Heidelberg Druck Overhauls Gallus Leadership While Chasing Growth in Labels and Pharma Packaging

Heidelberg names interim Gallus CEO and new global sales head, expands service and pharma projects, with shares at EUR 1.41, down 31% this year.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen is pressing ahead on two fronts at once: reshaping the top management of its Gallus label-printing subsidiary and rolling out a string of commercial initiatives across digital printing, packaging and pharmaceutical logistics. The moves come as the group's share price continues to languish, closing Friday at EUR 1.41 — down 31 percent since the start of the year.

At Gallus, Michael Bsirske will take over as interim Chief Executive Officer on November 1. The incumbent, Dario Urbinati, moves to the supervisory board and is slated to assume its chairmanship from January 1, 2027. In a parallel shake-up of the commercial side, Uwe Boerner took charge of global sales on Thursday, succeeding Thomas Schweizer — a change aimed at injecting fresh momentum into the label-printing systems business.

That reshuffle carries weight because the segment sits at the center of the parent company's strategy. Conventional commercial printing has spent years contending with shrinking print runs and heavy pricing pressure, pushing the group toward packaging and label solutions instead. The question now is whether Gallus under new leadership can convert orders in the profitable label business into countable results quickly. Boerner will need to deepen customer relationships and streamline sales channels, since short response times and tailored service offerings often decide contract awards in mechanical engineering.

Service Integration on Schedule, India Return Confirmed

Alongside the personnel changes, Heidelberg is expanding its service operations. The integration of manroland sheetfed's lifecycle and service business is proceeding to plan, with the key implementation steps to be completed within the next 18 months, the company said on September 21. That service and maintenance business is intended to give the machinery maker greater revenue visibility.

On the international stage, Gallus announced on September 22 that it will return to the LOUPE India 2026 trade fair. Together, the two companies plan to showcase technologies and services for label and packaging production in the Indian market. No specific order volume was attached to the announcement.

Progress is also being reported in digital printing installations. Klampfer Druck expanded its operations with the Jetfire 50 system from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen to sharpen its competitive edge, with the unit installed at the end of August, according to a September 24 statement. No order value was disclosed.

Pharma Tie-Up and a Fresh Labelmaster Order

Another focal point is the cooperation with the pfenning group. The joint project targets integrated solutions for pharmaceutical packaging production, linking printing, packaging and data-driven logistics, including serialization and track-and-trace. Media reports suggest the collaboration is designed to reduce interfaces in the supply chain.

On the machine side, demand for modern hybrid technology is providing a solid base. US label manufacturer NextGen Label Group ordered an additional eight-color Gallus Labelmaster 440, with commissioning planned for early 2027 at its site in Cohoes, New York. Should such complete solutions gain broad market traction, it would strengthen ties with industrial customers that have high quality requirements and help keep the group's manufacturing plants utilized.

Interim Leadership Brings Execution Risk

The risks are just as tangible. Interim arrangements at the top of a company always carry the danger of slower decision-making. Bsirske is running the business only on a transitional basis, and Urbinati will not take the supervisory board chair until early 2027. That transitional structure could give customers pause when weighing million-euro investment decisions. If buyers postpone strategic deals until the leadership question is settled permanently, sales planning can quickly fall behind.

Investor reticence is already visible in the share price. The stock is a long way from its 52-week high of EUR 2.40. Without tangible gains in new customers, the weakness could persist, and delays in integrating digital printing technologies could deepen the loss of confidence on the stock market. As long as support near recent lows holds, there is room for gradual stabilization — but an unexpected slump in packaging orders would threaten a continuation of the downward move.

SHIFT 2026 Offers an Immediate Read

The next concrete test of technological competitiveness arrives shortly. On October 6 and 7, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen hosts the SHIFT 2026 industry event. The two-day program opens Tuesday at the halle02 venue in Heidelberg, with the second conference day following on Wednesday at the company's own "Home of Print" in Wiesloch-Walldorf. Artificial intelligence and digital printing top the agenda, alongside digitalization, automation and robotics in hybrid print production.

For the capital market, the conference is a timely opportunity to gauge customer interest in the new solutions firsthand. Investors will be watching closely for hard signals that order intake is picking up.