EQS-News: HEIDELBERG acquires Polar Mohr brand rights and technology – position as systems integrator in packaging market strengthened

• HEIDELBERG exclusively obtains technology for Polar Mohr postpress products, including patents, intellectual property rights, and brand
• Polar Group, owned by SOL Capital Management, to remain HEIDELBERG development partner and continue production and assembly activities
• HEIDELBERG takes further step toward systems integrator status, especially in packaging and label sector

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) has come to an arrangement with the Polar Group companies to acquire the technology, intellectual property (IP), and brand rights of this long-standing partner, together with further assets. The two parties have signed an agreement to this effect. It is expected that the transaction will be concluded within the coming weeks, after which HEIDELBERG will have exclusive global sales, service, and marketing rights for the postpress products. In this way, HEIDELBERG is consolidating its partnership with Polar Mohr and gaining direct access to further packaging markets in the growth regions of Asia, South America, and the Middle East. All processes relating to new machines, the supply of replacement parts, and service operations will remain the same as before for customers.

“HEIDELBERG is aiming to achieve targeted growth through M&A activities in attractive market segments. This acquisition underscores our credentials as a full-range supplier for our customers in the packaging and label industry, including service, and gives us exclusivity in a growing market,” says Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG. “As a systems integrator, we cover the entire value chain of a packaging print shop – on a fully integrated and networked basis – to ensure production is highly productive. Polar Mohr systems play a key role in this context,” he adds.

Dating back to the 1950s, the partnership between HEIDELBERG and Polar Mohr has proved extremely successful for both businesses. Polar Mohr develops and manufactures the systems, while HEIDELBERG has been responsible for large parts of the sales and service activities. On completion of the transaction, this responsibility will become global and exclusive. HEIDELBERG offers postpress systems from Polar Mohr as an integral part of its solutions portfolio. The focus is on automation, digitalization, and workflow integration, with a view to boosting the productivity of customers’ value chains in packaging and label production.  The product range includes components and systems that link up and automate all processes – from loading, jogging, cutting, and die cutting through to unloading and banding.

The Polar Group companies, owned by SOL Capital Management, will continue to operate as a partner of HEIDELBERG for the future development, production, and assembly of Polar Mohr systems.

“When we took over the Polar Group in early 2023, we acquired a tradition-steeped group of companies full of innovative spirit. Over the past couple of years, we have further intensified the collaboration with HEIDELBERG. The next logical step for us was the long-term consolidation of this very close relationship. We are delighted to be taking the next important step together with this sale of brand rights and technology and the full incorporation of sales and service activities into the HEIDELBERG organization. This transaction will strengthen the market position of HEIDELBERG in the postpress, label, and packaging market on a long-term basis. It also leaves Polar Mohr to focus entirely on its core competences as a developer and manufacturer,” says Dr. Paul Niederkofler, Managing Partner at SOL Capital Management.

The two parties have agreed that the details of the agreement will remain confidential.

About Polar Mohr:
Polar Mohr, a world market leader, employs just under 250 staff at its Hofheim site, which produces high-tech postpress machines for cutting, packaging, and label applications.

 Cutting and die cutting – optimizing postpress operations

Cutters | HEIDELBERG

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.

About SOL Capital Management:
Based in Vienna, SOL Capital Management GmbH uses its fund to help companies with succession solutions, turnarounds, and growth.

www.sol-capital-management.com

Figure 1: The POLAR LabelSystem DC-12 RAPID stands for the highly automated, unmanned inline production of bundled die-cut and cut labels.

Figure 2: With the POLAR AirGo Jog, the edge-precise alignment of individual sheets of paper or cardboard to form layers before cutting is fully automatic.

Press Release | HEIDELBERG

175 years of HEIDELBERG – Home of Print press kit | HEIDELBERG

Image material and further information about the company are available in the Investor Relations portal and Press Lounge of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at www.heidelberg.com.

Further information:

Corporate Communications
Thomas Fichtl
Phone: +49 6222 82-67123
E-mail: Thomas.Fichtl@heidelberg.com

Investor Relations
Sascha Donat
Phone: +49 6222 82-64201
E-mail: Sascha.Donat@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.