An excerpts from One-On-One Session With The Heidelberg Boss
Mr. Godwin Ogilo, the Managing Director of Heidelberg Nigeria has thrown light on what it takes to get the best output for your print run as a printing practitioner in Nigeria.
Q: Sir, could you share with us your product offering?
“We have the best product offerings in the market that are reliable, best quality, with the utmost and enviable return on investment”.
“ When our clients purchase printing equipment from us, they can actually go to sleep. We don’t just sell equipment; we offer them complete solutions” – Mr. Ogilo said
Q: To achieve a high-quality result as a print practitioner, there is a need for the best and most innovative print equipment. Kindly tell us how Heidelberg Nigeria has been able to provide innovative equipment that is relatively affordable to its clients?
A: Heidelberg is the only equipment supplier committed to being a total solutions provider, offering all aspects of print solutions to the industry in Nigeria. We offer a complete range of Heidelberg Solutions from Prepress, Press, and Postpress (computer to plate systems, Offset Sheetfed Printing machines, Postpress Equipment for commercial and packaging Printers). The digitization of the graphic arts industry is at top speed and we are actively at the forefront driving this process by constantly updating the Industry with the latest innovations especially in the area of Automation and Integration
Q: Sir, what do you think printing companies/presses can do differently when it comes to sourcing the right print equipment for their businesses?
A: Sourcing the right equipment requires talking to the right sources/suppliers for the right solutions. We at Heidelberg offer our prospective clients free consulting services in order to deliver the right solutions. We often advise them that they should never focus on price, speed, size of the equipment but should rather focus on productivity, ease of operations, innovative or new technology, and return on investment. The focus should be on which equipment can offer them the best return on Investment.
Q: Aside from the sales of print and packaging equipment, what other service do you offer?
A: We keep large stock of spare parts and standby technical team to ensure that our customers experience less downtime in their production. This is in addition to our top-quality consumables (inks and chemistry) that enable our customers to produce high-quality print.
We also offer our customers free consultancy services and quality advice on the best equipment to invest in for maximum return on investment and general advice on the latest technology in the industry.
Q: Why should I purchase print equipment from your organization and not your competitors?
A: When our clients purchase printing equipment from us, they can actually go to sleep. We don’t just sell equipment; we offer them complete solutions which include everything (quality spare parts, consumables & prompt technical support) that ensures that our clients keep running with less downtime. The model is based on Heidelberg’s established tradition of digitally networking with its numerous customers and other printing equipment users to deliver a self-contained and productive system.
Our ranges of equipment are the preferred option for both new investors and existing printers in the industry.
We have the best product offerings in the market that are reliable, best quality, with the utmost and enviable return on investment. Our product offerings give the investors the rest of mind and the best second-hand values that no competitor can ever match.
Q: Could you share with us Heidelberg’s success story in terms of servicing the Nigerian printing industry over the years.
A: We began operations in Nigeria in 1998 as the local representative of the well-known and respected Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Germany, the world leader in manufacturing and distribution of Printing/Publishing Solutions. Our operation is focused on being a total Solution provider offering all aspects of Printing/Publishing/packaging solutions to the printing industry in Nigeria and this we have done successfully over the years.
Heidelberg has the largest market share in the graphic communication industry with the best after-sales support. Heidelberg is always there for its customers.
Q: Tell us a bit about your professional experience. How long have you been in the printing industry as an equipment dealer? What can we expect from your organization in the next 5-10years?
A: As you may know, I am Professional Accountant and started off with Heidelberg Nigeria as the Pioneer CFO in 1999 before my elevation to the position of the MD/CEO in 2017. My experience of over 22 years in the industry has been that of a relative steady growth despite the various challenges such as inadequate/low-level of skilled manpower, lack of financing options, high interest & exchange rates, high cost of operations (power, multiple taxes, etc.) to mention a few. A sizeable number of state-of-the-art technology machines within our products portfolio have been installed all around the country in the last 20 years compared to what was on ground when I joined the industry.
You may observe that the Nigeria Printing Industry is experiencing growth in Digital Printing, Mono carton packaging printing, and Label printing. This is due to the gradual growth of locally made products that ordinarily would have been imported in the past. We believe that this growth will be sustained and in the next 5 – 10 years from now, we would have more local printers in this area of print business, and from our side, we would be there to provide innovative ideas and solutions for the industry.
Q: From your point of view, what is your take on the state of Nigerian printing industry?
A: Like any other industry in Nigeria and globally, the Printing Industry in Nigeria is having its fair share of the current challenges in the world.
While we had our own peculiar problems facing us in the printing industry before the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 has compounded the already bad situation and dealt devastating blow to the entire industry. Most of the printers are working far below their installed capacity. Government policies are also not favorable to the industry. Lack of forex (and at a very high rate where available) for operators to retool their facilities or to acquire other inputs for their day to day operations have become the order of the day because of the negative impacts of the pandemic.
We hope that as countries have started reopening their borders with the global availability of vaccines, we would start to see gradual improvement in the economy which our industry is part of.
Q: What advice would you give the president of the Chartered Institute of Nigeria (CIPPON) that will positively shape the industry?
A: The Leadership of the present CIPPON Council has been doing its best to re-position the institute but should focus more on the objectives for which the institute was established.
There are a lot of issues/challenges facing the industry which need CIPPON council’s attention but as you know, all the issues/challenges cannot be addressed overnight. In this era of “New Normal” occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of education and training on latest technologies, modern tools & techniques of doing business cannot be over-emphasized. Mobilizing local and foreign facilitators for both technical and managerial training of members and their employees will help to sustain their businesses.
In addition, to help reduce the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on businesses especially SMEs (where majority of our printers fall into), the government has set up various intervention funds via CBN and other government agencies to provide special grants and loans at very favorable terms. The Leadership of CIPPON should liaise with these government agencies and see what can be secured for its members.
There is also need to involve all stakeholders in making inputs in the running of the institute.
Q: Thank you sir for your and the opportunity to speak with you on this subject sir
