Koenig & Bauer will transition from a unitary to a divisional group. The company says it will position itself in 2025 with a new segment structure more closely aligned to current and future customer needs.
As a result, the company will reduce its segments from three to two: Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems (P&P) and Special & New Technologies (S&T). The Group’s focus will remain on the high growth packaging market.
P&P segment
Koenig & Bauer will consolidate all the previous activities of the Sheetfed segment within the new P&P segment. The segment will also include the corrugated cardboard activities for the Chroma series bundled under the Celmacch joint venture, previously assigned to the Digital & Webfed segment. The company says this is due to the close technological and customer overlap between folding box and corrugated cardboard producers. The activities of the Koenig & Bauer Durst joint venture will continue to be based here.
This segment specialise in end to end solutions for the high growth folding box and corrugated cardboard box markets. It will address the preprint stage; printing with an integrated digital workflow; and postprint processing. In the growing market for postprint solutions, such as punching and folding box gluing, Koenig & Bauer claims it is the only full-scale supplier able to offer its customers the entire range of packaging production solutions.
Commercial printing will remain a priority. Dr Andreas Pleßke, chief executive officer of Koenig & Bauer, says, “The Group’s top priority is to align itself with its customers and markets and to streamline decision-making paths within its business units.”
Dr Stephen Kimmich, deputy chief executive officer and chief financial officer, says, “The bundling of folding carton and corrugated board activities in one segment is our response to customer needs due to the strong technological and cross-customer overlap of these groups. Koenig & Bauer is thus continuing to develop as a ‘one-stop shop’ for cardboard and corrugated board packaging.”
S&T segment
This segment will consolidate the previous activities of the Special segment (banknote and security printing, systems for industrial marking and coding and special systems for metal and glass/hollow container direct printing; as well as the remaining activities of the former Digital & Webfed segment. This includes the special packaging printing applications, primarily web digital and flexo web printing. The partnership between Koenig & Bauer and the Volkswagen subsidiary PowerCo for the development of dry coating for battery cell production will integrate into this segment.The company will spin off new applications (inspection systems and protection technologies) from security printing into an independent Vision & Protection business unit.
independent management teams that can react quickly and competently and with a high degree of business autonomy will head The business units within the S&T segment.
Management changes
Christian Steinmaßl, who brings with him over 25 years of experience in the paper and packaging industry, has joined the Group management, reporting to the Executive Board. He has a key role in the new S&T segment, holding responsibility for production, the Vision & Protection and Kyana (formerly Digital Unit) business units and operational shared services within the Group.
Koenig & Bauer says that, with his management experience in various technology oriented companies and his strong technical expertise, especially in the field of packaging and new business, he is ideally qualified to oversee the multitude of technology-driven developments in the S&T segment and the Group’s own manufacturing companies within the Industrial business unit.
Chief operating officer Michael Ulverich has left the company. Koenig & Bauer adds that changes to central responsibilities for operations means it will no longer require the role of a central Group chief operating officer. The company says that under Ulverich’s leadership, the foundations were laid for efficient materials management, purchasing and logistics, and the production companies were successfully restructured. He was also instrumental in initiating the development of a uniform platform for all press types, which will continue to be pursued in the segments.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Prof. Dr. Raimund Klinkner, says, “The new structure, agreed upon jointly between the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board, will ensure that decisions are aligned more closely to the business model, while the leaner structures will increase the speed at which decisions are made and help to optimise costs.
“All these plans are embedded in a gradual generational transition in 2024 and 2025 from today’s long-standing members of the Executive Board to candidates who constitute an excellent fit for the company’s strategic priorities.”
