Press manufacturer Heidelberg has received an award for its digitisation strategy.
In Germany, the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering at the RWTH Aachen University selected the five best companies in product and portfolio management in cooperation with the Complexity Management Academy and a high-profile industry consortium.
Aiming to identify particularly successful methods, structures, and processes in the systematic implementation of product and portfolio management, the process whittled down over 10,000 companies to 148 candidates. Following an in-depth screening process, the consortium partners identified five companies from 21 top performers. The consortium partners visited the hand-picked companies and analysed their methods, structures, and processes in product and portfolio management on site.
Rainer Hundsdörfer, chief executive officer of Heidelberg, “The award shows that our digital strategy is regarded as a successful approach. With the digital transformation of its internal and external processes, Heidelberg wants to regain its position as a model company in the industry.”
Heidelberg, now in the process of digitising its internal and external processes, including product and portfolio management, has successfully implemented the greatest number of the fourteen success factors identified. This includes a close relationship with customers whose productivity increases through digitised workflows. Examples include autonomous printing with the Push to Stop philosophy. The Heidelberg Assistan, a transparent customer interface that visualises the production process for the customer, offers know-how, and provides a purchasing and benchmark platform. It implements this using cloud technology and also includes service with e-call. Based on this customer data, Heidelberg can offer its customers individual advice and further develop and optimise their production. Heidelberg says it can determine the specific needs of commercial, packaging, and label printers using customer-oriented segmentation. It adds that thinking from the customer’s point of view results in special solutions that benefit these very segments.
It incorporates all data and facts from the field into the further development of product and portfolio management, which includes constant mirroring and checking with the market. Heidelberg says this also results in the development of new digital concepts such as the subscription model, where the customer receives a complete system comprising machinery, services, consumables, consulting, and software. It bases payment on use: the number of printed sheets.
The selection of the Successful Practices took place in consultation with a jury of experts from successful international companies, which formed the project consortium.
