On Friday (29 November), it was confirmed that Munich-headquartered investment group Max Valier Holding would take over and restructure Kolbus. 

Bird commented: “Over the last six months, machine orders have continued to be fulfilled and new orders have also been taken, highlighting the trust and faith that remains for the Kolbus business and its high quality products, ensuring stability throughout the process of securing a new investor.

“The announcement is excellent news, providing a perfect solution to ensure Kolbus can continue to support all of our existing customer markets and we look forward to a future with accelerated innovation enabling the continuity of high quality customer focused solutions.” 

Kolbus will mark 250 years in business in 2025. Max Valier managing partners Hannes Mahlknecht and Franco Nocera have pledged to keep the company for the long-term, “long past its 250th anniversary next year”.

The restructure will concentrate manufacturing of the Kolbus packaging post-press equipment range at its main site in Rahden to the west of Hanover. A smaller site at Krostitz near Leipzig has been closed and manufacturing that was previously carried out at UK operation Kolbus AutoBox has also been relocated to Rahden.

The restructuring has resulted in 155 immediate job losses, with 340 roles remaining in Rahden.

Max Valier’s takeover deal – which includes global subsidiaries in the UK, USA and China – is expected to complete by 1 January.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The overseas subsidiaries were not included in the German self-administration process.

Max Valier specialises in acquiring medium-sized engineering and manufacturing companies. Its current portfolio does not include any printing industry businesses.

The Kolbus product range includes casemakers, luxury box production systems, embossing presses and a rotary die-cutter with flexo printing.