Heidelberg orders exceed pre-Covid level

The revival at the world’s biggest offset press manufacturer Heidelberg is gathering pace, with the current order backlog of €951m exceeding the pre-pandemic level, and the company saying it will be back in the black this year.

Heidelberg is on track for a full year revenue of €2.1bn, with net debt “almost eliminated”. Incoming orders in Q3, to December, were 16 per cent higher than the same period in the prior year, at €643m.

Sales after the first three quarters have increased by 21 per cent to €1.56bn, with the Q3 level 20 per cent higher than in previous year at €582m. Its Q3 EBIT was up by 36 per cent at €57m. After taxes, Heidelberg recorded a profit of €40m after nine months, following a figure of €3m in the previous year.

Following significant losses in previous years, Heidelberg is expecting a slightly positive net result after taxes in financial year 2021/2022.

Shares in the company jumped 11 per cent on its Q3 figures. However Heidelberg, in common with virtually every other business in the world, said it is under supply chain pressures, commenting that it has, “largely managed to overcome these challenges by approving alternative components and coordinating closely with suppliers on a day-to-day basis.

The company says its large vertical range of manufacture is a further advantage in this regard. It says that with the supply chain situation still critical, the focus remains on ensuring the availability of parts.

Heidelberg said it is achieving better margins due to its transformation programme, which has run though all aspects of the business in recent years.

The company says the booming demand for its emobility-charging wallboxes continues – production is being expanded, with strategic further development of portfolio through acquisitions and collaboration on the agenda.

Rainer Hundsdörfer, the outgoing CEO of Heidelberg, said, “The success of our efforts to transform Heidelberg is becoming ever clearer. Our core business is doing well thanks to our high level of innovation and our focus on customer benefits, and our digital business models are making a key contribution, too. What’s more, the dynamic growth in demand for electromobility solutions continues unabated. In this sector, we are systematically pressing ahead with our expansion outside Germany and, in the future, we will continue the strategic development of our business model through acquisitions and collaboration. Overall, we are well positioned for the future. Moreover, the healthy order backlog creates a sound basis as we look toward the start of financial year 2022/2023.”