Siegwerk to focus on virtual customer engagement

The company is currently exploring different communication formats and technologies to engage with customers, demonstrate products, share knowledge and provide guidance and support. The goal is to make expertise quickly accessible, increase efficiencies to further intensify and improve interaction and cooperation while reducing time-consuming travelling.

‘We want to further virtualize the customer experience by adding digital customer engagement tools such as live streaming events, digital conferences, virtual demonstrations, trainings or webinars,’ explains Ralf Hildenbrand, president of Siegwerk Americas and member of the board.

In addition to its face-to-face customer events, the company now plans to translate its INKday events into a virtual concept to enable participation from all over the world. For more than 12 years Siegwerk has been hosting this event offering a unique platform for fostering discussions around current and future industry topics.

‘By increasing the digital exchange, coupled with region-specific events and personal meetings, we will be able to engage in an even faster, more effective and personalized manner going forward,’ added Hildenbrand.

In 2017, Siegwerk began its transformation as an early adopter and has been strategically driving the expansion of its digital offerings to enhance the overall customer experience. Today, the company embraces digitalization across all business areas including data-driven innovation, digitalization of processes as well as the development of new and circular business models.

Latest milestones in the company’s digital transformation include the opening of a fully automated blending center at its German headquarters in Siegburg as well as the establishment of online services such as the vendor managed inventory system MyInkroom and the online customer portal mySiegwerk.

Siegwerk is also focusing on a circular packaging industry. The company has invested further resources in its Circular Economy Hub to manage the transition towards a circular economy across the company.

‘We are strongly committed to always maintain a sensible balance between ecological, social and economic needs without compromising the resources of future generations,’ said Bettina Horenburg, head of corporate communications at Siegwerk. ‘The constant launch of innovative communication technologies offers ever new opportunities for internal and external cooperation enabling us to connect and exchange even faster and more efficient in an international environment.’

As a result, the company now plans to selectively adjust its overall presence at global industry tradeshows with either a virtual exchange or a physical presence where advantageous. For this reason, Siegwerk has now decided to not attend drupa nor interpack’s in 2021 and currently reviews participation in other exhibitions.

‘Our decision to cancel our presence at components and drupa has also been impacted by the uncertainty in terms of the Covid-19 pandemic, its further development and mid-term consequences,’ added Horenburg. ‘We don’t want to obligate our employees to participate in any kind of big event at the moment.’