Heidelberg pulls out of Ipex in face of changing European market

- Different approach needed in Europe than emerging markets

 

- Demo facilities to allow company to showcase technologies and developments

 

Heidelberg said pulling out of Ipex 2014 was a ‘difficult decision’ and is part of a wider rethink of its sales and marketing strategy.

 

It was confirmed this week by Ipex organizer Informa that Heidelberg will not be exhibiting at the 2014 show.

 

The company said the decision to withdraw from Ipex was part of a comprehensive rethink on its sales and marketing strategy, and the way it serves its customers in different parts of the world.

 

Heidelberg occupied hall 1 at Drupa 2012, and said the show resulted in the company exceeding its sales expectations worldwide. However, it said the consolidation of printing in the European market, the reduction in the number of printers and the increasing focus on more complex and technical sales means exhibitions are not be as relevant as in the past for Europe.

 

HP and Agfa are not exhibiting at the show either, and have likewise said their decisions are based on changes in their strategies regarding targeting new markets and meeting with existing customers.

 

Gerard Heanue, managing director of Heidelberg UK, said: ‘It’s been a very difficult decision, made at international level.

 

‘We need to take a different approach here in Europe than in developing markets like China and Brazil where there remains a need to use exhibitions to meet new buyers and make them aware of the scale and scope of our wide portfolio of products and services.

 

‘In the UK we have already restructured our business to better reflect the changes in our marketplace but we are unusual among press suppliers in having retained our demo facilities on a global scale, which are large enough to house as much equipment as printers would see at Ipex.

 

‘We will continue to use those as our showcase with open houses, targeted forums, bespoke demonstrations and training programmes.

 

‘This, combined with new media channels, which give us new ways of communicating directly with the customer, dilutes the relevance of exhibitions in industrialized markets for us.’

 

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