Amounting to around 9.2 percent of the existing share capital, the cash capital increase decided on by the Management Board and Supervisory Board of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) in March 2019 took place on March 22 with Masterwork Group Co., Ltd. as a further strategic anchor investor. Based on the agreed issue price of €2.68 per share, this represents an inflow of capital amounting to some €69 million (before transaction costs). The company’s new share capital has been increased to €779,466,887.68, distributed across 304,479,253 no-par shares.
The capital increase has gained Heidelberg another strategic anchor shareholder with a long-term investment horizon that now holds around 8.5 percent of the company’s shares. As well as improving shareholder’s equity, the new funds are primarily to be used to accelerate the company’s digital agenda (digitizing products, processes, and business models, for example) and for general business financing. Taking the collaboration with Masterwork, which dates back to 2014, to the next level is also designed to open up further potential in the growing packaging printing segment, especially in China – the world’s largest individual market.
