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Koenig & Bauer simplifies structure, bids farewell to COO

Koenig & Bauer realigns its business divisions. The number of segments will be reduced from three to two, namely Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems (P&P) and Special & New Technologies (S&T). The group’s focus will be on the high-growth packaging market.

All activities of the Sheetfed segment will be consolidated within the new P&P segment. Corrugated cardboard activities for the Chroma series bundled under the Celmacch joint venture, which were previously assigned to the Digital & Webfed segment, will be allocated to this segment. The activities of the Koenig & Bauer Durst joint venture will continue to be based here.

This segment will specialize in end-to-end solutions for folding box and corrugated cardboard box markets.

Dr Andreas Pleßke, CEO of Koenig & Bauer, said, “The Group’s top priority is to align itself with its customers and markets and to streamline decision-making paths within its business units.”

The Special & New Technologies 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 special packaging printing applications, primarily web digital and flexo web printing. Likewise, the partnership forged between Koenig & Bauer and the Volkswagen subsidiary PowerCo for the development of dry coating for battery cell production will be integrated into this segment. New applications (inspection systems and protection technologies) will be spun off from security printing into an independent Vision & Protection business unit.

The restructuring of the Koenig & Bauer AG Group will also result in changes to central responsibilities for operations as well as cross-sectional functions. Consequently, the previous role of a central Group COO will no longer be required. The company and Michael Ulverich, COO, have mutually agreed he will leave Koenig & Bauer and step down from the executive board.

Christian Steinmaßl, who brings with him over 25 years of experience in the paper and packaging industry, will be joining the group management and reporting to the executive board. He will be taking on a key role in the new Special & New Technologies segment and holding responsibility for production, the Vision & Protection and Kyana (formerly Digital Unit) business units and operational shared services within the group.

“This structure, which has been agreed upon jointly between the supervisory board and 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 optimize 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,” explained supervisory board chair Prof. Dr. Raimund Klinkner.