Heidelberg Druck Rewires Gallus Leadership, Books a US Label Order and Chases Pharma Packaging
Published on 10/04/2026 at 19:10 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Heidelberg Druckmaschinen is stacking up operational changes across several fronts at once — a management handover at its Gallus subsidiary, a fresh American press order, a pharma packaging alliance and a two-day technology showcase — even as its share price continues to sag.
At the Gallus Group, the leadership baton is changing hands. Michael Bsirske will step in as interim CEO on November 1, 2026, taking over from Dario Urbinati. Urbinati is not leaving the fold, however: he moves to the supervisory board and is slated to assume its chairmanship on January 1, 2027. The sales side has been reorganized as well, with Uwe Boerner taking charge of global sales in succession to Thomas Schweizer.
A US reorder for the Labelmaster
On the customer side, Heidelberg logged another order from across the Atlantic. NextGen Label Group, based in the United States, has placed an order for an additional eight-color Gallus Labelmaster 440. Delivery and installation are scheduled for early 2027, and the machine will expand the customer's label production capacity on site.
Beyond labels, Heidelberg has struck a cooperation agreement with the pfenning Group covering integrated solutions for pharmaceutical packaging production. The arrangement aims to link the printing, packaging and logistics stages of the value chain into a single closed system. Neither partner disclosed a specific order value.
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For the press manufacturer, the tie-up marks a deliberate push into the downstream processes of the pharma sector, tightening the connection between traditional printing technology and logistics services — a field where sensitive pharmaceutical goods are subject to stringent regulatory requirements.
manroland integration on track
The packaging expansion lands during a broader operational realignment. Heidelberg is simultaneously working through the worldwide integration of manroland sheetfed's lifecycle and service business, a process the group said on September 21 is running to plan. The key implementation steps are to be wrapped up within the next 18 months. As a customer example of the bundled offering, the company cited the printing and publishing house Zarbock, which sources prepress, printing and finishing from a single provider.
Gallus, meanwhile, will present new solutions for the Indian label and packaging market alongside its parent at the LOUPE India trade fair. Demand in industrial digital printing has also been evident: Klampfer Druck is expanding its digital printing capacity with the Jetfire 50 system, underpinned by interest in such systems across Eastern Europe.
SHIFT 2026 as the next proving ground
How customers respond to these new technology approaches should become clearer at the upcoming SHIFT 2026 industry event. The gathering opens on October 6 in Heidelberg and continues the following day at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site, in the "Home of Print." Digitalization, automation and the use of robotics in hybrid print production top the agenda. For management, the in-house show is a chance to walk customers and investors through progress on system integration and packaging solutions.
The strategic initiatives have yet to show through in the markets. Heidelberg Druckmaschinen shares closed Friday at EUR 1.41. Since the start of the year the stock has shed 31 percent, and it sits 41 percent below its 52-week high of EUR 2.40.
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