internationally recognized partner with innovative strengths in future-oriented areas – consumables and inkjet technology. This marks a significant step forward in our corporate strategy. FujiFilm’s pre-press capabilities and their technologies in the area can enhance and grow existing business. With Fujifilm’s inkjet technology, we can build on the experience in digital printing gained through other partnerships and quickly move into the peak performance segment. It is our goal to also become a global player in the growing digital printing applications market. Together with Fujifilm we can meet customer needs more efficiently and more quickly. Within three years we envision a sales potential for Heidelberg in the digital business of more than € 200 million.”

According to Fujifilm Chairman and CEO Shigetaka Komori, “Fujifilm and Heidelberg have led the printing industry in each domain. Heidelberg’s reputation among (the) world’s printers is unique. Its strong customer network opens important new possibilities for state of the art inkjet technologies. With Heidelberg’s global market presence in the printing industry, we can introduce our products to new customer groups and increase their potential. With Heidelberg’s manufacturing know-how we will be able to enhance innovation and develop technologies that will open new roads in digital printing. Our cutting-edge inkjet technology, leveraged by the Jet Press 720 for example, gains a new potential.”

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft develops, produces, and distributes technology for commercial and packaging printing. With its own sales and service branches and via partners, Heidelberg reaches customers in around 170 countries worldwide, generating sales of around € 2.7 billion in the 2012/2013 financial year.

Fujifilm is one of the major operating companies of Fujifilm Holdings. Since its founding in 1934, the company has created technologies in the field of photo imaging, and Fujifilm is now applying these technologies to other new business fields, including medical systems, life sciences, graphic arts, document solutions, with materials such as electronic materials, optical devices, and digital imaging.