Muller Martini will continue to provide service support for printing press customers worldwide in the future. As part of its strategic realignment, the company will focus on print finishing in the future, strengthened by its recent takeover of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG’s service and spare parts business for its saddle stitchers, perfect binders and thread-sealing machines.
The substantial slump in the turnover in the printing presses segment over a prolonged period has triggered this decision. That loss in sales could only be partly absorbed in recent years, despite extensive periods of short-time work at the production site in Maulburg (Germany). The drastic contraction of the traditional market for forms printing presses over the past decades prompted the company to focus on new business segments in recent years. The aim was to establish size-variable web offset printing for labels and flexible packaging in the growing packaging market. “However, despite extensive investments and years of effort, the broad take-up of offset technology on the packaging market has only succeeded to a limited extent”, said Bruno Muller, CEO of Muller Martini. Since established business segments such as security and commercial printing could by no means make up for the loss in volume in recent years, the company believes that the chances of a successful turnaround from its own efforts alone are extremely slim. The search for suitable partners in the packaging market has also proven unsuccessful to date.
Under those circumstances, Muller Martini has decided to discontinue the production of printing presses at Muller Martini Druckmaschinen GmbH in Maulburg (Germany) and to begin transferring the production site into a services company in order to secure the service support for installed machines. Up to 80 jobs may be affected by this step. Socially responsible solutions will be sought for those employees affected.