The ongoing development of resource-saving technologies and packaging systems will play a significant role here. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Niemeyer, chairman of the Executive Management Board, places the focus on the Group’s role as an innovative driver of the industry. “Besides the very pleasing business generated by our existing systems and in service we now find ourselves on a broader footing compared to a few years ago thanks to the successful market launches of our innovations.” KHS’ service organization has been built up worldwide, for example, and consumables are now again directly included in the company portfolio. This added value, coupled with the Group’s reliable and very efficient lines, has generated a number of significant orders in all business areas. There is a growing demand across the entire range of filling and packaging machinery offered by the systems supplier: from PET through cans to glass and kegs, in practically all sectors from beer through soft drinks to water or sensitive beverages for hot filling. “This shows that we’re not only strong in one area but throughout the entire line business, where thanks to a high level of standardization we offer a very attractive portfolio,” emphasizes Niemeyer.
Examples of this include the growing demand for glass and canning lines on the company’s home market of Germany, successful implementation of PET block systems in the USA, India and Indonesia and the sale of several high-performance hot filling PET lines to South America and Africa. For many of the projects concluded in 2016 follow-up orders have also already been placed. According to KHS, this is primarily thanks to the consistent standardization of their product portfolio and the high level of expert advice given when answering customer queries.
Positive outlook for the current year
KHS wishes to boost the result it has again improved on even further. “We want to continue to be convincing, above all with powerful products and innovations which are geared towards our customers’ requirements and work reliably at their plants,” Niemeyer explains. In this context the systems provider also makes reference to its commitment to all of its stakeholders and will publish a new sustainability report this year.