Speaking after the company said that it would explore “new fields of operation”, chief executive Helge Hansen said that, while print manufacturing would remain core, the company would explore acquisitions in “new business lines with good prospects for growth and earnings”.

He identified these sectors as packaging, digital print, water treatment and solar thermal technology.

“We believe that expanding our business scope is a wiser course of action than entering a merger in a shrinking market,” he said in an apparent reference to Heidelberg’s merger talks with manroland, which collapsed last month.

Meanwhile, Japanese press manufacturer Komori reported a 44% slump in sales for the first six months of the year, driven by a 63% drop in sales to the Americas.

Most press manufacturers have been severely impacted by the global credit crunch as customers postpone capital investment.

Read the original article at www.printweek.com.

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