In 1975 the Speedmaster came with capability to print 11,000 sheets per hour and the next year the multicolour sheetfed offset press came onto the market which is still a bestseller today.
Founded 175 years ago in the year 1850, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG started its prestigious journey on March 11, 1850, to be precise, when Andreas Hamm and his three partners establish the Hemmer, Hamm & Co. bell foundry and machine factory in Frankenthal. This event marked the birth of HEIDELBERG, as they also manufactured printing presses.
In 1894, Wilhelm Müller takes over the Hamm family’s Schnellpressenfabrik and moves production to Heidelberg, the renowned university city on the Neckar River. Despite economic challenges around 1900, innovation drives the future—the versatile Heureka rotary press provided fresh momentum, propelling the company forward. It was around 21 further when in 1921 Heidelberg saw the birth of an icon – The Tiegel. The very first Schnellpressenfabrik Heidelberg windmill press went into series production, and could print up to 3,000 sheets per hour. The machine quickly became a best- and long-seller and was the epitome of precision, performance and reliability.
When HEIDELBERG completed 100 years, the ceremony held in the cylinder production hall attracted more than 200 guests. Very next year in 1951, visionary HEIDELBERG CEO Hubert H.A. Sternberg co-founded drupa, which has since become the world’s largest printing industry trade show and one of Europe’s premier exhibitions where the Tiegel presented printing speed of dazzling 5,000 sheets per hour. The Wiesloch factory was opened in 1957.
In 1975 the Speedmaster came with capability to print 11,000 sheets per hour and the next year the multicolour sheetfed offset press came onto the market which is still a bestseller today. In 1999, HEIDELBERG acquired a 30 percent stake in the Swiss printing press manufacturer Gallus, one of the label printing market leaders. With Ferdinand Rüesch, the former owner of Gallus, becoming an anchor shareholder at HEIDELBERG, Gallus was fully taken over in 2014.
In 2000, pioneering digital transformation by leading the printing industry into the digital era with Prinect, HEIDELBERG streamlined prepress and printing operation with this innovative workflow software, seamlessly integrating production steps for a flawless data flow.
Expansion to China and welcome to the Smart Print Shop
In 2005, in Qingpu, on the outskirts of Shanghai, HEIDELBERG built an assembly hall and the production of folding machines started in 2006. From 2007, sheetfed offset presses for the Chinese market got assembled in a second hall, followed by a third hall in 2010. Qingpu is a success story for the group. In 2016, driving digitalization, HEIDELBERG introduced Push to Stop enabling fully automated production from prepress to press, with operators guided by intelligent assistance systems—an important step toward the autonomous pressroom. By now, the HEIDELBERG eShop enabled customers to buy consumables and parts online.
In 2018, HEIDELBERG leveraged its expertise in electrical engineering to enter the e-mobility business. The company developed high-performance charging stations for electric cars, supplying around 20,000 units to a premium carmaker while also selling directly to private customers. In just a few years, over 100,000 HEIDELBERG wallboxes were sold, with sales now expanding beyond Germany.
In 2020, HEIDELBERG introduced its first post-press robot, the StackStar P, to ease the heavy lifting for post-press operators—who can handle up to seven tons of paper per shift! (Psst… that’s more than the world’s largest elephant!) And in 2024, the new StackStar C takes print shop automation to the next level.
In 2023, HEIDELBERG presented the Boardmaster, a groundbreaking machine for high-quality folding carton printing. Developed in collaboration with international customers, the Boardmaster addresses their biggest challenges: cost efficiency, productivity, skills shortages, and sustainability.
drupa was back again in 2024 after an eight-year break – and it was a success for HEIDELBERG. The new Jetfire 50 press, developed in partnership with Canon, offered digital printing with inkjet technology and, thanks to Prinect, worked in conjunction with offset machines.
This year in 2025, the Print Media Center (PMC) in Wiesloch-Walldorf gets a makeover and reopens as the “Home of Print”. On more than 10,000 square meters, guests can experience and test state-of-the-art printing solutions.
“We look to the future with a deep respect for our heritage and the determination to embrace new opportunities with courage,” says Dr. David Schmedding (Chief Technology & Sales Officer).
“This year, we proudly celebrate the 175th anniversary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. With a rich and eventful history, our company has always been defined by our commitment to listening to our customers, our spirit of innovation, the excellence of our engineers, and the quality of our products. Since 1850, HEIDELBERG has been synonymous with pioneering printing solutions valued around the world,” comments Tania von der Goltz (Chief Financial Officer).
“Our strength has always been our ability to develop and implement forward-thinking technologies—driven by the creativity and dedication of our employees—for the benefit of our customers. This efficiency has been the foundation of our lasting leadership in the printing industry,” adds Jurgen Otto (Chief Executive Officer).
“As we mark this milestone, we look to the future with a deep respect for our heritage and the determination to embrace new opportunities with courage. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our employees, customers, partners, and shareholders for their loyalty and trust. Together, we are shaping a future built on shared values and innovation,” says Tania.
175 years of partnership and trust
Here are quotes from a few of the HEIDELBERG customers from around the globe:
“The precision, reliability and durability of the HEIDELBERG machines, including our Speedmaster XL 106, are key to meeting the high standards of the pharmaceutical packaging industry. The exceptional service and support make this partnership invaluable.” – Temple Packaging from Mumbai, India.
“HEIDELBERG has been part of our family since 1998, supporting our growth. Our Speedmaster presses, especially the new Speedmaster XL 106, continue to exceed our expectations. They provide the flexibility and quality we need to quickly meet the diverse needs of our customers.” – All Color Printers, Deer Park NY, USA
“We work with HEIDELBERG not only in the printing sector, but also in technological development. We have nine machines, but for me they are more than that – they represent advanced technology. For me, what counts most is how a company supports its customers after the purchase. HEIDELBERG is outstanding in this respect.” – Intrograf, from Lublin, Poland
“For around ten years now, we’ve mainly been printing on Peak Performance Class presses from HEIDELBERG. They’re the best at meeting our exceedingly high expectations in terms of quality and productivity, which makes them a vital competitive factor for us.” – Rondo AG/Körber Pharma GmbH from Allschwil, Switzerland
“Our success is based on innovation, automation and sustainability. Our partnership with HEIDELBERG is more than just a supplier relationship – it is a collaboration that drives our success.” – Thung Hua Sinn Group from Bangpakong, Thailand
“We focus 80 percent of our efforts on luxury packaging, but we also offer standard packaging for food and beverages. For us, HEIDELBERG stands for reliability and quality, in keeping with the German tradition of engineering and mechanical engineering.” – Gpack from Milan region, Italy
“We are very satisfied with HEIDELBERG as a partner for the packaging industry. We see HEIDELBERG as a competent partner who has listened to us and configured and delivered exactly the machines we need for luxury packaging.” – B.Pack/Wauters Group from Couches, France
“With HEIDELBERG, we have made great strides in automating our production to become a smart printing company.” – Smart Graphics Co, Ltd. From Tokyo, Japan
“Founded in 1911, Chirat can draw on over a hundred years of family know-how and is one of the most dynamic printing companies in France. In 1996, Chirat was the first French printing company to install an eight-colour offset press from HEIDELBERG. In 2019, it received the state EPV label for industrial excellence.” – Imprimerie Chirat from Saint-Just-la-Pendue, France
175 years of excellence in printing technology
Starting from 1863 with the breakthrough Toggle Press, HEIDELBERG brought Pro Patria in 1885 and Heureka flatbed rotary press in 1910. In 1921 the Tiegel (aka “Platen press” or “the Windmill”) was an automatic platen press and the first offset web press KOR came in 1962. A large format sheetfed offset machine got presented at the Paris trade show in 1965 and then the famous GTO which gave its name to an entire format category, is being manufactured from 1972 and is perhaps the most successful series of offset presses of all time.
In 1975 came the workhorse Speedmaster a 11,000 sph press and came as a multicolour printing machine the following year. The year 2024 saw the new generation Speedmaster – the XL 106 unveiled at drupa 2024. With its impressive printing speed of 21,000 sheets per hour, the 100 million mark for annual prints was now within reach.
Speaking about Speedmaster, Jurgen Otto explains, “The Speedmaster is more than just a printing press—it’s a symbol of our commitment to durability, innovation, and customer focus. From the legendary Original Heidelberg Tiegel to today’s state-of-the-art presses, our machines have shaped the industry for generations. Explore the fascinating journey of the Speedmaster family, from its groundbreaking debut in the 1970s to the cutting-edge 2025 generation, and see how we continue to set new standards in printing excellence.”
The employees’ strength
“German quality made in Qingpu.” This is how Ye Sun describes the expertise at the production site in China. Ye Sun is an IPQ and ISO System Manager Qingpu, China and has been with HEIDELBERG since 2007. “Everyone here respects each other – regardless of gender, nationality or skin colour. Everyone contributes something from which others can learn,” says Ye Sun.
From trainee to general manager: more than 25 years ago, Silvia Montes (Territory Head, HEIDELBERG do Brasil) began her career at HEIDELBERG Brazil in the finance department. Today, she heads the service and sales location in Santana de Parnaíba in the state of São Paulo. For her, it’s the people that make the difference: “The work and forward-looking attitude of each individual helps the company achieve its goals.”
Toshinori Tsuno, Lifecycle operations engineer, field service, Japan has been at HEIDELBERG since 2016. Tsuno points out that customers give him a warm welcome when they see the HEIDELBERG logo on his clothing because HEIDELBERG employees enjoy a high level of trust. “We don’t just repair the machine – we also take care of the customer.”
And the journey goes on…
