# HEIDELBERG systematically pressing ahead with strategic development – solid start to FY 2026/2027

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/heidelberg-systematically-pressing-ahead-with-strategic-development-solid-start-to-fy-2026-2027
- Published: 2026-08-19T14:45:00+07:00
- Author: Media OutReach

*  Taking over manroland sheetfed lifecycle business and POLAR production operations
   strengthens core business
 *  ONBERG pursuing partnership with Skyeton in European defense sector
 *  Move into production of sodium-ion battery storage systems taps into new potential
 *  First-quarter incoming orders lay solid foundation for further business development
 *  Sales and EBITDA margin at start of year in line with expectations
 *  Forecast for financial year 2026/2027 confirmed

 HEIDELBERG, GERMANY – Newsaktuell – 19 August 2026 – Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
AG (HEIDELBERG) has started financial year 2026/2027 by systematically continuing
its transition to a more broadly based **technology company**. HEIDELBERG is setting
the course for future growth with a number of strategic initiatives. Besides expanding
its core business by taking over manroland sheetfed lifecycle business and POLAR
production operations, the company is also tapping into additional potential by 
taking advantage of new market opportunities arising from energy storage systems
and the European defense sector.

![HD Advanced Technologies is handling industrial production of battery energy storage
systems (cabinets) for PHENOGY.](https://images.media-outreach.com/release.php/Thumb/
1600x1600/798709/798709-03-Batterie-Energies-temB.jpeg)

 _HD Advanced Technologies is handling industrial production of battery energy storage
systems (cabinets) for PHENOGY._

 Integration of the **manroland sheetfed** Group’s lifecycle business and global
sales and service companies, together with full acquisition of **POLAR** postpress
systems, has further enhanced the strategic position of HEIDELBERG as a **systems
integrator in its core business**. As part of the manroland sheetfed transaction,
HEIDELBERG has also secured the intellectual property rights for the Roland 900 /
Cartonmaster in the large-format sheetfed offset segment. The first press of this
model has already been sold, and HEIDELBERG is currently looking into further production
and development options for this system at a low-cost location. In this way, the
company is reinforcing its leading position in the printing and packaging sector.

 **Live Hub opened to demonstrate integrated drone defense**

 At the recent international aerospace trade show ILA Berlin, ONBERG signed a Memorandum
of Understanding for a further joint venture – with the Ukrainian **drone developer
Skyeton**. The Skyeton portfolio includes high-tech, combat-proven surveillance 
drones, which are being combined with the HEIDELBERG unmanned ground vehicle (UGV)
to create an autonomous system of systems. The unmanned air-ground systems that 
are currently being developed in rapid innovation cycles in Ukraine are increasingly
regarded as a future defense solution. In July, ONBERG opened a **Live Hub** to 
demonstrate integrated counter-UAS capabilities at its Brandenburg site, where decision-
makers from public authorities, operators of critical infrastructure, the armed 
forces, and industry can see exactly how integrated protection from enemy drones
works in practice.

 The move by HD Advanced Technologies into the production of **sodium-ion battery
storage systems** is also opening up new potential. The company has teamed up with
Swiss business **PHENOGY** to collaborate on a technology and industry platform 
in this sector. As an initial step, HD Advanced Technologies will start handling
the industrial manufacturing of complete energy storage systems for PHENOGY – from
procurement and production through to rollout, installation, service, and maintenance.
The two companies are also laying the groundwork for a **joint venture** focusing
on the development and industrial manufacturing of sodium-ion battery cells based
on PHENOGY’s cell chemistry and a specific printing process from HEIDELBERG.

 “This financial year at HEIDELBERG is all about investments in line with our strategic
agenda. We are looking to further strengthen the company’s market position and tap
into new potential. This will create the basis for profitable growth and sustainable
value enhancement in the coming years,” says Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG.

 **Solid start to FY 2026/2027 **

 During the first quarter of financial year 2026/2027 (April 1 to June 30, 2026),
underlying conditions continued to be challenging for HEIDELBERG. Despite this, 
the **incoming orders** figure of € 537 million was only slightly down on the equivalent
quarter of the previous year (€ 559 million) and therefore laid a solid foundation
for further business development. The phasing-out of a state-subsidized investment
program in Italy had a massive impact in the first quarter, reducing incoming orders
there by over € 60 million compared with the corresponding quarter of the previous
year. The positive developments in China and the rest of Asia only partly compensated
for this.

 **Sales** totaled € 404 million and, as expected, were therefore below the figure
for the equivalent period of the previous year (€ 466 million). Sales were significantly
higher in China, the UK, and Brazil, but lower elsewhere, especially in the EMEA
region. Adjusted for special items, the **EBITDA margin** for the first quarter 
of financial year 2026/2027 was 0.2 percent (corresponding quarter of previous year:
4.4 percent), primarily due to the lower volume of sales. As is normally the case
at this point in the financial year, the **free cash flow** after the first three
months was negative, at € -77 million (equivalent period of previous year: € -68
million). The **net result after taxes** for the first quarter amounted to € -32
million (corresponding period of previous year: € -11 million).

 The HEIDELBERG **Technology** segment’s incoming orders and sales after three months
exceeded the level recorded in the equivalent period of the previous year. Adjusted
EBITDA remained stable at € -4 million. A partly expected downturn in the EMEA region
was a particular factor contributing to the **Print & Packaging Equipment** segment’s
lower incoming orders and sales. In the **Digital Solutions & Lifecycle** segment,
incoming orders after three months were around 5 percent up on the equivalent quarter
of the previous year, while sales matched the previous year’s quarterly figure.

 “In our core business, we are targeting our investments toward growth markets, 
which is also boosting our service, consumables, and spare parts business,” says
Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at HEIDELBERG. “At the same
time, we can increase the proportion of repeat sales and better balance out new 
machine business, which tends to depend on economic trends,” he adds.

 **Forecast for financial year 2026/2027 confirmed**

 The **forecast** for financial year 2026/2027 remains unchanged. The company is
expecting **stable Group sales** matching the previous year’s level in financial
year 2026/2027 and a **noticeable improvement in the adjusted EBITDA margin** compared
with the previous year. It is assumed that there will be no substantial changes 
in relevant exchange rates for business activities.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

#### About HEIDELBERG:

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is a leading technology company that
has been standing for innovation, quality, and reliability in mechanical engineering
worldwide for 175 years. With a clear focus on growth and as a total solution provider,
HEIDELBERG is driving further development in the core areas of packaging and digital
printing, software solutions, and lifecycle business with service and consumables
so that customers can achieve maximum productivity and efficiency. The company is
also focusing on expanding into new business areas such as high-precision plant 
engineering with integrated control systems, automation technology, robotics, and
the growing green technologies sector. With its strong international presence in
approximately 170 countries, the creative power and expertise of its roughly 9,500
employees, its own production facilities in Europe, China, and the USA, and one 
of the largest global sales and service networks, the company is ideally positioned
for future growth.

 Image material and further information about the company are available in the [Investor Relations](https://www.heidelberg.com/global/de/about_heidelberg/investor_relations/overview_1.jsp)
portal and [Press Lounge](https://www.heidelberg.com/global/en/about_heidelberg/press_relations/press_release/ov_press_lounge.jsp#%3B1475%3B0%3B0%3B0%3B%3Bscore%3B0)
of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at [www.heidelberg.com](http://www.heidelberg.com).

 **Important note:** 
 This release contains forward-looking statements based on
assumptions and estimates by the management of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft.
Even though the management is of the opinion that these assumptions and estimates
are accurate, the actual future development and results may deviate substantially
from these forward-looking statements due to various factors, such as changes in
the overall economic situation, in exchange and interest rates, and within the print
media industry. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft provides no guarantee
and assumes no liability for future developments and results deviating from the 
assumptions and estimates made in this press release.

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**Source** : [HEIDELBERG systematically pressing ahead with strategic development – solid start to FY 2026/2027](https://www.media-outreach.com/news/germany/2026/08/19/481749/?rand=186006)

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