As reported on NEWS, Koenig & Bauer is undergoing management and structural changes that will shape its future. On December 16th, the company announced that Markus Weiss, the former GM of HP Industrial Print, EMEA, will become the new CEO of the Koenig & Bauer Paper & Packaging Segment on February 1st. Weiss will replace Ralf Sammeck, who has been instrumental in building up Koenig & Bauer over the past 25 years. 

Sammeck lived for years in the US and developed the market. Later, as CEO of Koenig & Bauer, he made the company successful in both commercial and packaging. He was also involved in the rebranding of KBA to Koenig & Bauer, which not only changed the look of the machines but initiated the digital transformation that has given Koenig & Bauer a leadership position in the industry.

Markus Weiss has a long background as GM for HP Industrial Print in EMEA and has worked in the digital space. Of course, it will be interesting to see how he can combine the good things from digital with the good things from the offset world, creating a new growth platform. Koenig & Bauer increased its revenue from roughly 1 billion Euros in 2020 to 1.3 billion in 2023, with an improved EBITDA of more than 100 million in the same period. 

Both men are ambitious and committed, and our impression at INKISH is that this is a strong move for Koenig & Bauer as they get a new qualified leader on board and a person who understands how digital has transformed the entire industry.

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