Solid second quarter improves half-year balance sheet

In the second quarter (July 1 through September 30, 2019), Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) succeeded in almost compensating for the relatively weak start to the year. As a result, sales for the quarter (up 9 percent to € 622 million), EBITDA (excluding restructuring result) (up 28 percent to € 55 million), and incoming orders (up 1 percent to € 648 million) all improved. The main boost to business came from the ongoing digitization of processes (Push-to-Stop technology) in the core business of sheetfed offset printing, which is currently generating higher sales in the United States and China in particular. Digital business models such as subscription are also making a positive contribution, as is the growing proportion of recurring sales from contract business and e-commerce. Subscription business now accounts for over 10 percent of the order backlog, for instance. The medium-term goal at Heidelberg is to significantly reduce the company’s exposure to economic fluctuations by generating around a third of total sales from recurring business.