Heidelberg is strengthening its position as a systems integrator and further consolidating its leadership in the printing and packaging industry. At the beginning of July, the company completed the integration of the product lifecycle as well as the global sales and service companies of the manroland sheetfed Group, marking another important step in its strategic growth plan.
At the same time, Heidelberg has reached an agreement to acquire the production of Polar cutting machines and systems in the future. The development of these technologies will also be integrated into Heidelberg’s organization, completing a process that had already brought together the Polar brand, technology, sales, and service activities.
The move further strengthens Heidelberg’s position in the packaging and label markets while expanding its portfolio of integrated solutions.
“By integrating the activities of manroland sheetfed and Polar, Heidelberg is strengthening its leading position in the printing and packaging industry. We are continuously expanding our value chain, creating additional value for our customers,” said Jürgen Otto, CEO of Heidelberg.
Agreement reached for the full acquisition of Polar
For Heidelberg customers, the transaction ensures continued reliability in terms of product quality, system availability, and innovation. The integration will also accelerate the development of new solutions, particularly in automation and workflow integration.
Polar systems will continue to play a key role in highly automated production environments, covering the entire postpress process—from loading, cutting, and die-cutting through to unloading and strapping.
The transition will take place in phases. Polar’s current production site in Hofheim, which will no longer be available in the long term following its sale, will remain operational during the transition period, allowing Heidelberg to prepare the integration into its own manufacturing network while ensuring business continuity.
Reliability, quality and long-term commitment
Heidelberg reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the high standards of quality, delivery reliability, and customer service that the market expects, while reinforcing its long-term commitment to the industry.
“With the full acquisition of Polar, we are further strengthening our role as a leading systems integrator. For our customers, reliability and performance remain our highest priorities. At a time of profound market transformation, we are sending a clear message: Heidelberg stands for stability, quality, and long-term partnership,” Otto added.
The partnership between Heidelberg and Polar dates back to the 1950s and has grown steadily over the decades. By fully integrating research and development, manufacturing, sales, and service, Heidelberg aims to provide a seamless, high-performance offering across the entire value chain, with a strong focus on productivity, efficiency, and future-proof solutions for customers worldwide.
The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.
