Karl Knauer GmbH, based in Neuenstein, has filed for insolvency at Heilbronn Local Court. This was announced by the parent company Karl Knauer KG from Biberach yesterday, Monday 18 March. Karl Knauer KG itself and the site in Pniewy, Poland, are not affected by the insolvency.
How it works with the Karl Knauer GmbH continues, a Insolvency administrator clarify. For the time being, production will continue as usual, Karl Knauer KG explained when asked. The plant in Neuenstein was taken over by Karl Knauer in 2017. The former HEPACK druck+verpackung GmbH, founded in 1981, was then renamed Karl Knauer GmbH on 1 December 2017.
Around 100 people are employed at the Neuenstein plant
Karl Knauer puts the number of employees at around 100. The company has not yet been able to provide any information on the prospects of the employees. First of all, the insolvency administrator will have to wait and see. The Neuenstein plant, with a total production area of 12,000 square metres, specialises primarily in the area of Food packaging.
„Unfortunately, our Restructuring and reorganisation efforts, to make folding carton production at the Neuenstein site profitable has not been sufficiently effective over the past 21 months,“ says Richard Kammerer, spokesman for the management of Karl Knauer KG, quoted by the company. „This is particularly regrettable, as Karl Knauer GmbH in Neuenstein was not far from achieving its goal of a turnaround. The main shareholders have invested substantial shareholder funds and the management has made enormous efforts to integrate the company into the plant network,“ continued Richard Kammerer.
Future concept to secure remaining locations
The outlook for the two other company locations in Biberach and Pniewy Karl Knauer KG has a good outlook. The management has developed a future concept with a management consultancy firm. The aim is to avoid negative effects from the insolvency of Karl Knauer GmbH. Richard Kammerer emphasises in the company press release: „We are certain that Karl Knauer KG is in a strong position with the Biberach and Pniewy sites and has good prospects even without Neuenstein.“
According to the company's website, the headquarters in Biberach employs 416 employees. Accordingly, 385 people are employed in Pniewy.
[infotext icon]In issue 6/2018, the packaging journal The history of the long-established company Karl Knauer KG is reported in detail in the company portrait. You can find the company portrait at this place.[/infotext]
