This week, Heidelberg sells off its UK HQ and targets the packaging market, with many other players around the world also looking to expand into packaging.

Starting with the UK, Printweek has a story on Heidelberg UK’s decision to sell off its Brentford showroom in south London to a housing developer with the company still looking for a new home, likely close to Heathrow Airport.

Print Business has picked up on a different Heidelberg story, noting that the company is on track to achieve profitability by 2022, largely due to cost cutting measures, but has also scaled back its sales targets and put more emphasis on packaging.

Print Business also reports that Saica Pack, based in Dublin in the Republic of Ireland, has installed a highly-automated 15-unit Koenig and Bauer Rapida 106. The plant specialises in corrugated but the press can also print to plastics, including food packaging.

From Italy, Converter and Cartotecnica asks where the next innovation in packaging will come from? The story discusses the role of the internet, as well as the need for brands to stand out on shelves and to think outside the box or applicable form of packaging.

Further afield, ME Printer reports that Hotpack Global, which makes disposable food packaging, has opened `Eco Store,’ an online retail destination for eco-friendly food packaging products in the United Arab Emirates. Hotpack operates a PET extrusion plant in National Industries Park in Dubai.

ME Printer has also covered the opening of the Baghdad International Book Fair, a ten-day event with the theme of “The book — Homeland” that attracts 228 Arab and foreign publishing houses from 14 countries including Iraq.

Africa Print reports that Blue Print Labelling, based in South Africa, has ordered an eight-colour RFP Ecoline flexo press from Rotocon. These presses were only launched into the South African market 18 months ago and Rotocon has already sold eight of them.

Print Action of Canada has an interesting feature on vehicle wraps, reporting increased demand for last-mile deliveries, mainly driven by changes in shopping habits due to lockdowns in the pandemic. The story mostly covers the North American market but includes a Belgian printer wrapping a train.

From Australia, Print 21 continues last week’s news on management changes at the Ovato print group, with a story that Craig Dunsford, who has most recently lead the group’s Publishing efforts, is the latest to leave as the group refocuses on print.

Labels and Labelling reports that Avery Dennison has strengthened its management team for the Asia Pacific region, appointing Pankaj Bhardwaj as vice president of marketing and Saurabh Agarwal as senior director and general manager for its Label and Packaging Materials South Asia business, both of which reflect the growing importance of the Indian market to the company.

Meanwhile, Indian Printer and Publisher wonders if the ‘work from home’ culture caused by the pandemic will ultimately lead to the demise of the traditional newsroom with its creative buzz? But as the magazine points out, the New Work concept can help publishers to save on office rent and journalists to find a better work/life balance.