Kiefel consolidates packaging activities

German machinery supplier Kiefel GmbH has reorganized its packaging activities with the aim of increasing focus on the rigid plastic packaging market.

The company announced July 27 that as part of the new organizational structure, it is grouping all packaging activities into one Kiefel Packaging Division.

The consolidation includes the company's operations in Freilassing, Germany, as well as the recently acquired Mould & Matic in Austria and Bosch-Sprang in the Netherlands.

The new division will operate with four specialized teams, with each focusing on a clear market and technology.

The tray team will operate out of Kiefel's Freilassing headquarters and will concentrate on the steel-rule technology as base for tray-type products.

For this technology, the team will expand its expertise in machinery, automation and tools as well as product development.

The cup team will operate out of Micheldorf, Austria, where Kiefel subsidiary Mould & Matic is located.

The cup team will focus on the tilting-/trim-in-place technology which is used to produce cup-type products. The team will operate as a full-service and turnkey-partner with in-depth knowledge in machining, tooling and automation.

The bottle team will also be based in Micheldorf and will specialize in the injection stretch blow -technology. With this technology, Kiefel can offer complete platforms for the production of high quality bottle-type products.

In addition to the three teams, the packaging division will also establish a tech team, operated out of Sprang-Capelle, the Netherlands. The Tech-Team will offer services such as assistance in product-development, R&D, material-research, product analysis and simulation.

With the reorganization, Kiefel has also renamed subsidiaries Mould & Matic Solutions GmbH and Bosch Sprang BV as Kiefel Packaging GmbH and Kiefel Packaging BV respectively.

Kiefel acquired Mould & Matics and Bosch Sprang in March and April 2016.

Erik Hodenpijl, Erwin Wabnig and Jakob v. Wolff will be heading the division as part of its management team.

“The Kiefel team has managed dynamic development in recent years within the rigid plastic packaging market. Now we are preparing our organization for the next level,” said Kiefel CEO Thomas Halletz, commenting on the restructuring.