At the end of January, Muller Martini and Kolbus announced that they are setting the course for the future. Muller Martini is taking over the perfect binder and bookline business from Kolbus, including the range of services and spare parts for all Kolbus bookbinding systems installed around the world.
Muller Martini Buchbindesysteme GmbH was thus established as a new company in Rahden Germany and has been integrated into the Muller Martini Group as an independent plant along with the 250 employees from Kolbus. In order to support the machine ranges of both companies in the long run, the know-how will continue to be ensured by the close collaboration between the companies. Kolbus will in future focus on the packaging and case making business as well as parts manufacturing and the foundry business.
The reason behind the positioning of the two companies is the huge market changes taking place in the graphic arts industry. Volume falls, new business models and digitization are not only affecting print shops and bookbinderies but also us as machine manufacturers. Constant innovations and adaptations to the machine program due to market changes need to be financed with lower volumes, which is becoming increasingly difficult for all suppliers.
“Merging the bookbinding activities will enable us to supply the market with innovative solutions even better in the long term and support all our customers with a strong service organization. We are thereby actively helping to secure the future of your softcover and hardcover business. Since you are both a customer of Muller Martini and of Kolbus, we would like to give you a brief overview of this project. We are directing all our efforts toward efficiently integrating the know-how of Kolbus into our organization in order to continue to offer you smooth and reliable service support in the future from our local market units as well as the new Muller Martini location in Rahden Germany,” says Sven L Olsen, managing director, Asia Pacific region.
Nothing will change regarding Muller Martini machines, the contact persons will remain the same. Until the end of April 2018, for service and spare parts, the contact persons responsible for Kolbus machines will also remain the same. From 1 May 2018, Muller Martini will ensure both the sale of Muller Martini and Kolbus machines as well as the delivery of spare parts and other support services. To achieve this, the Muller Martini market organization and Muller Martini Buchbindesysteme GmbH in Rahden will cooperate closely, which will ensure that the customer will continue to benefit from the huge knowhow of the long-standing Kolbus experts that have now joined Muller Martini.
Existing quotations for Kolbus machines will remain valid. Machines will continue to be sold by Kolbus until the end of April 2018. On request, each customer – after coordination with the Muller Martini market organization in charge – can, however, order Kolbus machines from Muller Martini. Ordered Kolbus machines will be delivered and installed in good time in accordance with the contractually agreed terms. Installation and service experts of Kolbus will ensure correct commissioning of the machines together with the employees of the new Muller Martini Buchbindesysteme GmbH from Rahden.
Until completion of the project, including warranty, Kolbus will be responsible for the machines. Muller Martini will, however, take care of service fulfillment and ensure support.
