Chronology
1850
Andreas Hamm establishes a bell foundry and machine
factory in Frankenthal
1896
Company headquarters are moved to Heidelberg
1905
Company's name is changed to
"Schnellpressenfabrik AG Heidelberg"
1914
"Heidelberger Tiegel" is introduced at BUGRA in
Leipzig
1962
Heidelberg makes the leap from letterpress to offset
printing
1967
Company name is changed to "Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
Aktiengesellschaft"
1974
The four-color machine Speedmaster 72 V in the
52x72 centimeter format is introduced
1975
World premier of the two-color Speedmaster 102 ZP in the
72x102 centimeter format
1988
Company acquires the Harris Graphics Corporation (USA and
France)
1991
Direct imaging technology is introduced
1995
The Quickmaster DI and the small-format Speedmaster SM 52
are introduced at drupa in Düsseldorf
1996
Company acquires Stork Contiweb (the Netherlands),
Sheridan Systems (USA and UK) und Linotype-Hell (Germany)
1997
Initial public offering of Heidelberg shares on the Frankfurt
Stock Exchange
1998
Takeover of regional offices in Europe (France), Latin
America (Mexiko), Asia, Africa and Scandinavia, opening of
Heidelberg office in Brazil; Heidelberg stocks are listed in MDAX,
Dow Jones STOXX und Dow Jones EURO STOXX
2000
150-year anniversary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG;
inauguration of Print Media Academy in Heidelberg; record orders
worth 1.5 billion Euro at drupa
2002
Heidelberg ships the 100,000th GTO 52 printing unit;
company's position in the finishing market is strengthened
2003
Heidelberg product portfolio of finishing machines
is extended by partial acquisition of Jagenberg Group;
development of digital print falls short of expectations -
Heidelberg decides to realign its strategic focus to sheetfed
offset printing
2004
100 Years of Offset Printing; transfer of the Digital
Division to Eastman Kodak Co. and the Web Offset Division to Goss
International; free float increases from 22 to 57 percent;
Heidelberg very pleased with drupa, the total order amounts to
roughly one billion Euro;
change: Dr. Klaus Spiegel resigns from the Management Board,
Dr. Jürgen Rautert becomes a new Board Member
2005
The Management Board and staff representatives come to an
understanding on a pact to secure the future; Heidelberg is the
first German equipment supplier to the Print Media Industry to
establish an assembly plant in China; Commerzbank AG sells its 10
percent shareholding, Heidelberg's free float increases to 67;
Management Board approves share buyback in an amount equivalent of
up to five percent of share capital; Heidelberg announces the
expansion of the existing product portfolio into a larger-format
category, Introduction will be at drupa 2008.
2006
Heidelberg establishes a Contractual Trust Arrangement for
pension obligations; The 1,000th unit of a Speedmaster XL 105 was
manufactured at the Wiesloch plant; Heidelberg invests in Wiesloch
site: building of a new assembly hall for the production of the
large format machines; Disposal of Linotype GmbH; Change in
Management Board: following Dr. Herbert Meyer, who left the company
at the age of 60, Dirk Kaliebe becomes new CFO; Introduction of the
new site in China; Management Board again approves a share buyback
in an amount equivalent of up to five percent of share capital.
2007
Due to the 50th anniversary of the plant in Wiesloch it was
renamed into plant "Wiesloch-Walldorf"; Delivery of the
1,000,000th Impression Cylinder from Amstetten.
Print Version
International Management Culture
"Much was said in the past about the Heidelberg spirit - a
special sense of local belonging. Today, there is an overarching
corporate culture. Because today, Heidelberg is an international
company. We have repre- sentations all over the world and share a
common goal: continuously advancing the print media industry with
our outstanding know-how and premium technology." Bernhard
Schreier, Chair- man of the Management Board at Heidelberger
Druckmaschinen AG.