Heidelberg acquires BluePrint Products

BluePrint Products, based in Sint-Niklaas near Antwerp, Belgium, offers products globally within the offset and flexographic fields and serves customers in 60 countries through a network of specialized local sales and service partners.

Heidelberg said BluePrint offers a comprehensive range of dampening and wash-up products for sheet-fed offset presses and has a particularly innovative approach to environmentally friendly products. It added that by acquiring this Belgian supplier of printing chemicals, Heidelberg is gaining vital know-how for developing and producing consumables in a key market segment.

With BluePrint, Heidelberg can offer its customers the expertise of an established supplier of printing chemicals, giving it the means to tailor products to customer needs and develop them further in-house without the delays that result from consulting external suppliers. Customer-specific products are also possible.

The acquisition of BluePrint follows the earlier deal to buy UK coatings manufacturer Hi-Tech Coatings in 2008. Heidelberg said it intends to systematically increase sales of consumables in the future.

Sales of BluePrint products outside of Heidelberg’s customer base will be continued and are also to be expanded.

Peter Tix, head of the Consumables division at Heidelberg, said: ‘BluePrint and Heidelberg have already worked together closely in the past.

‘Under the umbrella of the Saphira portfolio, we’ll be continuing to develop the BluePrint range of consumables for print production while maintaining the highest standards in terms of the environment and reliability. The products will gradually be made available on the key markets for Heidelberg.’

Harald Weimer, member of the German printing equipment manufacturer’s management board responsible for sales and Heidelberg Services, said: ‘We’re looking to become the world’s leading supplier of consumables in our industry in the medium term.’