What Do You Think About It?

My Open Love Letter to the global Heidelberg community created an amazing feedback from experts around the globe. I summarize it to share the current status. 

The new ”Over the Skype“ conversation (dated 22 April 2020) with INKISH.TV’s Morten B. Reitoft adds some more insights, facts and findings. You should read & watch. And please keep in mind: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG plays a special role for the ww printing industry. Especially because the company is publicly listed on the stock exchange.

The key points

It’s becoming more and more clear that we have stepped into a new era where the industry leader Heidelberg gives up his leadership. The mantra publicly proclaimed by the CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer, 'Heidelberg goes digital' wants to create a new momentum and makes the company, as the lighthouse of the print industry, ’systemically relevant’. — BUT: that is in my opinion completely counter-targeted by the package of measures from March 17, 2020. At least, it creates the danger that the lighthouse will become a dangerous wisp or ghost light for many of us in the industry. 

The goal of sustainably securing the future and prosperity of print was abandoned. It needs a cultural change that works both internally and externally in order to actually achieve the best for everyone in a customer and market-oriented manner. 

In our conversations we identified there crucial areas: 

• Thought Leadership, based on empathy, openness in thinking and confident mindset. 

• Measures that build trust related all kind of stakeholders 

• Deep and advancing understanding of the changes around the digital age. 

Some open questions still left. What do you think?

I would like to share as well some open questions about the Heidelberg world that I would like to discuss. This affects not only Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG itself, but many of us, we are all in the same boat! 

1. Digital transformation is a vital issue for the print industry. What makes you sure that this is understood and can be properly understood at Heidelberg and in the Heidelberg branch cosmos? 

2. How is your program for the cultural change of your company designed to master the present and the future? 

3. Beyond automation in production and work processes: How do you measure customer satisfaction in these times? Can you capture your customers' opinions in real time? 

4. Insiders say: Heidelberg employs great people in sales, but still has a sales problem. Reason: slow processes, high complexity of products and services, inadequate knowledge of the tasks of the competitors etc. Side effect: concentration on dumping prices. — Is that correct? 

5. Why did it take so long to focus on optimizing the internal value chain / process? The exit of production over-capacity at Heidelberg already has a long tradition of more than 15 years. 

6. What does the future of the Heidelberg Digital Unit looks like? Originally HDU was positioned as a driver for sales & digital marketing & customer orientation.

7. What will happen to all the young digital talents that Heidelberg has hired since 2017/2018? Especially if they have little experience with print or have not yet relevant industry knowledge. 

8. How independent is Heidelberg really? — By activating the pension trust funds, Heidelberg is almost debt free. And in combination with the low share price and the small market capitalization of less than 180 million euros, it is a perfect takeover candidate (as of April 22, 2020). Are there any more Chinese investors coming after MasterWork? 

9. How do you see Heidelberg in five to ten years? 

10. How do you see the future of print and printers in general?

Your personal ideas and comments are welcome!