Just a few months after Heidelberg announced it is getting out of finishing and handing over servicing to Müller Martini, the Swiss company has abandoned its press manufacturing.
Müller Martini had produced a range of web offset presses and was considering making size-variable web offset printers for labels and flexible packaging to feed this growing market, but sales have not been enough to continue the investment.
The company says ‘a prolonged slump’ in the turnover of its printing presses has triggered the decision, and losses in sales could only be partly absorbed in recent years despite ‘extensive periods’ of short-time work at its German factory.
Chief executive Bruno Müller says Müller Martini believes ‘that the chances of a successful turnaround from its own efforts alone are extremely slim.’
“Despite extensive investments and years of effort, the broad take-up of offset technology on the packaging market has only succeeded to a limited extent.”
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The search for suitable partners in the packaging market has also proven unsuccessful to date, and the company says new ventures into established business segments such as security and commercial printing could by no means make up for the loss in volume in recent years.
The company says it will continue to provide service support for its presses, which includes the Alprinta, Concepta and VSOP web offset presses, Q74 sheeter and QS52 sheeter and stacker.
The German factory in Maulburg will be transformed from a production site into a services company to secure that support, with up to 80 jobs to be affected.
It says ‘socially responsible solutions’ will be sought for the employees involved.
Müller Martini in August took over Heidelberg’s service and spare parts business for the press giant’s saddle stitchers, perfect binders and thread-sealing machines, but it is still unknown if this arrangement will extend to Australia.
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