SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 2, 2025 - Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is restructuring its largest site in Wiesloch-Walldorf, appointing long-time manager Orhan Bekyigit as plant director alongside his existing role as site head, in a move designed to sharpen competitiveness, streamline operations and support growth in international markets.
Strategic realignment at Heidelberg's largest production hub
The Wiesloch-Walldorf campus, with around 3,800 employees, is HEIDELBERG's biggest location worldwide and a central pillar of its global manufacturing and technology network. The new setup brings plant management and central site functions under one leadership, with Bekyigit now responsible for both operational execution and cross-site coordination.
The reorganization is part of a broader strategy that combines local investment with an explicit push into international growth markets. By tightening the structure at its German headquarters, HEIDELBERG aims to improve transparency, shorten decision paths and adapt its production footprint to a more globally competitive cost and demand environment.
Responding to cost pressure and global competition
Print and packaging producers are facing rising energy and labor costs, as well as intensified global competition. HEIDELBERG is responding at Wiesloch-Walldorf by focusing on leaner logistics, more efficient manufacturing and optimized assembly. Under the new structure, key operational areas-including Sheetfed assembly, manufacturing, electronics production, logistics and site management-will be integrated under Bekyigit's leadership.
The goal is to manage the main plant along the lines of a high-performing mid-sized industrial enterprise: efficient, transparent and sharply focused on competitiveness. By bundling responsibilities and eliminating silos, HEIDELBERG expects to unlock additional productivity and improve cost positions while maintaining the quality standards associated with "Home of Print."
Leveraging internal leadership experience
Bekyigit has been with HEIDELBERG since 1999 and has held several roles, including site management functions, giving him deep familiarity with the company's processes, workforce and technology. The decision to promote an internal candidate reflects a deliberate choice to combine continuity with change: the company can draw on his operational experience while accelerating the implementation of new structures and processes.
For customers and partners, the appointment signals stability at a time of transformation. As HEIDELBERG develops its core businesses in packaging and digital printing, software solutions and lifecycle services, a strong, well-aligned primary manufacturing site is a prerequisite for reliable delivery, global service capability and further innovation.
Operational focus: integrated production, logistics and administration
The revamped Wiesloch-Walldorf setup is designed to integrate production and administration more tightly, with a clear focus on end-to-end process optimization. By aligning logistics, fabrication, assembly and site services under one management structure, HEIDELBERG aims to:
- Reduce lead times and internal transport costs
- Improve planning reliability and material availability
- Increase transparency across value streams and support data-driven decisions
- Optimize resource utilization in both production and support functions
This operational focus is expected to support HEIDELBERG's broader ambitions in packaging and digital print, where hybrid systems, automation and software-driven workflows are becoming key differentiators, as well as in emerging fields such as high-precision industrial systems, automation and green technologies.
Balancing local strength with global growth ambitions
The restructuring at Wiesloch-Walldorf is explicitly framed as an investment in HEIDELBERG's future "locally and globally." With production sites in Europe, China and the U.S., sales and service in around 170 countries and a workforce of about 9,500 people, the company is aligning its flagship German site with the demands of a more international, technology-driven portfolio.
By combining experienced internal leadership with a leaner, more integrated plant structure, HEIDELBERG is positioning Wiesloch-Walldorf to support the next phase of growth in its core markets and adjacent industrial segments-while managing cost pressure and complexity more effectively.
For more information about HEIDELBERG's global production network and strategic initiatives, visit https://www.heidelberg.com.