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Muller Martini Takes Over Kolbus Perfect Binding and Bookline Business

Muller Martini has taken over the perfect binding and bookline business from Kolbus, which also includes the service and spare parts business for all Kolbus bookbinding systems installed worldwide. Kolbus in turn is setting its focus on the packaging and case making business, parts manufacturing and its foundry business.


“Structural change has changed the graphic arts industry in recent years and our market has become much smaller and versatile at once,” said Bruno Müller, CEO of Muller Martini. “Customers need innovations on a regular basis, which have to be financed with lower sales quantities. Above all, our customers benefit from the efficiency gains bringing together the bookbinding activities.”

The bookbinding business of Kolbus is transferred to the new business unit Müller Martini Buchbinde-Systeme GmbH, which will be integrated into the Muller Martini group with around 250 employees as an independent factory in Rahden, Germany. “This secures the future of the softcover and hardcover business of both the customers and the two machine manufacturers – and thus also jobs in the graphic arts industry,” said Müller.

With 900 employees, Kolbus will remain under the direction of CEO Kai Büntemeyer. “In recent years, the packaging market was growing consistently. We see a good potential and will vigorously expand our current activities in this business,” said Büntemeyer. “There are also very good perspectives in the segment of component manufacturing for sophisticated mechanical engineering companies including Müller Martini Buchbinde-Systeme GmbH and Kolbus Luxury Packaging.”

Muller Martini, a family business that was founded in 1946, has its headquarters in the city of Zofingen (in the Swiss canton of Aargau). It has around 1,800 employees active in the development and production of industrial system solutions for print finishing.