Körber AG
TypeAktiengesellschaft
Industrymachines, software, technology
FoundedJuly 14, 1946[1]
FounderKurt A. Körber
Headquarters
Hamburg
,
Germany
Key people
Stephan Seifert (Chairman of the Group Executive Board)[2]
Revenue€2.53 billion (2022)[3]
Number of employees
12,798 (2022)[3]
Websitewww.koerber.com

Körber AG is a strategic management holding company based in Hamburg. In 2022, the group had more than 12,700 employees[3] at more than 100 locations[4] worldwide and generated sales of €2.53 billion.[3]

History

1946–1992

On July 14, 1946, Kurt A. Körber paved the way for the first business deals in Hamburg. On February 1, 1947, he established Hauni Maschinenfabrik Körber & Co. KG (from 1958: Hauni-Werke Körber & Co. KG).[5][6] The company originally only produced machines for the tobacco industry. In 1953, it moved to a new location within Hamburg's Bergedorf district. One year later, it had more than 1,000 employees.[7] The group's international expansion began in 1948, when Eric M. Warburg, who had been living in exile, helped Körber establish contact with American cigarette manufacturers.[8] In 1951, Körber's machines were successful at a tobacco trade show in Amsterdam.[9] By 1953, his company exported 80 percent of its products, and machines from Hauni plants were used in 48 countries.[10] In 1955, the company established a plant in Richmond, Virginia, which was followed by additional facilities through the mid-1960s.[11]

The diversification of the company began in 1970, when it purchased E. C. H. Will, a manufacturer of paper-processing machines that was based in Hamburg-Lokstedt. The new business division was strengthened in 1976 through the acquisition of Womako Maschinenkonstruktion GmbH (Stuttgart).[12] At the request of German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, Körber purchased the grinding machine manufacturer Blohm in Bergedorf in 1978.[13] It served as the nucleus for the company's third business division.[14] The acquisition of Schaudt Maschinenbau GmbH (Stuttgart and Ellwangen) in 1983 broadened its foundation.[15]

In the mid-1980s, the group generated sales of over one billion DM for the first time.[15] On June 17, 1987, the group was transformed into Körber AG, which absorbed Hauni-Werke Körber & Co. KG.[16]

1990–present

In the 1990s, the group's grinding machine segment, Schleifring, was under pressure due to restructuring costs, exchange rates, fluctuating commodity prices, and a tough price war within the sector.[17] The business division for paper processing expanded during these years. Among other things, this was due to the acquisition of two Italian companies for the production and packaging of tissue products[18] and the gradual[19] purchase of a majority holding in a machine manufacturer for the production of envelopes and other paper products.[20]

Following Körber's passing on August 10, 1992, the company's assets were transferred to the Körber Foundation. The Foundation was created on January 1, 1981, through the merger of the Kurt A. Körber Stiftung (established in 1959) and the Hauni Stiftung (established in 1969). Until Körber's death, the Foundation had held 34.9 percent of the shares.[21] Since then, the group's annual dividend has been paid out completely to the Körber Foundation.[22]

In 1995, Körber AG became a management holding company, which supervised the group's three business divisions at the time.[23]

In 2002, the company entered a new market: packaging for pharmaceutical products.[24] In the following years, this segment was expanded further through acquisitions.[25] It has been a separate business division since 2009.[23]

In 2012, Körber divested itself of several subsidiaries for paper processing machines, including E. C. H. Will.[26]

As a result of a number of restructuring measures, Körber was divided into seven business divisions in 2015: Automation, Logistics Systems, Machine Tools, Pharma Systems, Tissue, Tobacco, and Corporate Ventures.[27] In 2017, the business division Körber Digital was added. It manages the digitization of the group and the development of new digital business models.[28] One year later, the group sold the Machine Tools and Automation business divisions.[29] Since 2020, the group and its business divisions and companies have appeared as a single, unified brand: Körber. The only exception was the Tobacco business division, which operated on the market as the Hauni Group.[30] From September 2022 onwards, the Hauni Group was renamed to business division Technologies.[31]

In early 2022, Körber acquired Siemens Logistics' mail and parcel business to strengthen its Supply Chain business area.[32] The company sold its Tissue business division to Valmet in 2023.[33]

Group structure

The group is active in four business divisions:[34][33]

  • Digital manages the digital advancement of the entire group and develops new digital business models and ventures.
  • Pharma offers machines for processes for the manufacturing, inspection, and packaging of medications and for the traceability of these products.
  • Supply Chain focuses on technologies for production logistics. Its product range includes software, automation machines, voice applications, robotics, and transportation systems.
  • Technologies is responsible for offerings in the fields of machinery, equipment, software, measuring instruments and flavors. It also develops services, particularly for the luxury food industry.[35]

Further reading

  • Hauser, Evelyn, updated by Cohen, M. L.: Körber AG. In: International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 173, Farmington Hills: St. James Press, Farmington Hills, San Francisco, New York, 2016, pp. 351–356.
  • Schmid, Josef (2002). Kurt A. Körber : Annäherungen an einen Stifter. Hamburg: Körber-Stiftung. ISBN 9783896840202.

References

  1. ↑ Schmid 2002, p. 48.
  2. ↑ Imprint at koerber.com. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Körber AG. "Group key figures of Körber AG" (pdf). koerber.com. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  4. ↑ Ariane Rüdiger, Nico Litzel (2021-04-12). "KI erhöht die Produktionseffizienz". Bigdata-insider.de (in German).
  5. ↑ Schmid 2002, pp. 48, 54.
  6. ↑ Hauser, Evelyn, updated by Cohen, M. L. (2016). Körber AG. In: International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 173, p. 352.
  7. ↑ Schmid 2002, p. 65.
  8. ↑ Schmid 2002, p. 74.
  9. ↑ Schmid 2002, p. 62.
  10. ↑ Schmid 2002, p. 69.
  11. ↑ Schmid 2002, pp. 75–76.
  12. ↑ Schmid 2002, pp. 84–85.
  13. ↑ Hauser, Evelyn, updated by Cohen, M. L.: Körber AG. In: International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 173, p. 354.
  14. ↑ Schmid 2002, pp. 85–87.
  15. 1 2 Schmid 2002, p. 88.
  16. ↑ Schmid 2002, p. 89.
  17. ↑ Hauser, Evelyn, updated by Cohen, M. L.: Körber AG. In: International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 173, p. 355.
  18. ↑ Körber AG: Korsettstangen für die ostdeutschen Werkzeugmaschinen. Programme und Firmen gekauft. In: Handelsblatt, 8 July 1994.
  19. ↑ Körber AG steigt bei Winkler ein. In: Handelsblatt, 3 January 2001.
  20. ↑ Maschinenbauer Körber wächst durch Zukäufe. In: Wirtschaftswoche (online), 2 June 2005.
  21. ↑ Schmid 2002, pp. 85, 91, 123, 172, 179.
  22. ↑ Kurt A. Körber und seine Stiftung. In: Bergedorfer Zeitung, 16 December 2014.
  23. 1 2 Hauser, Evelyn, updated by Cohen, M. L.: Körber AG. In: International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 173, p. 353.
  24. ↑ Körber steigt in neues Segment ein. In: Handelsblatt, 19 December 2001.
  25. ↑ Herbst, André (1 February 2013). Innovativ, aber ohne Erfolg: Aus für den MediFalter. In: Bergedorfer Zeitung, 1 February 2013. Körber geht nach Tschechien und lässt falten. In: Hamburger Morgenpost, 31 May 2006. Maschinenbauer Körber nutzt Krise für Zukäufe. In: Handelsblatt, 6 May 2009. Seidenader übernommen. In: Packreport, 1 February 2011. Erwerb von Werum. In: Packreport, 28 April 2014. Oliver Lange (2017-01-04). "Erwerb der Fargo Automation durch Körber abgeschlossen". Neue-verpackung.de.
  26. ↑ Körber AG verkauft Paper Systems an Investorengruppe". In: Deutscher Drucker, No. 7, 1 March 2012.
  27. ↑ Hauser, Evelyn, updated by Cohen, M. L.: Körber AG. International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 173, p. 353 and p. 356.
  28. ↑ Niklas Wirminghaus (2020-06-29). "Körber macht aus seiner Digitaleinheit eine Start-up-Fabrik". Capital (in German).
  29. ↑ "Körber-Konzern verkauft Sparten: Gewinn fast verfünffacht". Die Welt (in German). 2019-06-03. Stefan Weinzierl (2018-07-03). "Verkauft: United Grinding hat neue Eigentümer". Produktion.de (in German).
  30. ↑ "Körber – eine Marke, ein Versprechen". information from the company about its brand policy from 2020.
  31. ↑ Soukup, René (2022-09-27). "Zieht Hauni von Bergedorf nach Stapelfeld? Was dafür spricht" [Is Hauni moving from Bergedorf to Stapelfeld? What speaks for it]. Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  32. ↑ "Körber acquires Siemens Logistics' mail and parcel business". www.koerber.com. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  33. 1 2 Flick, Eva (2023-07-12). "Körber verkauft Tissue-Sparte mit Linklaters". juve.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  34. ↑ Kopp, Martin (3 December 2020). Körber-Maschinen derzeit gefragt. Hamburger Konzern liefert Lösungen für Verpackungen von Corona-Impfstoff. In: Bergedorfer Zeitung, 3 December 2020.
  35. ↑ Hauni wird Körber. In: Die Tabak Zeitung, August 24, 2022.
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