Koenig & Bauer is continuing on its path from a standardised to a divisional group and will have a new segment structure in 2025. The streamlining of structures will lead to a reduction from three to two segments. The Group will continue to focus on the growing packaging market.
In the Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems segment all previous activities of the Sheetfed segment will be continued in future. In addition, due to the strong technological and cross-customer group overlaps between folding carton and corrugated board producers, this segment will continue to be the main focus of activities in the future. the combined corrugated board activities for the Chroma series from the Celmacch joint venture which were previously allocated to the Digital & Webfed segment. The activities of the joint venture Koenig & Bauer Durst will continue to be based here.
In this segment, the focus is on Complete solutions for the growth markets of folding cartons and corrugated boxes, i.e. from prepress to print with an end-to-end digital workflow through to finishing. Another focus remains commercial printing.
“The overriding principle of the Group's organisation is to focus on customers and markets as well as faster decision-making processes within the divisions.”
Dr Andreas Pleßke, CEO Koenig & Bauer
The Deputy CEO and CFO, Dr Stephen Kimmich, adds: “Bundling our folding carton and corrugated board activities in one segment is our response to customer needs due to the the strong technological and cross-customer intersection of these groups. Koenig & Bauer is thus continuing to develop as a ‘one-stop shop’ for cardboard and corrugated board packaging.”
The second Special & New Technologies segment In future, the former activities from the Special segment (special machines for banknote and security printing, systems for industrial labelling and special systems for metal and glass/hollow container direct printing), as well as the remaining business areas of the former Digital & Webfed segment, will be allocated to the new segment. This includes the special applications of packaging printing, primarily digital web and flexographic web printing as well as newspaper printing.
Personnel changes
As a result of the Group reorganisation within Koenig & Bauer AG, the central responsibilities in the area of operations and the cross-divisional functions are changing. The previous role of a central Group COO will no longer apply. Against this background Michael Ulverich as a member of the Management Board left the company on 30 November 2024. As of 1 December Christian Steinmaßl, who brings over 25 years of industry experience in the paper and packaging industry, as Member of the Group Executive Board will join Koenig & Bauer and will report to the Management Board. He will assume a leading role in the new Special & New Technologies segment and will be responsible for production, the business units Vision & Protection, Kyana (formerly Digital Unit) and operational shared services within the Group.
Strengthening the segments and streamlining the Management Board
As a holding company, Koenig & Bauer AG is streamlining the scope of its activities and shifts more operational tasks to the two segments. The Management Board members are closely involved in strategic segment management. In the future, this will allow the Executive Board to be reduced to one CEO and one CFO. Further steps in the reorganisation will be successively implemented over the course of 2025.
“This structure, jointly defined by the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board, will bring decisions closer to the business model, reduce the complexity of the structures, increase the speed of decision-making and contribute to cost optimisation through streamlining. All of this is embedded in a gradual generational transition in 2024 and 2025 from the current long-standing members of the Executive Board to individuals who are an excellent fit for the company's strategic priorities.”
Prof Dr Raimund Klinkner, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board
Source: Koenig & Bauer
