Koenig & Bauer launches Impact strategy

Koenig & Bauer has launched Impact, a new strategic framework designed to accelerate its transition from a traditional press manufacturer to a technology provider, with artificial intelligence, digital printing and expansion into growth markets at its core.

The strategy, which replaces the company's Exceeding Print framework covering 2021 to 2025, is built around six pillars represented by the acronym Impact: Intelligence, Market, People, Adaptability, Competitiveness and Technology. It sets the company's direction through 2030 and beyond.

'In challenging times, we do not rely on the markets to calm down, but actively shape the future of our industry,' said Dr Stephen Kimmich, CEO of Koenig & Bauer. 'The market data shows us the door; we have to walk through it ourselves. Koenig & Bauer is acting, decisively, innovatively and in the interest of the sustainable success of our customers.'

Key priorities include the integration of AI across products and internal processes through the company's existing AI Empower program, and the scaling of its digital printing portfolio, including the VariJET and RotaJET platforms, for global markets. The company is also targeting expansion in Asia, India, Latin America and the Middle East, and plans to develop mid-tier product variants to compete in the high-volume, price-sensitive segment.

On operational resilience, Koenig & Bauer is moving away from fixed capacity models toward flexible manufacturing with local procurement and assembly to reduce supply chain dependencies. Its service business, which currently accounts for around 30 percent of group revenue, will be expanded as a financial anchor.

'Profitability is the insurance for our future projects,' noted Dr Alexander Blum, CFO of Koenig & Bauer. 'Our mission is to consistently increase operational excellence and further increase our top line.'