Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is further expanding its consumables business in Switzerland by taking over the Pfaffnau-based OFS Group (OFS). With a workforce of around 25, OFS is a supplier of prepress systems and consumables in Switzerland, and has been active in the market for more than 40 years. The main focus of the company has been on the sale of platesetters in conjunction with the corresponding printing plates from Kodak for the sheetfed offset and newspaper market. As a result of this takeover, Heidelberg Schweiz AG is now the largest dealer of consumables in the graphics industry.

"The OFS Group and Heidelberg have a comprehensive sales and service network in Switzerland. By combining the activities of the two companies in the area of consumables, customers now have access to a wide range of products from a single source. At the same time, they will benefit from the renowned high quality and service standards of Heidelberg," says Peter Tix, head of consumables and CtP at Heidelberg.

Heidelberg plans to pool all of its Swiss consumables activities at the OFS's former headquarters in Pfaffnau. In the future, customers will not only be able to purchase the OFS Group's existing range of CtP systems and printing plates for the offset and newspaper market from Kodak, they will also have access to the full Heidelberg range of SAPHIRA consumables including inks, varnishes, washup cloths, blankets, chemicals, rollers, and the SAPHIRA Eco Line of environmentally friendly consumables - all from a single source. Heidelberg will also be underlining its high standard of service with a new color mixing station - a fully-automated, high-precision system that is among the most state-of-the-art in Switzerland. Customers in Switzerland can order most products online at www.shop.heidelberg.com.

"For Kodak, the Heidelberg takeover of the OFS Group means a long-term, successful presence in Switzerland. Concentrating the consumables business in Pfaffnau ensures that our customers will receive the high standard of service they have come to expect in the consumables business. What's more, this will also give us the opportunity to establish a stronger position for Kodak products on the Swiss market. The successful newspaper business will continue as usual," says Olivier Claude, regional business manager for Print, vice president, commercial business EAMER at Kodak.

After the takeover of OFS, the share of total sales by the Heidelberg sales company in Switzerland accounted for by consumables has risen to over 25 percent. The Swiss Heidelberg sales company currently employs a staff of around 135. The portfolio focuses on the value-added chain in offset printing, ranging from prepress and press to postpress and including software, services, and consumables.