Heidelberg sells chemicals plant

As part of its strategy to focus on its core print and packaging presses Heidelberg is continuing to divest. In the latest deal, it is selling its Belgian press chemicals plant for €20.5m.

The new owner is Druck Chemie, which is part of Langley Holdings, the company that also owns Heidelberg rival manroland Sheetfed.

The Belgian site develops and manufactures high-quality printing chemicals in flexographic and offset printing, primarily for the packaging and commercial markets. They will continue to be offered by Heidelberg as part of its overall consumables strategy.

With the sale, the site and a total of around 40 employees will be transferred to Druck Chemie. The sale includes the companies BluePrint Products and Hi-Tech Chemicals, also located in Belgium.

"With the withdrawal from the production of printing chemicals, we are making good progress with our realignment and concentration on our core activities," Rainer Hundsdörfer, CEO of Heidelberg, said.

"We will use the funds freed up by this to safeguard our liquidity in times of the Covid-19 pandemic and to push ahead with strategic investments in the future on the path of our digital transformation."

William Langley, board director, Langley Holdings, said, “I am delighted to welcome BluePrint Products and Hi-Tech Chemicals to the Druck Chemie family. This acquisition is an excellent fit and will further strengthen our offering to the print industry.”