Technology Business Unit
The Technology Business Unit’s range of goods and services primarily focuses on lines and machines for the filling and packaging of beverages.
The Technology Business Unit comprises three traditional manufacturers of special machines that each hold an outstanding position on their respective markets. The products manufactured by these companies embody our core values of innovation, quality and sustainability. The companies, previously grouped under Klöckner-Werke AG, have belonged to the Salzgitter Group since 2007.
One core of this segment is the KHS Group, one of the world’s three leading companies for the production of beverage filling and packaging machinery. The company was established in 1993 following a merger of Holstein & Kappert AG (founded in 1868) and Seitz-Werke GmbH (later SEN AG).
The KHS Group develops and manufactures the full range of filling and packaging machines at five plants within Germany. In addition to its German production sites, KHS also has factories in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, India and China. Its portfolio centers on high-performance plant engineering and systems for lower capacities that process an entire spectrum of different beverages and liquid food products. KHS is also distinguished by its extensive service concept and worldwide network presence, facilitating fast local assignment of engineers; alternatively, it operates a number of remote services should circumstances render these necessary.
As a leading supplier of innovative and reliable products and services the KHS Group has provided its customers with turnkey systems, single machines and a full range of services for over 150 years. True to its motto of “your reliable partner”, KHS designs intelligent and thus profitable systems and solutions that help customers to permanently generate more added value in their production process. Beverage producers especially benefit from durable machine systems that they can flexibly adapt or expand according to their requirements. A broad selection of conversions enables machines to be modernized for many years, while intelligent systems for process monitoring of the various production steps ensure efficient line operation. One of the KHS Group’s notable strengths is its comprehensive packaging expertise in recycled plastic containers (PET) and secondary packaging. With Plasmax, for instance, KHS has developed a barrier system for PET containers that protects sensitive beverages and can be easily removed during bottle-to-bottle recycling, making a major contribution to the support of the circular economy. The multi-award-winning Nature MultiPack that practically eliminates the need for additional packaging materials is currently KHS’ most consistent example of environmentally-friendly secondary packaging.
The KHS Group attaches great importance to the development of sustainable product systems, to environmentally-friendly production and to maintaining and strengthening the social aspects of its operations. This is underlined by its successful participation in EcoVadis and SEDEX and the granting of a number of certificates for occupational health and safety and environmental and energy management.
Furthermore, every two years in its voluntary sustainability report the company also outlines its commitment and achievements regarding product responsibility, operational ecology and social activities.
In terms of sales, the KHS Group dominates the Technology Business Unit with a share of around 90%.
In addition to KHS, DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH, based in Achim near Bremen, is also part of this business unit. The company has been producing machines for the directly soling of shoes since 1946. Today, DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH is technology and world market leader for plants, machines, automation solutions and molds for industrial shoe manufacturing.
KDS offers full-service solutions in this field, from plant planning, developing machines and automation concepts through to mold construction and a global customer service.
Around half of all machines used worldwide for directly soling shoes currently come from DESMA.
The Technology division is completed by Klöckner DESMA Elastomertechnik GmbH. Based in Fridingen, Baden-Württemberg, the company has been producing innovative injection molding machines for rubber and silicone products since 1965. Today, it has production plants in Germany, Slovakia, India, China and the USA as well as service locations worldwide and is the global market leader in its segment.