Mr Assmann, what role does the drupa play for Baumann?

Volkmar Assmann: The drupa is the most important trade fair for the graphic arts industry world-wide. Therefore, this fair is extremely important for us as well. However, we do not expect a high number of purchase orders because the industry has not yet fully recovered from the latest crisis. At the next drupa, we primarily wish to present the progress we have made in our new developments.

Last autumn, Baumann introduced a new product line, the “Economy series“. It comprises cost-favourable machines. Why do you do that?

Assmann: Its launch was a big success. The demand for reasonably priced machines is high. The problem is, however, that, for many years our customers have been reluctant to make investments, due to a variety of reasons. For them, it`s an incentive to buy if we offer our products at a more favourable price. The machines of our “Economy series” are on average approximately 40% less expensive than the other machines.

What is it that the customer can`t have because of the low price?

Assmann: The quality is equally high throughout. The customer must rather do without cherished habits, which means a certain amount of convenience. Our new product line is, however, also aimed at newly industrialising countries. There the price is often of much greater importance than in the Western industrial countries.

By now, China has grown into the world-wide largest market in the graphic arts industry. Does it offer business chances for Baumann?

Assmann: For us, the Chinese market is not yet relevant. This is due to the low wages still paid there. We at Baumann are placing our focus on cutting systems, i.e. on automation. So, as long as it is more favourable to perform tasks as, for instance, paper cutting or jogging manually, our machines will not be used there. If the wages in China were to rise dramatically, this would mean the emergence of a market for us. But we do not expect this to happen in the medium term.

We would also have a chance if the quality demands on printed products increased in China. This could happen if more and more American and European printing companies moved their production facilities there. Then it will not be possible to ignore us any longer.