The company will instead fly potential customers to its showrooms in China and Germany – as well as take them to local print operations using Heidelberg presses – as the costs of doing so are less than keeping the showroom

The closure of the Notting Hill showroom is a sign of the times, it opened less than a decade ago when Heidelberg moved out of its Richmond head office. However Heidelberg’s press sales are less than half of what they were pre-GFC, and are unlikely to return to 2007 levels.

Richard Timson, managing director, Heidelberg ANZ told Australian Printer, “I note that no other major supplier has a local showroom, and we have decided that taking clients to appropriate sites where they can see the technology first hand is more beneficial to us and our customers.

Timson says, “These visits could also include Germany where they can see the factory and where the technology is manufactured and designed.”

Heidelberg does not have a date when the Melbourne showroom will close but Timson says the site will continue to operate until existing equipment is sold.

Timson was appointed managing director of Heidelberg Australia New Zealand in mid-October, following the resignation of Andy Vels Jensen. Timson  says he will address the challenges the company is currently facing once he gets his feet under the desk from November 1.

Vels Jensen left Heidelberg on Thursday following 36 years at the print equipment giant, the last 11 of them as managing director of the Australian business.

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter