January 28, 2021
Kolbus GmbH and its U.S. subsidiary, Kolbus America, have adapted and evolved to become leaders in paper-based packaging equipment and deliver exceptional products for its customers. Kolbus excels not only in engineering and manufacturing high-quality packaging equipment but also outstanding sales and support. With a product assortment ranging from inhouse box makers to high precision flexo rotary die-cutters, any discerning corrugated packaging company – independent or integrated – will have their needs matched and exceeded.
Founded in 1775 in Rahden, Germany, Kolbus continues to be privately-owned and operated with over 1,000 employees. The management team takes pride in more than 225 years of successfully growing its business. To this day, Kolbus, together with its family of brands, is proud to continue to provide “Excellence in Motion.” This summer, the firm appointed Jeffrey Dietz as its new president of Kolbus America – Hycorr. He has assumed overall responsibility for the Kolbus, Hycorr, and Autobox product lines in North America and is responsible for all sales, service, and operations activities for Kolbus America.
THE SOLUTIONS
Since the acquisition of Hycorr nearly 10 years ago, Kolbus has been steadfast in providing reliable advanced-engineered solutions for corrugated customers. With the more recent purchase of the UK based company, Autobox, the Kolbus product portfolio expanded to offer solutions that can satisfy the needs of box companies of varying sizes. The three major Kolbus brands: Hycorr, LuxPack, and Autobox, each providing expert solutions for the industry.
Kolbus Hycorr outgrew its roots and moved into a new manufacturing facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to support further expansion. The Kolbus Hycorr RDC continues to be proudly made in the USA and has evolved with the support of the Kolbus German engineering team. This acute combination of resources has created a true value for converters that are looking for a machine that can service all their production needs, both throughput and graphics. With 20 years of experience, Kolbus Hycorr is a pioneer in the development of top print technology. With the increased demand for inside the box printing, Kolbus Hycorr has recently delivered machines with single and multiple top print units. Companies who have not looked at Hycorr recently will be pleasantly surprised at what is being offered today. The firm takes great pride in offering its Hycorr flexo rotary die cutters with an industry leading three-year warranty.
Kolbus GmbH is excited to bring to market the new RD115/135S full servo flexo rotary die-cutters. This important product development represents years of engineering investment and listening to customer input about desired features and specifications. More details on the RD115/135S were shared in late 2020. In addition, Kolbus recently introduced the new Luxury Packaging line, a fully automated modular production system that delivers flexible solutions for the rigid box luxury packaging market.
With the surging demand for small to medium quantity box production, Kolbus Autobox has continued its position as a market leader in this segment. The Boxer and Autobox equipment’s tool-less/automatic set-up offer printing and converting solutions for box of one to one thousand. This allows distribution companies to create boxes on demand and larger corrugated plants to free up valuable space on their die-cutters. Both in-line flexo and digital print solutions are available to complement the improved operational functionality of the Kolbus Autobox equipment.
SUPPORT
Kolbus customers enjoy tremendous support, whether it be remote or “boots on the ground.” The ability to provide true 24/7 remote diagnostics and service support is an absolute necessity in today’s manufacturing environment. For example, Kolbus360 remote support is included standard on all new equipment for 24/7 remote diagnostics and technical support, which maintains a continuous link to its service teams and resources.
The company also offers a full complement of local North American-based customer service representatives, inventory, and technicians. Their priority is to ensure that everything goes smoothly – from installation to production operations. This high-caliber support – worldwide, online and on-site – is delivered through a network of experienced service technicians.
LOOKING FORWARD
What can customers expect in 2021? The New Year will bring the first North American RD115S installation. It will be up and running in the first quarter. With a successful second half of 2020, Kolbus Hycorr enters 2021 with a good backlog of equipment orders. Kolbus continues to offer new products and will be greeting its customers at a variety of trade fairs including SuperCorr and drupa.
Jeffrey Dietz
President
