Heidelberg subsidiary Gallus Group said CEO Dario Urbinati will step down from the role on 1 November 2026 to join the board of Ferd. Rüesch, becoming its president on 1 January 2027. Chief financial officer Michael Bsirske becomes interim CEO, and Uwe Boerner takes over global sales from Thomas Schweizer, who is leaving the company.
Why this mattersHeidelberg's label press unit moves to an interim chief from finance and a new sales head while pushing its Gallus One and Gallus Five digital presses.
- Dario Urbinati steps down as Gallus Group CEO from 1 November 2026, joining the Ferd Rüesch board of directors
- Urbinati becomes president of the Ferd Rüesch board from 1 January 2027
- Gallus CFO Michael Bsirske becomes interim CEO of Gallus Group
- Uwe Boerner is appointed head of global sales, succeeding Thomas Schweizer, who is leaving the company
- Gallus is a label press subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
UFlex's ASEPTO division has commissioned two Boardmaster web flexo printing presses from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen at a new facility in Ain Sokhna, Egypt, part of a USD 126m investment in aseptic liquid packaging production. The new lines add 12 billion aseptic packages a year of capacity, taking UFlex's combined India and Egypt capacity to 24 billion packages annually.
Why this mattersDoubling of UFlex's aseptic carton capacity signals Indian converters expanding globally to compete with incumbent liquid-packaging suppliers in export markets.
- UFlex ASEPTO's new Egypt facility represents a total investment of USD 126m
- The plant is located in Ain Sokhna, Egypt
- Two Heidelberg Boardmaster web flexo printing presses have been commissioned at the site
- The new capacity adds 12 billion aseptic packages a year
- Combined India and Egypt capacity rises to 24 billion aseptic packages a year
- Boardmaster presses run at up to 600 metres a minute with availability of up to 90%
Route 1 Print, part of Bluetree Group, has installed two Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106-8P presses at its Rotherham, UK facility as part of a wider GBP 12m (USD 15.9m) capacity programme. The new presses, fitted with Plate to Unit, LED UV and Push to Stop automation, run up to 40 percent faster than the fleet they replace.
Why this mattersCapacity and automation upgrades at a major trade printer tighten turnaround times and pricing for reseller customers across the UK print supply chain.
- Two Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106-8P presses installed at Route 1 Print's Rotherham facility.
- Investment forms part of a wider GBP 12m (USD 15.9m) programme.
- New presses run up to 40 percent faster than the predecessor fleet.
- Presses feature Plate to Unit, LED UV and fully automated Push to Stop technology.
- Rotherham facility covers 28,000 sq m.
- Route 1 Print is described as the UK's largest online trade printer.
Gallus Group, the label-printing technology subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, has changed its top leadership. Chief executive Dario Urbanati steps down on 1 November 2026 to become president of the board of Gallus Ferd. Rueesch AG from 1 January 2027, with chief financial officer Michael Bsirske taking over as interim CEO. Uwe Boerner becomes head of global sales effective 1 October 2026, succeeding Thomas Schweizer, who leaves the company.
Why this mattersLabel converters buying Gallus presses face an interim chief executive from 1 November and a new global sales head from 1 October.
- Dario Urbanati steps down as Gallus CEO on 1 November 2026
- Urbanati becomes president of the board of Gallus Ferd. Rueesch AG from 1 January 2027
- CFO Michael Bsirske becomes interim CEO of Gallus
- Uwe Boerner appointed head of global sales effective 1 October 2026, succeeding Thomas Schweizer
- Gallus is a label-printing technology subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen has appointed Christoph Burkhard as Chief Financial Officer, effective 1 October 2026, succeeding Volker Herdin who retires on 30 September 2026. Burkhard was previously CFO of construction equipment maker Wacker Neuson and, before that, of wind turbine manufacturer Nordex.
Why this mattersHeidelberg's incoming CFO takes responsibility for M&A and investor relations, arriving from finance roles at two listed engineering manufacturers.
- Christoph Burkhard becomes CFO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG effective 1 October 2026
- Volker Herdin retires as CFO on 30 September 2026 after overseeing the handover
- Burkhard was CFO of Wacker Neuson until 31 August 2026
- He previously served as CFO of Nordex in Hamburg
- As CFO he will oversee Finance, Controlling, Investor Relations, M&A, Accounting, Legal, Tax and Information Security
- Burkhard, born 1964, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann from Tübingen and an MSc from the London School of Economics
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen has agreed a partnership with German logistics group pfenning to combine printing, packaging and data-driven logistics into one offering for pharmaceutical packaging production. The tie-up extends Heidelberg's system-integrator strategy, unveiled at interpack 2026, into serialisation, track-and-trace and GDP/GMP-compliant logistics. No financial terms were disclosed.
Why this mattersMachinery makers are moving beyond press sales into end-to-end packaging and logistics services, reshaping how pharma customers source compliance-driven supply chains.
- Heidelberg and pfenning group announced the partnership on 30 September 2026 at Heidelberg's Wiesloch-Walldorf site.
- The collaboration covers printing, packaging and data-driven logistics for pharmaceutical products.
- It builds on Heidelberg's system-integrator strategy announced at interpack 2026.
- pfenning group operates 110 European locations, 1 million square metres of logistics space and 7,000 employees.
- Heidelberg has previously announced similar partnerships with Pack-Smart and Metsä Board.
- No deal value or investment figure was disclosed.
- Turkish converter Sade Ofset Packaging & Label is using Heidelberg's Prinect Production software to network prepress, press room and production planning.
- Austrian print service provider Klampfer Druck installed a Jetfire 50 digital press to combine digital and offset short-run printing.
- Heidelberger Druckmaschinen shares traded at EUR 1.42 on 5 October 2026, down 30 percent since the start of the year.
- Heidelberg shares traded around EUR 1.39 pre-market on 6 October 2026, down 31 percent year to date
- Heidelberger Druckmaschinen will present technology at the All-in-Print China trade fair in Shanghai, 12-16 October 2026
- Heidelberger Druckmaschinen shares closed at EUR 1.42 on 7 October 2026, down 30 percent year to date
- Heidelberger Druckmaschinen reported first-quarter fiscal 2026/2027 revenue of EUR 404.00 million, down 13.30 percent year on year.
- Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 0.20 percent from 4.40 percent a year earlier.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen said its integration of manroland sheetfed's lifecycle and service business into its own network is proceeding on schedule, with key steps due within 18 months. Manroland sheetfed customers keep their existing service contacts and uninterrupted spare-parts supply while gaining access to Heidelberg's global sales and service network.
Why this mattersFolding manroland sheetfed's aftermarket business into Heidelberg's network consolidates service capacity across the commercial sheetfed press installed base.
- Key implementation steps of the integration are expected to be completed within the next 18 months.
- Manroland sheetfed customers keep existing service contacts and uninterrupted spare parts and consumables supply.
- Some early manroland sheetfed customers, including in Germany, Brazil and Malta, have since bought HEIDELBERG presses.
- Dr David Schmedding, HEIDELBERG Executive Board Member for Technology and Sales, commented on the integration's progress.
- Heidelberg reports sustained demand for industrial digital print systems as customers move to shorter print runs.
- Heidelberg shares closed at EUR 1.43 on 30 September 2026, up 0.3 percent on the day but down 30 percent year to date.
- Heidelberg holds its SHIFT 2026 customer event on 6-7 October 2026 in Heidelberg and at its Wiesloch-Walldorf site.
- The Brussels commercial court declared manroland Benelux, based in Wemmel, Belgium, bankrupt on 8 September 2026
- Heidelberg Benelux now provides direct technical support, preventive maintenance, spare parts and consumables to manroland sheetfed customers in the Benelux
- Visi Group has separately acquired manroland Benelux's Screen and Cron prepress service, supplies and CTP activities
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and its Gallus label-press subsidiary will exhibit at LOUPE India 2026, their first appearance at the show since 2012. They will present label and packaging printing technology, software, consumables and service, including the regional premiere of the Gallus Screeny printing unit. Heidelberg cites forecasts of India's packaging market growing from about USD 12bn to USD 20bn by 2030.
Why this mattersThe return targets India's packaging market, forecast to grow from about USD 12bn to USD 20bn by 2030, where Heidelberg has had no show presence since 2012.
- Gallus and Heidelberg last exhibited at LOUPE India in 2012.
- India's packaging market is forecast to grow from about USD 12bn to USD 20bn by 2030.
- The Gallus Screeny printing unit makes its regional debut at the show.
- Gallus applications shown span self-adhesive and security labels, tube laminates, in-mould labels, pouches, shrink sleeves, sachets and lightweight carton packaging.
- Heidelberg is expanding local sales and service capacity, demonstration facilities and its partner network in India.
- LOUPE India 2026 runs 29 October to 1 November at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, with Gallus and Heidelberg India sharing booth K14
- Screeny unit's mechanical speed range is 1-120 metres per minute, with print widths of 340, 440 or 580 mm and substrate thickness 40-400 microns
- Maximum material passage width of the Screeny unit is 600 mm and it can be retrofitted to presses from other manufacturers
Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives has become a partner at the Gallus Experience Center in St. Gallen, Switzerland, where converters and brand owners can test its self-adhesive label materials alongside Gallus digital printing equipment. The collaboration will initially focus on validating solutions for wine and spirits labelling, building on the Gallus MatteJet digital embellishment platform.
Why this mattersMaterials-equipment partnerships around digital embellishment platforms shape which substrates converters can specify for premium label runs.
- Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives joined the Gallus Experience Center in St. Gallen as an industry partner, announced 21 September 2026
- The centre lets converters and brand owners test substrate performance with Gallus printing technology in production-like conditions
- Initial focus of the partnership is the wine and spirits label market
- The move builds on the prior commercial launch of the Gallus MatteJet digital embellishment system
- Gallus Group operates as part of the Heidelberg system-integrator setup for connected printing solutions
Durst Group will acquire the holding company of MPS Printing B.V., the Dutch specialist in flexographic printing systems for labels and flexible packaging, with MPS joining the group on 1 January 2027. The business will operate as MPS - A Durst Group Company, keeping its management, brand and product line, while Durst US takes over sales and service in the United States. Durst announced the deal on 15 September 2026 at LOUPE Americas in Chicago.
Why this mattersAdding flexo hardware to Durst's digital and hybrid printing portfolio broadens its label-production platform against rivals combining digital, flexo and automation.
- Durst Group will acquire the holding company of MPS Printing B.V., with MPS joining the group on 1 January 2027.
- MPS will operate as MPS - A Durst Group Company and continue to develop, manufacture and market its flexographic printing systems.
- MPS chief executive Michiel Borst becomes managing director of the unit, reporting within Durst's management structure.
- MPS keeps its direct sales channels across Europe, while Durst US takes over sales and service of the MPS portfolio in the United States.
- MPS will draw on Durst's international service and spare-parts infrastructure, with existing service contracts continuing on their terms.
- Durst's partnership with OMET on the KJet and XJet hybrid platforms continues independently of the transaction.
- The MPS Printing acquisition is subject to standard closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
- Durst has not disclosed financial terms of the MPS Printing transaction.
- The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
