Heidelberg India recently led an international customer tour to China, providing participants with an immersive experience with the recent advancements in print and packaging technology. The multi-city tour included visits to the Print Media Center in Shanghai, followed by MK Masterwork’s facility in Tianjin, and concluded at the China Print 2025 exhibition in Beijing.
This initiative formed a part of the Heidelberg Asia-Pacific Customer Engagement Program and brought together more than 150 delegates from over 10 countries across the region. From India, 50 prominent printing and packaging professionals representing print hubs from Mumbai, Goa, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Sivakasi participated in the tour. Customers from both the commercial and packaging segments of the industry joined the delegation, reflecting the diverse interests and evolving needs of the Indian print community.
Noble Printing Press from Mumbai, Rahul Print O Pack, Azure Press, Goyal Offset Works, and Premier Printing Press from New Delhi as well as SFA Print from Sivakasi, and Brilliant Printers, Global Printing & Packaging, Jwalamukhi Mudranalaya from Bengaluru were a part of the delegation, the Heidelberg India team told the IPP Group.
Heidelberg international customer tour to China
The itinerary commenced on 14 May at the Print Media Center in Shanghai, where attendees were shown live demonstrations of the Speedmaster CX 104-8+LYYL X3 and CX 92 4-color presses.
Guests were given a guided walk-through of Heidelberg’s production facility, with the staff offering insights into the company’s press manufacturing processes and technological prowess.
On 15 May, the delegation traveled to Tianjin to the MK Masterwork plant, where the attendees explored the full spectrum of MK’s packaging solutions. The visit featured a deep dive into MK’s precision-driven manufacturing from engineering and design to assembly, highlighting the company’s commitment to automation and scale.
The tour culminated at China Print 2025 in Beijing, held under the theme ‘Unfold Your Potential.’
Heidelberg’s showcase at the exhibition was anchored by the Speedmaster CX 104-8LYYL+1+L, a versatile A1 format press tailored for high-end commercial and packaging applications. Also on display were the Speedmaster XL 75 8+L, known for its high-performance multi-color capability, and the Jetfire 50, Heidelberg’s latest digital press innovation.
One of the key attractions at the Heidelberg stand was the Customer Digital Transformation Arena, which demonstrated a seamlessly integrated workflow featuring Prinect workflow software, delivering next-generation automation for print production.
Reflecting on the success of the initiative, Samir Patkar, president of Heidelberg India, said, “We were truly thrilled by the enthusiastic participation and engagement at China Print 2025. This tour offered a unique platform to reconnect with our valued customers, showcase breakthrough innovations, and celebrate the future of print. We are especially proud that several strategic deals were concluded during the event, reaffirming our commitment to the Indian print and packaging industry.”
Ramit Goyal from Goyal Offset Works told the IPP Group, “The entire experience was truly exemplary. We had a well-organized and insightful tour of the Heidelberg Print Media Center in Shanghai, followed by an impressive visit to the MK Masterwork facility in Tianjin. The Chinese packaging print production sites offered valuable industry insights. China Print was equally enriching — a fantastic platform to explore the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of print and packaging.”
“The entire China visit was an eye-opening experience, especially for those of us focused on packaging. The guided tours at the Heidelberg Print Media Center in Shanghai and MK Masterwork in Tianjin gave us a close look at some of the most advanced technologies in action. Visiting local packaging print facilities added even more depth — it was impressive to see how efficiently things are run,” Manjunath, director, Global Printing & Packaging, Bengaluru, told the IPP Group.
“China Print was a great opportunity to catch up on the latest trends and innovations driving the packaging segment forward. We are thankful to Heidelberg for organizing this tour, especially to the packaging companies of China, where we could see how efficiently manpower is being utilized. We could learn about decreasing manpower and increasing OEE from these Chinese packaging houses. We learned that the machines manufactured at Heidelberg’s China facility are of Heidelberg Germany quality,” Manjunath said.
The company said the customer outreach effort underscored Heidelberg India’s continued focus on fostering collaboration, enabling technology adoption, and reinforcing its leadership in driving innovation across the region’s print and packaging landscape.
Such tours can offer valuable insights into how the Chinese printing and packaging sector is evolving. Would love to hear more about any standout innovations or partnerships that caught the delegation’s attention.