Heidelberg has reported a stable third quarter, with sales reaching last year’s levels and a significant improvement in adjusted EBITDA margin to 9.2 percent. Packaging continues to be a key growth driver, while the company’s strategic initiatives position it for over €300 million in additional sales potential in the medium term.
The implementation of the plan for the future and the efficiency improvements are having a positive impact on the profitability of HEIDELBERG, with the adjusted EBITDA margin set to improve further to up to around 8 percent in the next financial year 2025/2026.
At Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG), key figures for the first nine months of financial year 2024/2025 (April 1 to December 31, 2024) and the third quarter (October 1 to December 31, 2024) were in line with the expected developments communicated by the company. Especially in terms of the key operating results, the third quarter of the current financial year brought significant improvements compared with the first half-year and also with the equivalent quarter of the previous year. The adjusted EBITDA margin for the third quarter was 9.2 percent (equivalent quarter of previous year: 5.7 percent), with high capacity utilization and intensified cost-cutting measures having a particularly positive impact. Sales to date during financial year 2024/2025 have increased from quarter to quarter. The figure of € 594 million for the third quarter matched the equivalent quarter of the previous year (€ 594 million). In the third quarter, incoming orders were up by some 8.3 percent at € 550 million (equivalent quarter of previous year: € 508 million). This is much better than the current developments in the mechanical and plant engineering sector as a whole. The biggest contributions were made by the EMEA region (+ 16 percent) and the Packaging Solutions segment (+ 15 percent). The high order backlog of € 903 million paves the way for a very strong final quarter.
“We have succeeded in continuously improving our sales and operating result quarter by quarter in a difficult economic environment. Thanks to our high order backlog, we can confirm that we will achieve our targets for the year,” said Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG. “And we will drive down costs further still in the coming year by implementing our plan for the future and boosting efficiency. This cost discipline will have a positive effect on our profitability, which should improve further in the next financial year.”
Based on strong order levels, the company anticipates a clear increase in sales in the fourth quarter of the current financial year in particular.
Packaging segment remains a growth driver
Incoming orders in the Packaging segment increased significantly – by around 11 percent to € 959 million for the first three quarters and by some 15 percent in the third quarter. In terms of megatrends, the packaging market is first and foremost seeing a growing demand for packaging that is both sustainable and of a high quality. This is where the positioning of HEIDELBERG as a systems integrator and total solution provider is having a positive impact, helping to further expand the company’s very strong position in the packaging market. “Packaging printing is the current growth sector for the printing industry, including HEIDELBERG. In particular, the product innovation around the Boardmaster for high-volume packaging printing meets customer needs,” said David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at HEIDELBERG. “We are looking to successively expand our business and our portfolio in this market by using automation, robotics, and software to offer our customers integrated end-to-end solutions for the entire manufacturing process,” he explained.
Growth strategy promises sales potential of over € 300 million in medium term
To expand its market position, HEIDELBERG is increasingly tapping into growth potential in its core market – from packaging and digital printing to software and lifecycle business. The first digital presses from the cooperation with Canon are going to customers in Switzerland and Germany. This cooperation will significantly boost future sales generated by digital print solutions, including consumables, software, and service. The company is also keen to further expand its portfolio in the growing market for green technologies. This includes key areas such as high-precision plant engineering, the automotive industry, charging infrastructure and software, and new hydrogen technologies.
The implementation of the plan for the future and the efficiency improvements are having a positive impact on the profitability of HEIDELBERG, with the adjusted EBITDA margin set to improve further to up to around 8 percent in the next financial year 2025/2026.