The Finishing Line GM Uffe Nielsen GM

If passion flows in the veins, Uffe Nielsen is a living example. His family-driven company GM (Grafisk Maskinfabrik), has developed into a global supplier of amazing finishing technology for converters, and in this Learn With Us session, he gives us an in-depth introduction to GMs products and, in particular about the company’s self-developed laser cutter. Really interesting!

De Klaus Lammersiek · Head of Digital Transformation · W. Kohlhammer Druckerei · Shift

Klaus Lammersiek · Head of Digital Transformation · W. Kohlhammer Druckerei · Shift

English description below: Bei Kohlhammerdruck in Stuttgart beschäftigt sich Klaus intensiv mit der digitalen Transformation – zunächst in kaufmännischen Prozessen, zunehmend aber auch direkt in der Produktion. Beim HEIDELBERG SHIFT Event sprechen wir darüber, welche Rolle KI dabei tatsächlich spielen kann und warum es längst nicht nur darum geht, ein weiteres neues Tool einzuführen. Für Klaus liegt ein großer Nutzen von KI heute vor allem in der Analyse bestehender Prozesse. Aufgaben, für die früher Tage oder sogar Wochen notwendig waren, können heute teilweise innerhalb weniger Stunden vorbereitet, ausgewertet und in eine verständliche Form gebracht werden. Entscheidend ist für ihn jedoch, dass daraus stabile und nachvollziehbare Workflows entstehen. KI muss nicht jeden Prozess permanent steuern, sondern kann genau dort eingesetzt werden, wo Analyse, Interpretation oder Eskalation notwendig werden. Damit verändert Digitalisierung auch die Arbeit der Mitarbeiter. Das Ziel ist nicht einfach, Menschen durch Technologie zu ersetzen, sondern ihnen Werkzeuge zur Verfügung zu stellen, mit denen Entscheidungen besser vorbereitet werden können. Statt Zeit mit wiederkehrenden und administrativen Aufgaben zu verbringen, sollen sich die Kollegen stärker auf das konzentrieren können, was sie tatsächlich können und wo ihre Erfahrung einen Unterschied macht. Klaus begrüßt deshalb auch, dass HEIDELBERG mit SHIFT Verantwortung übernimmt und Themen wie Digitalisierung und künstliche Intelligenz gemeinsam mit der Druckindustrie diskutiert. Für einen der größten Technologieanbieter unserer Branche bedeutet Transformation eben nicht nur neue Maschinen zu entwickeln, sondern auch dabei zu helfen, neue Arbeitsweisen zu verstehen und in die Praxis zu überführen. --- At Kohlhammerdruck in Stuttgart, Klaus is deeply involved in the company’s digital transformation — initially focusing on commercial and administrative processes, but increasingly moving closer to production as well. At the HEIDELBERG SHIFT event, we talk about the role AI can realistically play in this transformation and why it is about much more than simply introducing another new tool. For Klaus, one of the most valuable applications of AI today is the ability to analyze existing processes. Tasks that previously required days or even weeks can now, in some cases, be prepared, analyzed, and translated into an understandable form within hours. The important part, however, is to turn these insights into stable and transparent workflows. AI does not necessarily have to control every process continuously; instead, it can be used where analysis, interpretation, or escalation is needed. Digital transformation also changes the way employees work. The objective is not simply to replace people with technology, but to provide colleagues with tools that allow them to make better-prepared decisions. Instead of spending valuable time on repetitive administrative tasks, employees can increasingly focus on what they are actually good at and where their experience and knowledge create real value. Klaus also welcomes HEIDELBERG taking responsibility by bringing topics such as digitalization and artificial intelligence into an industry-wide discussion through SHIFT. For one of the largest technology suppliers in the printing industry, transformation is not only about developing new machines. It is also about helping the industry understand new ways of working and turning new technology into practical applications.

En Matthias Heinz · Co-CEO · CTRL-S · Shift

Matthias Heinz · Co-CEO · CTRL-S · Shift

At the HEIDELBERG SHIFT event in Heidelberg, we met with Matthias Heinz from Ctrl-S to talk about something that increasingly defines the future of our industry: the ability to learn, adapt, and turn new ideas into practical projects. For Ctrl-S, events like SHIFT are not only about presenting solutions. They are just as much about listening to other industries, understanding new approaches, and identifying ideas that can be applied to print. Topics such as structured data, specifications, Factory-X, and AI are becoming increasingly important, and Matthias points out that many of these developments require more than technology alone. They require the right mindset and an organization capable of moving quickly. That agility is one of the advantages of being a smaller company. With AI lowering some of the traditional barriers to development, speed is increasingly determined not by the number of employees, but by how quickly a company can make decisions, experiment, and turn knowledge into working solutions. We also talk about Ctrl-S projects with larger printing companies, where the challenge is often to transform complex systems in the background while keeping the user experience familiar and simple. In faster-growing companies, the expectation can be very different: bring the best ideas, best practices, and experience from previous projects and help them move forward as quickly as possible. For Matthias, the value of SHIFT is therefore found in the combination of learning, networking, and conversations that may eventually develop into new projects. And, of course, the conversation ends with another event already on the calendar: FLOW in Germany, November 3–5, where Ctrl-S will also be part of the discussion around software, automation, workflow, and the future of print. #INKISH #HEIDELBERG #SHIFT #CtrlS #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #WorkflowAutomation #DigitalTransformation #FactoryX #PrintingIndustry #FLOW

De Bernd Zipper GURU Zipcon Power to Move

Bernd Zipper GURU Zipcon Power to Move

At Canon's Power to Move event in Venlo, Morten Reitoft sits down with one of the printing industry's most recognized thought leaders, Bernd Zipper from Zipcon, to discuss the technologies and trends that may fundamentally reshape how print is bought, sold, and produced in the years ahead. Having delivered keynote presentations and guided attendees through Canon's technology showcase, Zipper shares his perspective on the industry's rapid evolution and why artificial intelligence has become a central connector across workflow, automation, e-commerce, and production. While many discussions about AI focus on tools and applications, Zipper believes the real transformation lies in how AI enables entirely new ways to connect systems, processes, and customers. A major topic of the conversation is the emerging Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) initiative and the work being undertaken by organizations such as Initiative Online Print, Intergraf, the BVDM, the Ghent Workgroup, and others to prepare print for a future where AI agents may become active buyers of print products. Rather than navigating websites and order forms, future customers may simply speak to their devices, with AI automatically sourcing, ordering, and delivering print products through standardized communication protocols. Zipper explains why this development could become existential for printers. As commerce becomes increasingly automated, print providers must ensure their systems can communicate with the platforms, protocols, and technologies that will power future purchasing decisions. Those who fail to adapt may find themselves disconnected from entirely new sources of demand. The discussion also explores market consolidation, changing business models, the growing divide between large platforms, niche specialists, and local heroes, and the challenges faced by medium-sized printing companies operating in an increasingly regulated and technology-driven environment. This is a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation about AI, e-commerce, automation, industry transformation, and why the next generation of print infrastructure may be very different from anything the industry has seen before.

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