As we continue our 175th anniversary celebration, each month we shine a spotlight on a defining part of HEIDELBERG. This time, it's all about the Print Media Center.

As long as there has been HEIDELBERG, there has been a Print Media Center. The name may have changed over the years, but one thing has always stayed the same: no place embodies the magic of print quite like it.

It brings together everything HEIDELBERG stands for – all under one roof. Application know-how. Technology-neutral solutions across offset, flexo, and digital printing. Complete, integrated workflows and customized setups for packaging, label, and commercial printing.

The Print Media Center is many things: a live demo hub, a technical competence center, a space for personalized advice on services and software, a training and event venue – and much more.

For decades, it’s been the showroom for our innovations – and a reflection of what our customers need.

Take a digital journey with us through the story of the Print Media Center.

The Tiegel or platen (also called plate press) is equipped as standard with system marks and can now print in register and multicolor in battery - with several machines side by side. In 1931, print shop owners are convinced of this and have the quality and speed of the printing presentation confirmed by a notary.

As interest in product presentations grows rapidly, so does the number of customer visits. Following the introduction of the first Heidelberger Cylinder "Automat" in 1935, two more cylinders are added to the machine park. The once “experimental print shop” evolves into a fully established in-house print shop and showroom.

Since its foundation, the in-house print shop has always been a place of further education, training and education - for customers and HEIDELBERG employees alike. Pictured here, for example, is a group of HEIDELBERG sales representatives in 1950.

What belongs together comes together: in 1958, the in-house print shop is rebuilt and enlarged. The manual typesetting department is connected to the printing room, the premises and thus capacities for courses and training are significantly expanded.

The in-house print shop continues to print all brochures, advertising material, the customer magazine and all business stationery. But its staff are also increasingly involved in customer training courses. At the end of the course, participants receive a diploma that is widely recognized as a professional certification in the industry.

A proud tradition dating back to the 16th century: after passing their final exam, print apprentices are “christened” by being dunked in a barrel of water — washed clean of the sins of their apprenticeship and welcomed as full members of the trade. Some things never change: even today, a proper start in the print media world still requires a good soaking!

With the relocation of Rotaspeed assembly, parts of the in-house print shop and its associated training programs also move from the city of Heidelberg to Wiesloch, 20 kilometers to the south. And with them, the printers of the Print Media Center in their distinctive white coats—a work uniform rarely seen in other print shops.

Throughout the 1960s, the industry is shaped by lively debates between letterpress and offset printing. By 1972, offset printing has clearly taken the lead. Reflecting this shift, the showroom's machine park grows significantly: the Tiegel, HEIDELBERG cylinders, GTO, KOR offset, and Rotaspeed machines are now joined by S-Offset one- and two-color presses, as well as foil stamping and die-cutting equipment.

Phototypesetting gradually makes its way into plate-making, significantly reducing the use of hot metal typesetting. By 1985, desktop publishing revolutionizes plate production, and color measurement devices introduce objectivity in quality assessment. Once again, the in-house print shop leads the way in embracing these developments.​

The Speedmaster 102 is unveiled to the public as a two-color S+W (double-sided printing in one pass) press and is set up in the in-house print shop for demonstrations. Customer interest surges, with many eager to produce their work on-site and experience the many benefits of HEIDELBERG machines firsthand.

With the completion of the new headquarters, the in-house print shop receives its own representative facilities, solidifying its role as a modern and unique showroom for the HEIDELBERG product range. It now offers ample space for people and machines, technology and discussions, innovations and inspirations.

The latest technology is consistently employed not only in the pressroom but also in plate-making, : phototypesetting systems, scanner technology, and electronic image editing and assembly systems are introduced in 1986.

The showroom continually features the latest machines for demonstrations, such as the raised Speedmaster CD 102 in 1996. As the focus of activities increasingly shifted in this direction, the in-house print shop evolves into the "Demonstration Print Shop".

In the 1990s, computers become integral to the printing process, with controls and color measurement technology becoming indispensable. Initially, they coexist harmoniously in the demonstration print shop, but gradually, digital plate imaging (CtP) begins to replace analog plate copying.

As a central platform, Prinect seamlessly integrates all steps of the printing process into continuous workflows. Naturally, it is also implemented in the demonstration print shop, which is now internationally known as the "Demo Center," structured by format classes, and had expanded its postpress area.

Prinect had undergone significant development and becomes a unique selling point for HEIDELBERG. To effectively demonstrate this software solution in practice, a dedicated area with the corresponding machines and equipment is established: Prinect Live!

With the opening of Hall 11, the Demo Center transforms into the "Print Media Center" (PMC) in Wiesloch-Walldorf. Tailored to customer challenges, the product portfolio is structured into workflows for packaging and label printers. The PMC Packaging, serving as a competence center and test laboratory for machines and applications, benefits from shorter distances to product management and research & development.

With a twinge of sadness, the Print Media Center bids farewell to its historic home in the city of Heidelberg. Yet from this departure grows a bold new beginning: at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site, a modern, light-filled demo center takes shape, spanning 4,200 square meters. Designed to mirror a real-world commercial printing operation, it offers generous space for everything that makes printing successful — service, consulting, software, business management, and more.

In 2016, the unveiling of a new company logo proudly marks the start of this exciting new era.

In 2021, the Print Media Center Packaging and Commercial merge into a single Print Media Center for packaging, label, and commercial printing, utilizing parts of the adjacent assembly area in Hall 11.

With the addition of the Boardmaster, another printing technology joins the PMC: flexographic printing. The Boardmaster becomes one of the focal points and visual highlights within the PMC.​

Alongside Hall 1 in Düsseldorf, numerous customers and interested parties visit the Print Media Center in Wiesloch during drupa 2024—a resounding success for the concept of two trade show locations and, above all, for visitors who can experience the entire HEIDELBERG portfolio.

Our Print Media Center in Wiesloch-Walldorf is evolving once again. In 2025, it reopens with a fresh new look—over 10,000 m² of cutting-edge print technology, ready to explore, test, and experience. Stay tuned for the first impressions!