In a statement sent to Printweek today (11 December), Heidelberg said Linzbach passed away on 23 November 2023.

“Linzbach was CEO of Heidelberg from 1 September 2012 to 14 November 2016. During these years, he continued to drive forward the strategic development of the group and led the company in a new direction, whereby the topics of cultural change and digitalisation were very important to him.

“On his departure, the former chairman of the supervisory board, Dr Siegfried Jaschinski, expressly thanked him for the successful turnaround of the company and for ensuring that Heidelberg was on the right track. We will keep Dr Linzbach in lasting memory.”

Prior to leaving Heidelberg permanently, Linzbach had before stepped down temporarily from his role due to ill health in June 2015, though he returned to full-time work in January 2016.

Linzbach had replaced former Heidelberg CEO Bernhard Schreier in the role in 2012, after Schreier had spent 13 years at the helm. Linzbach had been unanimously appointed by the Heidelberg board, having previously been CEO of D&S Europe since 2009.

When Linzbach took over the business in 2012, operating profit was at €3m (£2.57m by today’s exchange rate) and net result (after taxes) was -€230m.

But by June 2016 it had posted strong financial results, with an operating profit of €116m and net result (after taxes) of €28m, as well as sales at the time of €2.5bn.

Linzbach held a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Dortmund.