Heidelberg is consolidating production of the NexPress into a single location to improve the productivity of its digital business. It also said the move would enable it to take advantage of Rochesters experienced research and development and production staff.

Assembly of the NexPress will continue at Heidelbergs plant in Kiel until the end of the year.

Heidelberg Digital Print Solution Centre vice president Michael Schirmer said: Clients will benefit from our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and processes, which are top in the industry and have been used to produce the Digimaster family since 1999.

The transfer of manufacturing from Kiel to Rochester, with the loss of 560 jobs in Germany, led to industrial action earlier this year.

However, staff at Kiel accepted an improved redundancy and retraining package from Heidelberg in the summer (PrintWeek, 26 June). The losses were part of 2,200 announced by the manufacturer in 2002 aimed at saving 130m a year.

Story by John Davies