In a release posted on the Manroland Sheetfed website on 24 June 2026, Langley Holdings has announced that it has reached an agreement with Heidelberger Druckmaschinen for the transfer of significant parts of the Manroland Sheetfed business. As part of the planned transaction, Heidelberg will take over Manroland’s global service and spare parts business, including related intellectual property, market organisations in around 35 countries, selected assets, and approximately 600 employees. The detailed developments regarding the assets and resources of Manroland Sheetfed’s Indian and other Asian subsidiaries are expected to be clarified in the next few days.
Also, as part of the transaction, Heidelberg will secure the intellectual property relating to the Roland 900 / Cartonmaster large-format press. As revealed to us by Heidelberg COO David Schmedding during his visit to India in February 2026, the company was planning to show its version, called the Cartonmaster CX 145, to potential customers this summer. In our interview with Schmedding, he noted that there was not enough demand for the five global sheetfed offset press manufacturers to survive on their own. “The consolidation of the market is normal,” he said.
The agreement represents an important step in securing long-term continuity for more than 3,000 Manroland Sheetfed users worldwide. Customers will continue to be supported by familiar local contacts, while gaining access to Heidelberg’s global service network, spare parts infrastructure, and more comprehensive lifecycle offerings.
Anthony Langley, chairman & CEO of Langley Holdings, said, “Since acquiring Manroland Sheetfed in 2012, Langley has supported the business through a hugely challenging period for the global printing press industry. The agreement with Heidelberg ensures continuity of service and spare parts support, while placing the company within a global organization with the scale and infrastructure to support Manroland users over the long term.”
Jürgen Otto, CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, said, “We are actively driving the consolidation of our industry. The combination of Manroland Sheetfed’s service and spare parts business and its sales subsidiaries with Heidelberg strengthens our role as a global systems integrator and gives us direct access to new customers, markets, and growth opportunities. Together with our strong service and logistics network, we provide our customers with a reliable global supply of service and spare parts. For us, this acquisition is more than just a strategic move – it is a deliberate continuation of a shared industrial history and a clear commitment to the future of printing press manufacturing, which we, as a technology group, will continue to shape innovatively.”
Langley Holdings acquired the sheetfed division of the former Manroland AG out of German insolvency proceedings in 2012 and has since financially supported the business for more than a decade. As noted in the Chairman’s Review of Langley Holdings’ 2025 Annual Report, the Group delivered a record performance in 2025, but the Print Technologies division continued to record significant losses.
Against this backdrop, Langley concluded that a strategic solution was required for Manroland Sheetfed, its customers, employees, and installed base. According to the press release, the agreement with Heidelberg provides that solution. It brings together two of the most established names in sheetfed offset printing and creates a strong platform for continued service, technical support, and spare parts availability for Manroland customers around the world.
Completion of the transaction remains subject to the usual approvals and conditions precedent.
