Syntegon, formerly Bosch Packaging Technology, reported stable business performance in 2019. Sales increased to 1.33 billion euros (2018: 1.28 billion euros), and new orders also rose slightly. In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the systems supplier to the pharmaceutical and food industries is seeing increased demand in its services business. Since interpack – the largest trade show in the industry that was originally scheduled for May – has now been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Syntegon is presenting its latest process and packaging technology at a virtual trade show from 7th to 13th May, 2020. In this context, a special focus is on intelligent and sustainable technologies for the pharmaceutical and food industries. Following the introduction of the Syntegon corporate brand at the beginning of the year, the company is also unveiling its new product design for the first time at the event.
Stable business performance in 2019
Syntegon generated annual sales of 1.33 billion euros in 2019, slightly above the previous annual figure. As a result, performance remained stable, despite a downturn in the mechanical engineering sector. Sales are divided roughly equally between the company’s two product segments – pharma and food. In North America and China, in particular, Syntegon saw a significant sales growth in the pharmaceuticals sector. The company has also grown significantly in the food sector in these regions and in Europe. Overall, sales are divided roughly equally between the regions of Europe, North and South America, and Asia, with Europe being the company’s largest market.
New orders in the food segment grew strongly in 2019 and also remained at their usual high level in the pharma segment. After the sale of Bosch to CVC Capital Partners in 2019, the company implemented the formation of a stand-alone organisation and the launch of the Syntegon brand without any issues.
Syntegon seeing high demand during coronavirus crisis
In order to respond to the increased production levels of its customers in the pharmaceutical and food industries in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Syntegon has expanded its customer service activities and introduced new measures. These include increased spare parts deliveries and providing customer service via digital platforms. The specialist for process and packaging technology is conducting key meetings within the scope of customer projects, including model presentations and factory acceptance tests, virtually. Having a global presence with local employees, the company is able to carry out urgent service assignments in almost all cases, despite the current travel restrictions.
According to Michael Grosse, CEO, Syntegon, “Syntegon’s mission is to provide process and packaging technology for a better life. We, therefore, see it as our responsibility to support the pharmaceutical and food industries with our technologies and be there for our customers as a service partner – especially when things get difficult.”
Sustainable packaging
One focus of Syntegon’s first virtual trade show is ‘technologies for more sustainability.’ For example, the company is unveiling its new TPU paper form, fill and seal machine for fiber-based primary packaging. Manufacturers of food, hygiene products and cosmetics, for example, can use it to produce a predominantly fiber-based packaging solution for their disposable and single-serving packs that were previously packaged in plastic. In combination with the special FibreForm paper from paper manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs, the machine forms structural shells that stand out on store shelves and can be completely fed into the paper recycling process.
Syntegon offers retrofit kits that can be used to modify existing systems for use with sustainable materials as well as comprehensive advice on environment-friendly and efficient packaging processes. One innovation in this field is the “paper-ON-form” retrofit set for horizontal flow wrapping machines, which can be used to process cold-sealable and heat-sealable barrier papers. The set consists of a flow-wrap forming unit and sealing jaws specially designed for the packaging paper. It is already being used on global chocolate manufacturers’ systems to pack their products in paper.
In addition, Syntegon is collaborating with partners on other innovative approac...
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