PrintWeek had learned that the firm was reviewing the scanner situation, and questioned chairman Bernhard Schreier at the groups Ipex press conference.

Schreier stated: "The scanners business will be a very competitive business in the future. We decided to get out and it will no longer be a business of Heidelberg.

"We will leave it to those manufacturers who can make it more productively than we can do."

Schreier said a "clear product announcement" regarding which products will go and which will remain would be made later this month.

Heidelberg scanners are among the products sold by Cheltenham-based reseller CPS. Managing director Bill Johnstone said: "At the moment they [Heidelberg] are undecided in lots of areas. Its correct they will pull out, but it doesnt mean we will be getting out of desktop scanners."

Johnstone said that sales at the 4,000-7,000 "quality" end of the market were healthy. "Lower down the scale, which is not really our market, its difficult to make money."

A basic LinoScan 1200 desktop model now costs just 199. Heidelbergs entry-level desktop scanners use Umax technology. They are driven by Heidelbergs LinoColor software.

While it seems certain Heidelberg will exit the desktop market, the question mark now is over what the firm will do with its NexScan high-end flatbed and PrimeScan drum range.