Machinery Catalogue · Offset · Manroland
Manroland / Roland Printing Machines: Complete History & All Models
The full Roland story — from Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik's founding in 1871 through the MAN AG merger, the peak as one of the world's big three press makers, the 2012 insolvency, and the split into manroland sheetfed (Langley Holdings) and manroland web systems. Every Roland press model and India guide.
manroland / Roland
Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik (est. 1871) → MAN Roland (1979) → manroland (2010) → manroland sheetfed GmbH + manroland web systems (2012)
The Roland name in printing stretches back to 1871 and a history of innovation that includes the world's first 4-colour offset press in one pass. At its peak, MAN Roland was one of the world's three largest press manufacturers. The 2012 insolvency and restructuring is one of the most significant events in recent printing industry history — and understanding what happened is essential for any Indian printer who owns or is considering a Roland press.
1871
Roland brand founded, Offenbach
1979
MAN AG merger — becomes MAN Roland
2012
Insolvency — split into two companies
1,500+
Estimated Roland presses in India (all eras)
The Roland / manroland corporate timeline — understanding the brand history
1871 — Roland Offsetmaschinenfabrik GmbH founded in Offenbach am Main, Germany by Ludwig Loewe. Named "Roland" after the legendary medieval knight — symbolising strength and reliability.
1902 — Roland produces one of Europe's first commercial offset presses.
1950s–1960s — Roland grows to become Germany's second-largest press manufacturer alongside Heidelberg. Their Roland 4 (four-colour in one pass) is a landmark innovation.
1979 — Roland merges with MAN AG's printing division to form MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG. MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg) was Germany's largest engineering conglomerate. The merger creates one of the world's two largest press manufacturers alongside Heidelberg.
1990s–2000s — MAN Roland at its peak. Roland 700 becomes the global standard B1 press alternative to Heidelberg SM/CD 102. Web presses (Rotoman, Colorman) dominate newspaper offset globally.
2010 — Company rebranded as manroland AG (dropping the MAN name as MAN AG divests).
November 2012 — manroland files for insolvency. The global offset market contraction (digital disruption of print) hit MAN Roland hard. The company had ~3,000 employees and accumulated losses.
2012 (post-insolvency) — Company split into two separate businesses: manroland sheetfed GmbH (sheet-fed presses, acquired by Langley Holdings UK) and manroland web systems GmbH (web offset presses, acquired by management buyout). Both continue operating today.
2013–present — manroland sheetfed GmbH (Langley Holdings) stabilises. New ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION and current press range launched. Company has recovered and is profitable. Langley Holdings is a UK-based industrial group that also owns Langley Alloys and other businesses.
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1871 – 1979
Roland Founding Era — Innovation from Offenbach
Germany's second-largest press maker before the MAN merger
| Product / Period | Years | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Early Roland letterpress cylinders | 1871 – 1950s | Roland began as a letterpress manufacturer — newspapers, books, commercial printing. Their early machines competed with Heidelberg and König & Bauer in the German market. |
| Roland offset press (first generation) | c.1902 – 1950s | Roland was an early adopter of offset lithography, producing commercial offset presses alongside continued letterpress production. |
| Roland 4 (four-colour in one pass) ★ Historic innovation | 1963 | Roland's landmark innovation — a press that printed four colours in a single pass through the machine (simultaneous 4-colour printing). This was one of the first commercially successful 4-colour sheet-fed offset presses. The engineering principle behind this machine directly influenced every subsequent multi-colour offset press. Roland's claim to this innovation is a source of significant pride in the company's history. |
| Roland Favorit / Roland Rekord series | 1960s – 1970s | Multiple press families for B2 and B1 format commercial printing. Found in European and some Indian commercial print establishments before the MAN Roland era. |
| Roland ULTRA series (B1) | 1968 – 1980 | Roland's B1 press range before the MAN Roland rebrand. Competed with Heidelberg Speedmaster 102 and KBA Rapida in the large-format segment. Some India installations at government printing offices and large commercial printers. |
1979 – 2010
MAN Roland Era — At The Peak of Global Press Manufacturing
Roland 200 · 300 · 500 · 700 · 900 · 900 XXL — the complete range
The MAN Roland era produced the Roland numbering system that remains the most logical and memorable press naming convention in the industry: the number represents the maximum sheet width in mm (approximately). Roland 200 = 52cm; Roland 500 = 72cm; Roland 700 = B1 (102cm); Roland 900 = B0 (130cm). This system is intuitive and remains in use today for the current manroland sheetfed range.
Roland 2 / 4 / 5 Series
Entry Format Presses — A3 to B3
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Colours | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roland 2 (RO 2) | 1979 – 1995 | A3+ | 31 × 45cm | 1C, 2C | Very compact press for A3 in-plant and quick print. Limited India presence. | Discontinued |
| Roland 200 (RO 200) ★ India in-plant | 1985 – 2005 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 1C–4C | B3 commercial press. Direct Heidelberg GTO 52 and Ryobi 524 competitor. Found significant market in Indian commercial print through the 1990s and 2000s. Good build quality. Used Roland 200 4C: ₹10–30 lakh in India. | Discontinued |
| Roland 202 (Perfecting) | 1990 – 2005 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 2/2 perfecting | Perfecting version of Roland 200 — simultaneous front and back. Used by Indian book printers and form producers. | Discontinued |
Roland 300 / 500 Series
Mid-Format B2 Presses
Competing with Heidelberg SM 74 and Komori LS-40
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colours | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roland 300 | 1980 – 1998 | B2 | 52 × 72cm | 13,000 s/hr | 2C–8C | Mid-format press. Competed with Heidelberg SM 72. Moderate India presence. Used 300 4C: ₹20–50 lakh. | Discontinued |
| Roland 304 | 1982 – 1998 | B2 | 52 × 72cm | 13,000 s/hr | 4C dedicated | 4-colour dedicated version of Roland 300. Some India commercial printers. | Discontinued |
| Roland 500 ★★ India B2 standard | 1984 – 2010 | B2+ | 52 × 74cm | 15,000 s/hr | 2C–10C, coater, perfecting, UV | MAN Roland's primary B2 press for 25 years. Competed directly with Heidelberg SM/CD 74 and Komori LS-40/LG-40. Significant India installed base — widely used by commercial printers, packaging converters, and book printers. Strong used market in India — a well-maintained Roland 500 4C offers excellent value. Used Roland 500 4C: ₹35–90 lakh; 8C+coater: ₹1.5–3.5 crore. | Discontinued |
| Roland 504 (dedicated 4C) | 1988 – 2005 | B2+ | 52 × 74cm | 15,000 s/hr | 4C | 4-colour dedicated Roland 500 — slightly lower price than full multi-colour 500. Some India commercial printers. | Discontinued |
| Roland 506 (with coater) | 1992 – 2010 | B2+ | 52 × 74cm | 15,000 s/hr | 5C (4+coater) | Roland 500 with dedicated inline coater — 5-unit configuration for 4C + varnish. Important for packaging converters in India needing inline coating. | Discontinued |
| Roland 500 Perfecting | 1990 – 2010 | B2+ | 52 × 74cm | 13,000 s/hr | 4+4 simultaneous | Perfecting version of Roland 500. Used by Indian book printers for high-volume educational and trade book production. | Discontinued |
Roland 700 Series
Roland 700 — The B1 Flagship & India Workhorse
Multiple generations · 1980s to present · Heidelberg SM/CD 102 direct competitor
Roland 700 in India — used market guide (2024)
- Roland 700 (4C, 1990s vintage): ₹50–120 lakh
- Roland 700 (5C + coater, 1995–2002): ₹80–200 lakh
- Roland 700 (8C + coater, 2000–2008): ₹2–5 crore
- Roland 700 Evolution (8C + coater, 2010–2014): ₹3–7 crore
- Post-2012 insolvency concerns about long-term support dampened prices 2012–2016. Since manroland sheetfed stabilised under Langley Holdings, values have recovered. Parts availability is now confirmed through manroland sheetfed GmbH.
| Model / Generation | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colour configs | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roland 700 (1st generation) | 1980 – 1992 | B1 | 72 × 102cm | 13,000 s/hr | 4C–8C | First Roland B1 press under the MAN Roland brand. Competed with Heidelberg SM 102 first generation. Established the Roland 700 as a serious B1 press. India installations in large commercial printers and government printing offices. | Discontinued |
| Roland 700 (2nd generation / CPC) ★★★ Most installed in India | 1992 – 2008 | B1 | 72 × 102cm | 15,000 s/hr | 4C–12C, coater, perfecting, UV | The definitive Roland 700 — full CPC console, 15,000 s/hr, multiple configurations. This is the most common Roland press in India. Directly competed with Heidelberg SM/CD 102 and Komori LS-102 through the 1990s and 2000s. Known for excellent inking quality — many Indian printers cite the Roland 700 inking system as superior to Heidelberg for special colours, metallics, and difficult substrates. Estimated 500–800 Roland 700 (2nd gen) in India across all configurations. | Discontinued |
| Roland 700 UV | 1998 – 2010 | B1 | 72 × 102cm | 15,000 s/hr | 4C–8C + UV lamps | UV version of Roland 700 — for premium packaging on non-absorbent substrates. Used by Indian premium packaging converters for metalised board, PVC, and plastic packaging. | Discontinued |
| Roland 700 Perfecting | 1994 – 2010 | B1 | 72 × 102cm | 13,000 s/hr | 6/6, 8/8 simultaneous | Perfecting Roland 700 for book printing and high-volume catalogues. India: significant installed base in major book printing plants. | Discontinued |
| Roland 700 HiPrint / Evolution ★★ Last great Roland 700 | 2008 – 2012 | B1 | 75 × 105cm | 18,000 s/hr | 4C–14C, UV, LED UV, coater, perfecting | The peak Roland 700 — 18,000 s/hr, simultaneous plate change, LED UV option. Matched Heidelberg XL 106 in speed. The finest Roland 700 ever built — and then the insolvency hit in 2012 while these presses were still in production. Some India installations at cutting-edge commercial and packaging printers just before the 2012 crisis. Excellent press — the insolvency concern delayed India sales; those who bought got excellent machines. | Discontinued (2012 insolvency) |
Roland 900 / XXL Series
Roland 900 — Super Large Format
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roland 900 ★ Large format packaging India | 1988 – 2012 | B0 | 90 × 130cm | 12,000–15,000 s/hr | Super-large format press for corrugated pre-print, large-format packaging, and poster printing. KBA Rapida 130 direct competitor. Significant India presence in large packaging converters and corrugated pre-print facilities. Used Roland 900 4C: ₹1.5–4 crore. | Discontinued |
| Roland 900 XXL | 2001 – 2012 | B0+ | 120 × 162cm | 12,000 s/hr | Extended large format — same B0+ dimensions as KBA Rapida 162 and Heidelberg XL 162. Competed at the top of the large-format market. Very few in India — specialist large packaging converters only. | Discontinued |
2013 – Present
manroland sheetfed GmbH — Current Production Under Langley Holdings
Official manroland sheetfed product pages
ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION: manroland-sheetfed.com → Roland 700 ↗
ROLAND 500: Roland 500 ↗
All presses: manroland-sheetfed.com/products ↗
| Model | Launched | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colour configs | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION ★★ Current flagship | 2015 (post-restructure) | B1 | 75 × 105cm | 18,000 s/hr | 4C–14C, UV, LED UV, coater, perfecting | The revived Roland 700 under Langley Holdings. Engineering continuity with the HiPrint/Evolution platform — same high-quality inking system, same 18,000 s/hr speed, new automation features. In India: the 700 Evolution represents a credible premium B1 alternative to Heidelberg XL 106 and Komori GX equivalent. Available new in India through manroland agents. Official ↗ | Current |
| ROLAND 500 | 2015 | B2+ | 52 × 74cm | 15,000 s/hr | 2C–10C, UV, LED UV, coater, perfecting | Revived Roland 500 under Langley Holdings. B2+ press competing with Heidelberg CX 75 and Komori GX40. Official ↗ | Current |
| ROLAND 900 | 2016 | B0 | 90 × 130cm | 12,000 s/hr | 4C–8C, coater | Revived large-format press. For corrugated pre-print, large packaging. Official ↗ | Current |
Web Offset
manroland web systems — Newspaper & Commercial Web Presses
manroland web systems GmbH (separate company from manroland sheetfed) continues to manufacture commercial and newspaper web offset presses. Their Colorman and Regioman series are used in Indian newspaper production. Contact manroland web systems separately from manroland sheetfed for web press enquiries.
| Model | Type | India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorman (various generations) | Heatset web — commercial catalogues, magazines | Installed at major Indian publication printers and commercial web operations. manroland-web.com ↗ | Current |
| Regioman / Rotoman | Coldset newspaper web | Used at Indian regional and national newspaper printers. Roland's Rotoman was the dominant newspaper web press at many Indian newspaper groups through the 1990s–2000s. | Current |
| Lithoman IV | Heatset commercial web (large) | Large-format heatset for major publication printers. Some India installations at large commercial web operations. | Current |
India Contact — manroland sheetfed & manroland web systems
Contact through authorised agent network — confirm current India representative directly with manufacturer
For new manroland sheetfed presses: Contact manroland sheetfed GmbH directly through their website contact form and request the India representative. Agent relationships have evolved since the 2012 restructuring — always verify current India agent directly with the manufacturer before proceeding.
For used Roland presses (pre-2012): Used Roland 700 and 500 presses are actively traded in India. Key dealers: machinery traders in Ulhasnagar (Maharashtra) and Kirti Nagar (Delhi). Also listed on IndiaMART.com. Parksons Packaging Technology (Mumbai) and specialist used machinery dealers handle Roland presses. A used Roland 700 4C at ₹50–120 lakh represents excellent value — the inking quality is comparable to Heidelberg SM/CD 102 at similar vintage.
Critical advice for used Roland buyers: The 2012 insolvency created uncertainty about spare parts. That uncertainty is now resolved — manroland sheetfed GmbH confirms parts support for all Roland presses they manufactured. However, verify specific part availability for your target machine before purchasing. Third-party parts suppliers also exist for common Roland wear items.
For used Roland presses (pre-2012): Used Roland 700 and 500 presses are actively traded in India. Key dealers: machinery traders in Ulhasnagar (Maharashtra) and Kirti Nagar (Delhi). Also listed on IndiaMART.com. Parksons Packaging Technology (Mumbai) and specialist used machinery dealers handle Roland presses. A used Roland 700 4C at ₹50–120 lakh represents excellent value — the inking quality is comparable to Heidelberg SM/CD 102 at similar vintage.
Critical advice for used Roland buyers: The 2012 insolvency created uncertainty about spare parts. That uncertainty is now resolved — manroland sheetfed GmbH confirms parts support for all Roland presses they manufactured. However, verify specific part availability for your target machine before purchasing. Third-party parts suppliers also exist for common Roland wear items.