Our goal, and this is especially true in the current climate, is to return our customers businesses to profit, said Heidelberg chief executive Bernard Schreier.

No further specific plans of launches at the show were revealed. It has already given details of the Printmaster 52 and the latest version of the Speedmaster 102, which will be key press offerings.

Ahead of its traditional press conference the day before the show opens it will lift the veil of secrecy a little at the end of March on its Drupa innovations, but will still hold some details back until the show itself. Schreier hinted that its plans for entry-level digital print would be among those.

The firm is also planning to enlarge the value chain of printing by attracting print buyers, agencies and marketers to its presence at the show.

The firm will continue to fill the 7,800m2 space of halls one and two in five industry specific sectors: industrial print, packaging print, commercial print, commercial web and variable data. Tying all these together will be Prinect. All areas will include pre-press and finishing and be producing completed products.

The commercial web section will include a 16pp machine according to Schreier.