Koenig & Bauer has acquired a 100 per cent stake in Bauer + Kunzi Gesellschaft für Drucktechnik in Ditzingen, Germany, for an undisclosed sum.
Bauer + Kunzi, a globally active enterprise employing 45 people, generates annual sales of around €20 million manufacturing high-quality metal-decorating presses, primarily for the food industry.
Pending official approval the company says that the acquisition will add a niche capability to KBA's strong position in medium- and large-format sheetfed offset presses for printing plain and corrugated carton. One of the growth sectors within the print media market, packaging is much less cyclical than advertising or commercial printing.
KBA's engagement in the metal packaging sector was previously indirect, via a long-standing business association with Bauer + Kunzi.
The Koenig & Bauer Group is one of the largest press manufacturer worldwide. The parent company is Koenig & Bauer and has facilities in Würzburg, Radebeul, Frankenthal, Trennfeld and Kusel (all in Germany).
The other core members of the KBA Group are Maschinenfabrik KBA-Mödling in Mödling near Vienna, Austria , KBA-Berlin, based in Berlin, Germany and KBA North America, Web Press Division, in Pennsylvania, US. The core companies in the group employ some 7,400 people.