A German newspaper quoted Heidelberg chief executive Bernhard Schreier as stating at last weeks Igas show in Japan that the talks would finish by the end of this month or in early November.

But spokesman Hans-Dieter Siegfried said the groups position remained the same: We are still in talks but there is no scheduled timeline, he added.

Last month PrintWeek revealed that Heidelberg and Goss were in talks (PrintWeek, 11 September).

Schreier was also quoted as saying that Heidelberg was in intensive talks with Kodak over the companies NexPress digital printing joint venture, a position confirmed by Siegfried.

We signed the joint venture at Print in Chicago back in 1997 and we now have some difficult days in digital printing, said Siegfried. Its not running as we sought some years ago so we have to talk with our partners but were both rowing in the same boat.

Story by Gordon Carson