Koenig & Bauer has expanded its presence in the corrugated market with a deal to acquire Italian manufacturer – Celmacch Group.
With initial agreement for a 49% stake, Koenig & Bauer has option to further increase its shareholding in future though share acquisition is subject to approval from the Italian authorities.
Celmacch which is a family-owned firm that has been going for more than 40 years makes high pile flexo presses and rotary die cutters for corrugated products under its ‘Chroma’ brand. According to Celmacch General Manager – Luca Celotti: “Celmacch has been looking for a partner for long-term cooperation and has found one in Koenig & Bauer. Our existing product portfolio ideally positions it for further growth. Koenig & Bauer provides us with access to a worldwide sales and service network with more than 2,000 staff. This combination will enable us to establish a more international and therefore scalable market presence. As the founding family, we want to actively shape this path together with our new partner and further increase the production capacities at the Desenzano del Garda site.” The company will now be Koenig & Bauer Celmacch.
Koenig & Bauer said the firm’s products were complementary to its own CorruCut and CorruFlex presses, and it planned to unite all the different models under the Chroma product name. “This will make Koenig & Bauer Celmacch the only supplier with presses to cover all price and performance classes,” Koenig & Bauer stated as it also described corrugated board as “an exemplary circular product with an average recycling quota of 80%”.
“Corrugated board aligns with the increasing sustainability demands of the packaging industry, not least in the context of the European Green Deal, and is therefore also an expression of our ‘Exceeding Print’ strategy” Koenig & Bauer CEO – Dr Andreas Pleßke said.
