Heidelberg's Schreier Bids Farewell to Journalists

HEIDELBERG, GERMANY—Bernhard Schreier, retiring CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, paid a surprise visit to a group of U.S. and European journalists who were touring Heidelberg's Wiesloch-Walldorf facility in Germany on Tuesday.

Relaxed and in good spirits after running the press manufacturing company for almost 13 years, Schreier said he wanted to meet one last time with industry journalists, including North American Publishing Co. titles In-Plant Graphics (IPG), Printing Impressions and Package Printing, to thank them for their years of coverage of Heidelberg.

IPG taped an exclusive video of Schreier's address, which he said was his last official action with Heidelberg. To emphasize this, when Schreier had finished speaking, he removed his red Heidelberg tie for the last time and presented it to the journalist he has known the longest, Yvon Guémard, editor of the French graphic arts magazine Caractère.

In his address to journalists, Schreier said he felt good about new CEO Gerold Linzbach, who started in September. Schreier said he had wanted the new CEO to come from outside the industry to bring some new perspective.

"It was an ideal choice," he said.

In the video, Schreier said he has no plans to look for a new company to run, but noted that he will continue to monitor the printing industry from retirement.

"I'm so close to the business that I will carefully observe what's happening around the world in this industry," he said.