Of the globally active European players listed, KBA says it was only beaten by fellow German enterprise Voith (no. 4) and Swiss lift manufacturer Schindler (no. 12). The high ranking reflects the group’s consistent focus on innovation as a pioneer of press engineering for the past 192 years, according to KBA.
The company also says it had the highest ranking of the three major German press manufacturers in a list published this year by the German Patent and Trademark Office, which ranked KBA 25 among the top 50 patent applicants, with 191 published patents.
Commenting on ranking, KBA management stated that KBA’s solid financial status – with no net debts – compares well with that of other players in the sector.
The company continues that its relative independence in corporate decision-making, largely uninfluenced by the interests of investors unfamiliar with the printing industry, mean it is well positioned in a sector shaken by the global market slump.
A company statement outlines, “KBA’s ranking above its two bigger German rivals in the latest Patent Scorecard is evidence that scale alone cannot guarantee success.
“Despite, or perhaps because of the ongoing rumours of a merger by its two biggest rivals, KBA is confident that it can defend its position as a leading player in the global printing market, provided that politicians and the competent authorities observe the rules for fair competition.”
In an editorial for the latest issue of KBA’s corporate magazine – KBA Report – Helge Hansen, president and CEO of KBA wrote, “The current market scenario is accelerating consolidation among suppliers to the print media industry, and KBA has been doing its part, even though the consequences have proven painful.”
He continues, “While we are following with keen interest the press reports on merger negotiations between our two major German competitors, our confidence in our own strengths allows us to view the prospective outcome with equanimity.”
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