Markus Weiss, HP’s EMEA general manager for its industrial print business, will join Koenig & Bauer as CEO of the paper and packaging sheetfed system segment, on 1 February.
He will replace Ralf Sammeck who, as planned, will leave the press manufacturer in June after 25 years, initially in sales then becoming CEO of North America before returning to Dresden five years later in 2007.
The hand over period will also see Sammeck relinquish responsibilities as chief data officer for the business.
When he joined KBA the company was still absorbing the acquisition of the East German Planeta sheetfed press business in Dresden as part of the German unification project. For the last 18 years he has played a key role in the strategic direction of the business, as market share tripled and the product portfolio expanded into prepress software, finishing for packaging more recently digital printing and digital service products under the Kyana label.
Sammeck has turned his engineering outlook working closely with customers to devise the most appropriate configuration and solution for their business.
Koenig & Bauer CEO Andreas Pleßke says: “Ralf Sammeck has succeeded in continuously establishing the sheetfed segment as a complete solution provider and expanding market leadership in the packaging sector. In doing so, he has positioned the division for the future. With his instinct for customers and markets, he is a role model for the sales team worldwide.”
Sammeck has also acquired a number of technology patents, including for digital presses. Most recently, he has driven development of the CutPro X106, the rotary embossing, creasing, die cutting, stripping and blanking machine that runs at 15,000 sph and received its official launch at Drupa this year. It borrows the unit construction and sheet transfer design from the Rapida X106 sheetfed press.
Weiss will be a member of the group management board and reports to the executive board. As Koenig & Bauer is a partner to HP for its industrial print division through building the high speed continuous PageWide 1100S and 700S for corrugated and folding cartons.
While these have opened up new applications, they have not yet changed the direction of the industry. Weiss acknowledges this saying: “Offset printing will remain the leading technology in packaging and commercial printing in the long term, complemented by innovative solutions in the prepress and postpress areas. At the same time, digital printing is becoming increasingly important. The optimal combination of both technologies opens up new growth opportunities for our customers and shows that their joint use will shape the future of the printing industry. I am delighted to be able to contribute my knowledge and experience in this exciting field to the leading packaging manufacturer with a great team.”
