Heidelberg acquires Polar Mohr

Heidelberger has acquired the technology, intellectual property and brand rights of long-standing partner Polar Mohr, along with further assets, to consolidate its partnership and gain direct access to packaging markets in Asia, South America and the Middle East.

The two parties signed an agreement with the transaction expected to conclude within the coming weeks, after which Heidelberg will have exclusive global sales, service and marketing rights for the postpress products. The Polar Group companies, owned by SOL Capital Management, will continue to operate as a partner of Heidelberg for future development, production and assembly of Polar Mohr systems.

'Heidelberg is aiming to achieve targeted growth through M&A activities in attractive market segments. This acquisition underscores our credentials as a full-range supplier for our customers in the packaging and label industry, including service, and gives us exclusivity in a growing market,' said Jürgen Otto, CEO of Heidelberg. 'As a systems integrator, we cover the entire value chain of a packaging print shop – on a fully integrated and networked basis to ensure production is highly productive. Polar Mohr systems play a key role in this context.'

The partnership between Heidelberg and Polar Mohr dates back to the 1950s, with Polar Mohr developing and manufacturing the systems while Heidelberg has been responsible for large parts of the sales and service activities. On completion of the transaction, this responsibility will become global and exclusive.

Heidelberg offers post-press systems from Polar Mohr as an integral part of its portfolio. The focus is on automation, digitalization and workflow integration, with a view to boosting the productivity of customers' value chains in packaging and label production. The product range includes components and systems that link up and automate all processes from loading, jogging, cutting and die-cutting through to unloading and banding.

'When we took over the Polar Group in early 2023, we acquired a tradition-steeped group of companies full of innovative spirit. Over the past couple of years, we have further intensified the collaboration with Heidelberg. The next logical step for us was the long-term consolidation of this very close relationship,' said Dr. Paul Niederkofler, managing partner at SOL Capital Management. 'We are delighted to be taking the next important step together with this sale of brand rights and technology and the full incorporation of sales and service activities into the Heidelberg organization.'

Polar Mohr employs just under 250 staff at its Hofheim site, which produces high-tech post-press machines for cutting, packaging and label applications. All processes related to new machines, the supply of replacement parts, and service operations will remain the same for customers as before.

The two parties agreed that the details of the agreement would remain confidential.