Heidelberg on course after first half of financial year 2015/2016 with sales and result up on previous year

Heidelberg (ots) -

- Further progress with strategic reorientation
- Sales after six months climb to EUR1.162 billion
- EBITDA excluding special items increase to EUR79 million
- Proceeds from sale of headquarters in Heidelberg posted as income
in second half-year
- Outlook for year as a whole: Sights firmly set on achieving targets
for year

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) systematically
implemented the Group's strategic reorientation in the first half of
financial year 2015/2016 (April 1 to September 30, 2015) and made
further progress during this period. The growth areas - services and
digital - have undergone considerable expansion, while structures and
processes have been made even leaner in the sheetfed business.

The takeover of the Printing Systems Group (PSG) increased service
and consumables sales as planned. The five subsidiaries have been
fully integrated into the Heidelberg sales organization and the
management structure adapted accordingly. Half of the planned
additional sales of some EUR100 million from the takeover have been
generated after six months. Heidelberg is planning further
acquisitions in this growth segment in the future and is expecting
services and consumables to account for around 50 percent of Group
sales in the medium term.

The greater focus of the research and development budget on
digital printing is also becoming increasingly apparent. One example
is the successful sales launch of the company's new digital label
press for the packaging market. Heidelberg has also succeeded in
winning over a German start-up company from the food industry for its
latest development in the field of 4D printing. Unveiling the first
industrial sheetfed digital press at the drupa trade show next year
will mark the next milestone in the digital strategy.

As for its sheetfed business, the company continued the planned
efficiency measures with the aim of increasing flexibility and
boosting future profitability. Full implementation by the end of the
financial year will further improve the profitability of the sheetfed
business, above all in the second half-year. The relocation of
company headquarters and the Print Media Center Commercial from
Heidelberg to Wiesloch-Walldorf marks the completion of a key
structural measure. This will speed up processes in the future and
further reduce annual operating costs for the sites. Together with
the Print Media Center Packaging, Wiesloch-Walldorf now boasts the
industry's largest demonstration center for commercial and packaging
printing anywhere in the world. The sale of the vacant administrative