• Expanded strategic partnership offers customers integrated, highly automated end-to-end solutions in packaging production
• High personnel costs: Use of robotics is becoming increasingly important
• HEIDELBERG underscores its approach as a system integrator for packaging printing and drives growth strategy

It's a success story: Ten years ago, MK Masterwork and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG), China's leading manufacturer of finishing systems for the packaging sector, agreed on a strategic sales partnership. As part of this partnership, HEIDELBERG distributes MK Masterwork products outside China.

Now, at a joint anniversary event at MK Masterwork's headquarters in Tianjin with around 100 international customers, both companies looked back on the milestones of their long-standing successful partnership. At the same time, both are looking ahead to their shared future: Li Li, President and CEO of MK Masterwork, Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG and, Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology and Sales Officer at HEIDELBERG, signed an agreement on expanded strategic cooperation between the two companies during the celebrations. The aim is to offer customers an integrated and highly automated end-to-end solution and, where necessary, to develop this in collaboration with the customers. This also includes the integration of MK Masterwork's robotics systems, which are becoming increasingly important for packaging manufacturers, particularly for intralogistics. In many companies, they make an important contribution to further reducing personnel costs.

"Thanks to our innovative and economical technologies, MK Masterwork has continued to grow dynamically in recent years and has already become the market-leading provider of packaging finishing solutions in China," said Li Li. Together with a strong partner like HEIDELBERG, we have succeeded in advancing to become one of the leading providers in this segment worldwide. Together, we will continue to expand our strong market position."

MK Masterwork has been growing dynamically for years and now employs more than 1,800 people. The production site in Tianjin, China, covers an area of around 600,000 m2. At the Print China trade fair in May this year, the company also celebrated its 30th anniversary.

"Packaging printing is a central component of our growth strategy for our core business," says Dr. David Schmedding. "And our cooperation with MK Masterwork is a long-standing success story. We are now renewing and expanding this strategic partnership, thereby underlining our approach as a system integrator for end-to-end packaging production. We offer our customers efficient complete solutions and at the same time tap into further potential in the attractive segment of packaging finishing."

Milestones from ten years of partnership between MK Masterworkand HEIDELBERG

End of 2014: MK Masterwork and HEIDELBERG agree on a strategic sales partnership, with HEIDELBERG becoming the sales channel for MK Masterwork products outside China.

2016: At Drupa 2016, both companies appear together for the first time with a joint booth and present a comprehensive range of flatbed die cutters, folding carton gluing machines, and hot foil stamping machines for the packaging sector.

2019: MK Masterwork becomes largest anchor investor of HEIDELBERG with the acquisition of approximately 8.5 percent of voting rights.

2020: MK Masterwork and HEIDELBERG establish a joint venture for the development and production of precision machine parts for the HEIDELBERG plant in Shanghai.

2023: MK Masterwork produced the 1000th machine, which HEIDELBERG installed at a customer's site.

2025:

1. Presentation of the updated MK Mastermatrix 106CSB high-performance die cutter with Prinect integration in HEIDELBERG design marks a major step toward automated end-to-end production in packaging printing. 2. To date, around 1,500 MK Masterworks systems worldwide has successfully installed by HEIDELBERG.

3. MK Masterwork celebrates the company's 30th anniversary.

4. For HEIDELBERG, 2025 is all about celebrating the company's 175th anniversary.5. Both companies are renewing and expanding their strategic partnership to offer integrated and highly automated complete solutions for packaging production.

Figure 1: Li Li, Chairwoman and President of MK Masterwork, Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG, Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology and Sales Officer at HEIDELBERG, sign an agreement on an expanded strategic partnership during the anniversary celebrations in Tianjin.

For additional details about the company and image material, please visit the www.masterworkgroup.com

Important note:

This release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and estimates by the management of MK Masterwork. Even though the management is of the opinion that these assumptions and estimates are accurate, the actual future development and results may deviate substantially from these forward-looking statements due to various factors, such as changes in the overall economic situation, in exchange and interest rates, and within the print media industry. MK Masterwork provides no guarantee and assumes no liability for future developments and results deviating from the assumptions and estimates made in this press release.

Media Contact
Company Name: MK Masterwork
Contact Person: SelinaWang
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City: Tianjin
Country: China
Website: https://www.masterworkgroup.com/