KHS to acquire a stake in Swiss maker of can seaming machines

The KHS Group has announced that it will be acquiring a stake in Ferrum Packaging AG. The aim is to optimally bundle the competencies of both machine-engineering companies to form a common system portfolio in the interest of providing integrated customer systems.

The KHS Group and Ferrum AG have been working together in the can segment for years. Dortmund-based KHS said that it values Ferrum Packaging’s machine technology and its expertise based on many years of experience.

“Ferrum AG is a well-known manufacturer of can seamers,” said Martin Resch, CFO in charge of purchasing at KHS. “Combined with our future-oriented solutions in the field of filling and packaging technology, we form an effective union that is valued highly in the market.”

Ferrum Packaging AG was founded as a subsidiary of Ferrum AG and incorporates Ferrum’s entire worldwide can seaming business. KHS will be acquiring minority ownership in Ferrum. At the same time, Ferrum Packaging Inc., the US subsidiary of Ferrum Packaging AG, will be taking over KHS’s can seaming business together with its employees and will be integrating it into the joint offer.

The aim of the merger is to develop and globally market joint solutions. To date, the KHS Group has offered Ferrum can seamers only as accessory components for its canning lines. Effective immediately, work in close cooperation will begin on developing even more efficient systems including a filler-seamer block.

“Based on skilled future planning of technical components, block solutions are to be designed to be as integrative as possible and do away with redundant functions,” said Dr Siegmar Stang, Executive Vice President Wet Area at KHS.

Combined filler-seamers designed for the maximum capacity class are planned with clear benefits for the overall process, as Oliver Bühler, CTO of Ferrum Packaging AG, explained.

“We don’t want to merely present one solution; we want to develop a comprehensive system portfolio that meets the needs of every customer while offering clear customer benefits,” he said.

The companies say that intensified cooperation will also bring about customer benefits in the area of customer service. In the future, all services for combined systems from KHS and Ferrum will be offered from a single source.

“This will not only reduce the effort for our customers, they will also benefit from shorter machine wait and downtimes,” said Dr Beat Bühlmann, President of the Board of Directors at Ferrum.

The planned services include joint overhauls of the systems and integration of the KHS remote maintenance system ReDiS. Coordinating the supply of spare parts will also result in improvements in discontinuation management to ensure continued operation of the machines and thus the availability of systems, the companies said.

Image: Ferrum Packaging AG is a well-known manufacturer of can seamers.