The trend towards ever-shorter innovation cycles in the print media industry has accelerated rapidly. Data-based digital business models are emerging in very short time intervals and are constantly being modified to align with current specific customer requirements. Customers thus need to be informed about the latest trends quickly, flexibly and on an ongoing basis. As this trend affects customer communications at Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, the company will focus on new digital options to present products and innovations.
Consequently, Heidelberg will stage “Innovation Week” on October 19-23. Under the slogan “Unfold your potential”, the firm will present a wealth of packaging innovations, including autonomous printing, end-to-end solutions, Smart Print Shop and Push-to-Stop.
Heidelberg plans to open its Wieslock/Walldorf facility so that people may attend Innovation Week in person, but for those who cannot do so – or who would feel unsafe – given pandemic concerns and restrictions, there will also be a livestream.
Heidelberg has already made use of digital channels in its presentations, having planned to use this technology at this year’s Drupa, which was ultimately postponed.
“We will be investing more in new, virtual trade fair concepts to ensure closer and more individual customer communications as well as in regional events in our growth markets.
This means we will be able to consistently align ourselves with our customers’ expectations”, says Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO of Heidelberg. “Innovation Week will enable us to communicate with customers as soon as possible and to present our innovation offensive.”
Mr. Hundsdörfer said the face-to-face dialogue will continue to be the focus at Heidelberg’s Print Media Centers in Wiesloch/Walldorf, Atlanta, Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Tokyo. Customers and other interested parties are offered market-specific access to product and solution demonstrations, a multitude of possibilities for direct communications with applications specialists as well as extensive training courses. Heidelberg ordinarily welcomes several thousand customers annually to its demo spaces around the world.
Covid-19 has accelerated the move towards digital and local events. Although it is hoped that a sense of normality will have returned by next year, it is impossible to predict this. Heidelberg, therefore, has decided to not participate in international trade fairs in 2021, including Drupa.
Traditional international trade fairs with busy booths and halls will be difficult to implement and will likely lose their status as global meet-up events for customers and manufacturers. As a longtime partner of Drupa, Heidelberg is happy to continue to offer its experience when it comes to bringing future trade fair concepts into line with new digital possibilities and customer requirements.