Bernard Langley, Main Board Director of Langley Holdings plc and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Manroland Sheetfed GmbH, has this message:
Bernard J Langley
Dear Print Professional,
2024 saw the 13th year of Langley Holdings’ stewardship of the Manroland Sheetfed group.
Back in February 2012, I had recently joined the family business and stood with my father as he addressed the assembled Offenbach workforce.
On that day, he gave a long-term commitment to the company and to the print sector, paraphrasing words from former US president John F Kennedy’s famous Berlin speech: “Ich bin ein Rolander!”
During the ensuing years the industry has faced much turmoil and many challenges, not least at the German heavy metal producers; Manroland, KBA and Heidelberg.
All are a fraction of their former selves and there is much speculation about the future of the “big three”.
In Manroland Sheetfed’s case much of the speculation is around Langley’s continued support for Manroland Sheetfed.
So here are the facts:
- Langley remains committed to the printing industry and to its investments in the sector, namely Manroland Sheetfed GmbH, Druck Chemie GmbH and BluePrint Products NV
- We are a family owned group with net assets of over €1 billion – twice that of the current market value of Koenig & Bauer AG and Heidelberger Druckmachinen AG, combined.
- We are diversified across numerous industrial sectors, Manroland Sheetfed accounts for around 20% of group revenues.
- The group will report profits before tax (PBT) for 2024 of around €120 million, similar to that of 2023.
- The group is entirely debt free with around one third of its net asset value represented in cash. As such we make all of our business decisions without the influence of lenders.
Like many of our print sector customers, we are a family owned company. As such we respect and spend money carefully.
This year Manroland Sheetfed did not attend drupa for the first time and of course this sparked scurrilous gossip. The fact is, the cost of attending drupa has increased disproportionally more than inflation, whilst visitor numbers have declined. It simply did not pass the “own money test.”
Instead, over 1000 print professionals accepted an invitation to visit the Print Technology Centre in Offenbach and tour the factory on one of several open days held concurrently with drupa.
Subsequently, many more have seen the latest ROLAND Evolution presses in real working environments as part of the World Tour.
We believe in the print sector, we believe in the companies we own in the sector and their products and we believe in the people behind them.
It is Manroland Sheetfed‘s supreme quality and reliability of their printing presses and the dedication of their people to provide service excellence, that allows our products and our services speak for themselves.
So I will now also state “Ich bin ein Rolander!”
Langley’s perspective is long-term. We plan and manage our businesses not with the interests of absentee investors eager for short term returns, lenders who only concentrate on the security of their money or, private equity looking to sell the businesses they acquire in 3-5 years. Our perspective is intergenerational.
Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the business that is today Langley Holdings. We have grown and diversified both organically and by acquisition, and we will continue to do so.
Finally, from me and on behalf of my family, I would like to take the opportunity to wish you and your family, a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Sincerely,
Bernard J Langley
Main Board Director Langley Holdings plc
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Manroland Sheetfed GmbH
About
Langley Holdings plc is a privately owned UK-based engineering and industrial manufacturing group, principally producing capital equipment for diverse markets worldwide. Langley businesses are either outright market leaders, or occupy strong niche positions in their respective fields, providing advanced technologies in a solutions-based approach. The group operates in three principal areas: Power Solutions, Print Technologies and Other Industrials. The group’s operations are based in Germany, Italy, France the UK and Norway, with 18 production facilities in Europe, the UK and the USA. The group has more than 90 sales and service subsidiaries worldwide and employs around 5,000 people. Langley Holdings was established in 1975 by the current Chairman & CEO, Anthony Langley and remains entirely in family ownership.
Manroland Sheetfed GmbH is a leading German producer of sheetfed offset litho printing presses. Founded in 1871, the company is one of the oldest producers of printing presses in the world. Today the company has its own subsidiaries in over 40 countries and is a global watchword for supreme quality and reliability. Manroland Sheetfed GmbH was acquired by Langley Holdings plc in 2012.