The dynamic demand for the Augsburg-based printing press company manroland Goss, is strongly developing on a global level. This applies to the commercial printing sector, with a noticeable focus on letterpress, as well as to the increased demand in the newspaper printing market segment. At the same time, the packaging printing sector is also developing positively. Two VARIOMAN models, specializing in film packaging printing, are currently being built at the Augsburg site.

"Our international orders continue, securing capacity utilization at the Augsburg plant well into 2024," says Franz Kriechbaum, CEO at manroland Goss. "Our latest success story also reflects this trend: our customer Hankyung Media Group from South Korea is investing in two highly automated newspaper printing presses in the mid double-digit million range to further expand its position in the Korean newspaper printing market."

This inevitably raises the question: Are printed newspapers outdated? Yes and no. Although digitization offers attractive offerings and alternative news channels with corresponding advantages and disadvantages, the printed newspaper will exist decades from now, even according to our customers. Studies show that sales of printed products have been declining for years. However, the studies also show that a world without printed products such as newspapers, advertising flyers, books or packaging is neither conceivable nor predicted.

Among other things, changes in the print market are leading newspaper publishers to invest in powerful and efficient new presses. The future of newspaper printing lies in high-tech plants that are optimally utilized, which make the operation of such a production profitable and as sustainable as possible.  The goal: cost-effectiveness with reduced unit costs for both long runs and shorter contract print runs, which is possible thanks to the very high degree of automation and the associated process optimization in the printing plants.

Parts availability is also a top priority at manroland Goss. "As a printing press and system manufacturer, the global situation naturally presents us with challenges in terms of parts availability," reports Franz Kriechbaum, CEO at manroland Goss. "Thanks to our long-standing and trusting customer and supplier relationships - both regional and global – as well as creative approaches, we manage to find suitable solutions."

"The positive development of the company in recent years is also reflected in the growing demand for skilled workers," adds Dr. Raffler, CCO at manroland Goss. "Here, too, we are in the same boat as all companies. Finding talented professionals is difficult today.  That's why we're actively rising to this challenge."

To this end, manroland Goss hosted a very special recruiting event under the motto "Printing Industry?!? More digital than you think. - Expect the Unexpected." For several years now, the company has been a member of the regional network "Talente für die Region" (Talents for the Region), which Christian Gebler established in southern Germany. This network connects students, universities, and regional companies with each other in order to keep the young talents of tomorrow in the region. The network meeting - this time in a loungey industrial atmosphere in the assembly hall in Augsburg - gave approximately 200 guests the opportunity to see the products, services and, above all, the people behind them live.

Among the guests were CEOs and managers of regional companies, partners from universities around Augsburg, Kempten and Ulm, as well as students from various branches of technical and business studies.

"The future of the company lies in young motivated people who are enthusiastic about our technology and drive it forward," explains Dr. Raffler, CCO at manroland Goss. We are proud of our apprentices in this joint venture and the many great campaigns surrounding our apprenticeships. Now we also want to break new ground in the area of students and attract more young talent."