Heidelberg Sees Consumables as Growth Market

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Saphira brand. With Saphira, Heidelberg offers an extensive portfolio of consumables, both for everyday print jobs and special applications, as well as all production requirements for prepress, press and postpress. All consumables were optimized and tested specially for use in Heidelberg solutions.
 
At the same time, the Saphira products meet industry standards for the protection of the environment and, overall, contribute considerably to the level of investment security of the equipment used. The ECO product line, which meets the strictest environmental protection criteria of the printing industry, is highlighted in this regard.
 
Besides the Saphira products, Heidelberg also offers consumables of other providers under their own brands. In 2008, Heidelberg took over the special print vanish manufacturer Hi-Tech Coatings International with production locations in Zwaag (Netherlands) and Aylesbury (England), supplemented by license production in Australia, India, and in the Middle East, and with its own coating production facility in Taylor (USA).
 
As a next step, the Belgian printing chemicals provider Blueprint Products NV was acquired in 2014. In 2017, Heidelberg took over the coatings and pressroom chemicals business of its strategic partner Fujifilm Europe B.V. in the EMEA region. Heidelberg thus achieved a market share of approximately 10% in the pressroom chemicals sector in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The acquisition adds to the Heidelberg offering of environmentally-friendly Saphira printing chemicals provided by its subsidiary BluePrint.
 
Consequently, Heidelberg is positioned among the top five largest suppliers worldwide in the coatings sector. Heidelberg develops custom solutions for specific applications. Its range already includes 2,500 coating formulations for special and standard applications.
 
The global market for consumables exceeds €8 billion. Heidelberg currently has a market share of nearly 5%. By 2022, Heidelberg intends to considerably increase sales growth in the area of consumables through subscription and omni-channel models as well as digital transformation.
 
Since April, customers can order three additional types of coating from Heidelberg: Saphira Hybrid-Coating H1505 Extra Matt, Saphira Coating W7501 Super HG 1 Side and Saphira Coating W7509 HG 2 Side for a maximum gloss level of dispersion coating for single-sided or double-sided coating.
 
Saphira Hybrid-Coating H1505 Extra Matt is an extra matt hybrid coating system with a very matt, homogeneous surface combined with maximum abrasion and scratch resistance. The coating is dried with hot air and develops its characteristic properties due to the subsequent UV curing.
 
Saphira Coating W7501 Super HG 1 Side provides a maximum gloss level of dispersion coating for single-sided coating and offers fast drying in relation to the gloss level.
 
Saphira Coating W7509 HG 2 Side provides a maximum gloss level of dispersion coating for double-sided coating combined with maximum process reliability.