The business has been helmed by industry veteran Robert Stabler since it was established in 2019.

Koenig & Bauer Durst has announced that at the end of next month he will be succeeded in the role of managing director by Daniel Velema.

Stabler told Printweek: “It’s a really nicely planned transition that was agreed a year ago, and we took the time to search for my replacement, and Daniel is the man.”

Stabler, who will be 61 this year, will support Velema for a transition period. He thanked the JV’s staff, partners and “our extremely loyal customer base” for their unstinting support.

He said he didn’t plan to retire just yet, but quipped that he would “like to become reacquainted with my wife!” after spending more than three decades travelling the world working in international roles.

Velema’s industry career began in 2016 when he took up the role of strategy director at Flint Group. After that he became vice president of corrugated and solution services at Flint subsidiary Xeikon, and since last summer has been general manager of the prepress division at Xsys.

He said he was looking forward to joining Koenig & Bauer Durst and described the JV partners as “technology pioneers in the printing and packaging markets”.

“Corrugated and folding carton printers/converters continue to digitize their production environment to increase efficiency, flexibility and to provide a better service to brands and retail,” he said.

“In the long term, this leads to significant cost reductions. Koenig & Bauer Durst’s machinery, software and services offering is well positioned to support and accelerate our customers’ journey and I look forward to working together with our customers, partners and suppliers.”

K&B Durst’s product range is currently made up of the hybrid flexo/inkjet CorruJet and single-pass inkjet Delta SPC 130 devices for corrugated printing, and the B1 sheetfed inkjet VariJet 106 targeted at folding cartons.

Two beta installations of the VariJet 106 were made last year, and Stabler said the firm was now gearing up to install its first series press.

“Our third press will be going in at the beginning of Q2 and it’s a really interesting application. So we’re ramping up nicely and the timing of Drupa is actually perfect for us – we’re going to have betas signed off and a third press in, and really the sort of coming out party will be at Drupa,” he said.

Durst Group CEO and co-owner Christoph Gamper commented: “We are looking forward to welcoming Daniel to Koenig & Bauer Durst to drive the company forward to the next stages of development.

“We see a huge opportunity to grow substantially over the next few years. Solid foundations have been laid with the successful launch of the VariJet 106 press, the most productive folding carton digital press on the market, as well as the adoption of our corrugated presses by some of the world’s most innovative and forward-looking corrugated companies.

“Robert has been instrumental in developing and leading the joint venture team that has developed high-end systems in fully automatic, industrial-scale production. We want to thank Robert for bringing the joint venture from an idea to a vibrant, standalone company.”

The business is also expanding its R&D capabilities at the Radebeul site in Germany, which is also home to Koenig & Bauer’s sheetfed division.

Precise details of what the investment will involve are currently under wraps.

“We’ve got two really nice product platforms in two different segments, and the shareholders think that now is the time to build some direct capability in the joint venture for certain elements of the R&D,” Stabler explained.

The K&B Durst presses all use water-based, food safe inks and coatings that comply with all current regulatory standards, and the business anticipates that compliance with future regs will also be achievable through its water-based tech.