The Shanghai factory was set up in 2005. It makes printing presses in all standard formats, with its most popular products the Speedmaster CD 102 and Speedmaster CS 92 models for commercial printing and packaging applications.

Heidelberg said it had now exported presses from China to more than 40 countries. Although most orders have been from other Asian markets, it has also shipped presses to Central and South America, and to customers in Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, although no sales been confirmed to the UK as yet. 

Chief executive Rainer Hundsdörfer described the site as a success story “not just in terms of the Chinese market, but also and increasingly with regard to the rest of the world”.

“Already, around one third of all the Heidelberg printing units being manufactured are coming from this plant. Following the rapid economic recovery of the Asian markets from the coronavirus pandemic, our local production operations have proven to be a strategic advantage in overcoming the crisis," he said. 

“As a consequence, we are increasingly able to realise growth opportunities in these regions.”

At the end of last year Heidelberg expanded its relationship with major shareholder Masterwork Group, the Chinese printing and finishing machinery manufacturer. The new arrangement involves Masterwork making parts for Heidelberg at its factory in Tianjin near Beijing.