Packaging machine manufacturers in flow

In the 70th anniversary year of Hugo Beck Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, the family business reached a special turning point in 2025. Two grandsons of the company founder, Jonas and Simon Beck, took over the management of the company. They have set out to continue the company's success story in the third generation.

In 1955, Hugo Beck founded the company of the same name in the Swabian town of Dettingen an der Ems, which, under his leadership, developed from a local one-man operation into a globally active medium-sized company that is now a leading manufacturer of horizontal film and paper packaging machines and automation solutions in the 3,000 to 18,000 cycles per hour performance range.

Tireless personal commitment, entrepreneurial vision, determination and enthusiasm were the foundations of the company founder's successful work until he retired as managing director in 1992 after more than 35 years. The early specialisation in customised horizontal film packaging systems was the basis for the company's continued success.

Second-generation owner Dieter Beck shaped the development of the company as Managing Director for almost 30 years. He stood for foresight and the ambition to always be one step ahead. It was also important to him that the company remained family-run. His son Simon Beck joined the company six years ago as production manager and authorised signatory.

In 2021, Timo Kollmann became co-managing director and, together with Curt-Jürgen Raiser, formed the company's top management until 2025. During his many years of management experience as international sales manager at Hugo Beck, Kollmann had already played a key role in shaping the strategic direction within the horizontal packaging division. The organisational changes that accompanied the change in management set the course for sustainable further development in the coming years. „Today, Hugo Beck is known in many industries as a specialist for customised horizontal film packaging machines and for the high quality of its flowpack, pouch and shrink packaging solutions. Our new management team will seamlessly continue Dieter Beck's decades of excellent leadership,“ explained Timo Kollmann on the occasion of his appointment at the time.

Milestones in history

There were several decisive stages in the company's development. The start with the first film packaging machines in the early 1960s was a big step. This was followed in the 1970s by the market launch of the first automatic horizontal flow-wrapping machines: a real breakthrough at the time. Another highlight was the use of servo drive technology in the 1990s. It opened up new possibilities for greater precision and better machine control and made the company the technology leader in the field of horizontal film packaging machines. In 2015, robot-assisted systems were added as part of the automation solutions. Today, customers can choose between a stand-alone system or a highly automated complete solution that is fully integrated into their production environment.

Hugo Beck has always been a company that adapts to market requirements with foresight: with developments such as particularly tight pouch packaging to save film, hybrid machines that process both film and paper, or customised e-commerce packaging solutions: Each of these innovations has been driven by customer needs and changes in the industry.

In 2006, Hugo Beck made it into the TOP 100 most innovative companies in the German SME sector for the first time. Further awards followed in 2011, 2016 and 2022.

Focus on sustainable packaging

Sustainability has become a central component of the company's machine development strategy. Over the past ten years, the company has invested heavily in technologies that minimise the consumption of packaging materials without compromising performance. The machines only ever use as much film or paper as is absolutely necessary.

The portfolio of paper packaging solutions has also been expanded: this includes the paper e-com fit, which was developed with a unique sewing concept for e-commerce. It automatically adjusts the bag size to varying product sizes in length and width to minimise material consumption. The paper X-series offers customers the flexibility to switch from film to paper. The latest sustainable materials can be processed with packaging technology from Hugo Beck, for example films made from mono-material and recycled material as well as bio-films and extremely thin packaging films.

Sustainability is about more than just saving materials: it is also about energy efficiency, machine performance and life cycle services. Customised service and maintenance packages are therefore available to extend the availability of the machines.

Changes in management

What do they mean for the future of the company? In July 2025, Jonas and Simon Beck officially took over as Managing Directors after Timo Kollmann left the company after 20 years. Co-Managing Director Curt-Jürgen Raiser retired at the end of October after almost 30 years with the company. On the one hand, this change in management symbolises a generational change, but on the other hand also a renewed focus on agility and long-term innovation. The new management team's stated aim is to continue developing flexible, high-performance packaging solutions that support current and potential customers in dynamic markets, for example in the e-commerce, food, pharmaceutical and household goods sectors.

What does the 70th anniversary mean for the company and the people behind it?

Simon Beck It is a great moment for all of us. 70 years of company history is not just a number, but a testimony to the people who have shaped our identity. We are proud of how far we have come from a small workshop in the 1950s to an international specialist in horizontal packaging machines.

Jonas Beck This anniversary also stands for continuity. We have taken over the management of the company in the third generation of the family, and this legacy means a lot to us. At the same time, we are focusing on building something fit for the future: in terms of sustainability, digitalisation and the way we support our customers worldwide.

What goals and visions characterise the start of the company's eighth decade?

Jonas Beck We want to further expand our international presence while remaining true to our strengths: the high quality of our machine design and packaging results as well as our ability to customise machines to individual customer requirements. We are also focusing on further expanding our automation and digitalisation offerings as well as our paper packaging solutions.

Simon Beck The demand for smarter, more sustainable packaging will continue to rise. Be it customised packaging, hybrid machines or fully automated lines: We want Hugo Beck to remain the preferred partner for customers who prioritise reliability, flexibility and future-oriented solutions.

Many industries are currently facing rapid change. How do you intend to continue to meet real production requirements with your solutions in the future?

Jonas Beck Our focus is always on designing solutions for specific challenges. Be it reducing material usage and packaging waste, speeding up production or changing the packaging material. We work closely with customers from a wide range of industries to understand their specific requirements and adapt our technology accordingly.

Simon Beck Flexibility is embedded in everything we do. Many of our machines are modular or designed as hybrid solutions. This allows users to switch between paper and film as required or process different product formats on the same line. This is exactly what our customers need.