Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) and Canon have strengthened their partnership with a formal agreement on global cooperation in sheetfed inkjet printing. The contract was signed at Heidelberg’s Home of Print in Wiesloch-Walldorf, marking a significant step in the companies’ shared ambitions for advancing digital printing.
As part of the collaboration, Heidelberg will market the new Jetfire 50 B3 inkjet printing system globally, integrating it into a hybrid production ecosystem that also supports offset printing solutions. A B2 version, the Jetfire 75, is planned for future release.
Smooth Market Launch for Jetfire 50
The Jetfire 50 B3 inkjet system has seen a successful launch, with positive feedback from potential customers, according to Heidelberg CEO Jürgen Otto. Demonstrations of the system began in September at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site and the Heidelberg showroom in Japan.
“The digital printing collaboration with Canon marks a milestone in the growth strategy for our core business,” Otto stated. “In addition to selling the Jetfire 50, we anticipate recurring revenues from services and consumables throughout the product’s lifecycle. This will enable us to share in the growing digital printing market and strengthen our position in commercial printing.”
Heidelberg has already issued several quotations for the Jetfire 50 and expects firm orders to follow.
Rollout Scheduled for 2025
Initial installations of the Jetfire 50 are set to begin in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland by spring 2025, with plans to expand availability across all Heidelberg regions.
“We’re leveraging our application expertise, market insights, and a robust service network to deliver a comprehensive solution to users,” said Heidelberg CSO Dr. David Schmedding.
This partnership with Canon allows Heidelberg to address a key gap in its portfolio, offering an integrated hybrid workflow that incorporates toner, inkjet, offset, and flexographic printing technologies. The Prinect platform ensures seamless connectivity across these systems.
“Our unique approach positions us as a total solution provider, capable of meeting diverse customer requirements with technology-neutral solutions,” Schmedding added.