FRANKFURT, GERMANY—German concerns Allianz SE and MAN SE are paying off the remaining debt owed by manroland, the press manufacturer jointly owned by the two companies. Gerd Finkbeiner, CEO of manroland, told a newspaper here that ownership will replace the remaining liabilities entirely with equity. Allianz Capital Partners, a private equity arm of the German insurer, purchased a 65 percent interest in manroland from MAN in 2006.
Earlier this week the following article appeared in a Reuters news release: manroland, the world's second-biggest maker of printing presses, has called off merger talks with Heidelberg due to poor financial results at its troubled larger rival, three sources familiar with the matter said. “Under the circumstances it is not defensible in view of the responsibility that manroland has to its customers and employees,” one person told Reuters on Monday. manroland's majority owner Allianz Capital Partners and minority partner MAN didn't like what they saw in due diligence, the source continued.
A leading printer of catalogs, publications, and manuals, plus soft-cover educational products, Ripon cites financial stability and the current buyer’s market for presses as reasons for the investment.
manroland has called off merger talks with Heidelberg due to poor financial results at its troubled larger rival, three sources familiar with the matter said.
FRANKFURT, GERMANY—In a matter of weeks, a decision could be made on whether Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and manroland AG will pursue formal merger talks, according to Reuters. An unnamed source was quoted as saying that some issues were still to be resolved, chief among them the reception to such a deal by the German government following recent elections. Reuters cited the Platow Brief newsletter, which reported that a merger plan could be formed early this month.
PRINT 09 sheetfed and web offset press exhibitors were all singing the same tune that the "holy grail" to achieving profitability in these tough times lies in a print shop's efficiency—quick makereadies, waste reduction, higher productivity with less people, as well as value-added capabilities to diversify and differentiate one's offerings.
The companies are set to decide by mid-October whether to proceed with formal merger talks, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.
The recent PRINT 09 show at McCormick Place in Chicago provided yet another opportunity for customers and visitors alike to learn about the wide range of offerings from manroland, Inc.
NEW YORK—If there is to be a merger between Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and manroland AG, the companies may need to sell assets beforehand to meet the requirements of antitrust agencies, according to a Bloomberg report.
At PRINT 09, manroland will highlight its 40-inch ROLAND 700 DirectDrive press, “The Game Changer™”, its market-leading large format capabilities, Value-Added Printing solutions, and the highly successful PRINTVALUE program.
