German pressmaking giant Heidelberg’s chairman Bernhard Schreier discusses partnerships, the growth of digital and what the ‘volcano fair’ will be remembered for with Darryl Danielli
There’s the old industry adage that when Heidelberg sneezes, the industry catches a cold. But last year, the big ‘H’ did a little more than sneeze and it’s probably fair to say that Heidelberg chief executive Bernhard Schreier was more pleased than most to put 2009 behind him; having been forced to cut thousands of jobs and secure state-backed finance. The good news is that he’s starting to see optimism creep back into the industry.
What are your thoughts about Ipex 2010?
It’s a very important show. After two years of suffering through a financial crisis that started just after Drupa 2008, we’re now, hopefully running into a new period of excitement. Sitting here today, 2010 looks like a turning point and we think, hope and believe that Ipex 2010 might just be the perfect boost to the industry. It’s well documented that many printers have hesitated to invest because, being blunt, they didn’t know whether they’d survive. Now, I think, the spirit of ‘yes, we can’ and ‘yes, we did it’ seems to have taken over and that is very good. Finally, the industry seems going in the right direction.
See full interview here: Big Interview no.4: Bernhard Schreier | printweek.com | News and Information for IPEX2010 Print, Printing, Publishing and Media Exhibition.
