Packaging

OYSTAR Continues Concentration

Wednesday 27. April 2011 - The OYSTAR Group - one the world’s leading manufacturers of packaging machines - has sold its process division with the companies Hüttlin and Manesty to Bosch. OYSTAR thus continues with its strategic concentration on the divisions of primary and secondary packaging.

“In the future OYSTAR will concentrate on packaging machines for the food, dairy, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries,” emphasized OYSTAR CEO Tom Graf after signing the contract with Bosch. “This is where we have our particular expertise and core competences.” OYSTAR has a strong position on the international market in the key segments of FFS/FS (cup fillers), cartoning and repackaging machines as well as tube and bag fillers. OYSTAR aims to expand this leading position even further.
In this connection Graf made reference to “Program ONE 600”, in which OYSTAR formulated its strategic goals up to the year 2015. This concept provides for an increase in sales, in particular through newly developed machines. OYSTAR already plans to present a whole series of new developments at the forthcoming interpack – the largest trade exhibition in the world – including several special developments for newly industrialized countries. In addition, Graf attaches great importance to development of the company’s service products and does not rule out growth through acquisitions.
For Bosch, on the other hand, the purchase of Hüttlin and Manesty represents a sensible strategic complement to its portfolio. These companies develop, manufacture and sell processing units for the pharmaceuticals industry. Hüttlin, with its principal place of business in Schopfheim, manufactures special-purpose installations for drying and granulation. Manesty, with headquarters in Knowsley (near Liverpool), specializes in tablet compressing and coating machines.
“Both companies are important components in the development of pharmaceutical process technology at Bosch,” stressed Friedbert Klefenz, chairman of the divisional board of management at Bosch Packaging Technology. “They support the strategic focus of the division by completing the upstream value adding chain.
Last year Hüttlin GmbH and Manesty generated overall sales of EUR 49 million. Hüttlin employs eighty staff in Germany, while Manesty has a workforce of 110 personnel in England. The lion’s share, or approximately seventy percent, of the sales are obtained in Europe. The companies agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The sales agreements are still subject to approval by the competent cartel authorities.
After the OYSTAR Group more than trebled its operating result in the year 2010 compared with the previous year, the company is on its way to continue its growth in 2011 as well. Orders received by the entire group in the first quarter could be increased by 36 percent compared to the previous year. The Dairy Division even recorded a growth in order intakes by almost 70 percent. Turnover figures also exceed the previous year and budget considerably. “We are confident that we will improve our operating result even further in 2011 – especially due to our strategic concentration on our core business”, said Graf. After a balanced EBIT in 2009 the OYSTAR Group had achieved an EBIT margin of 7 percent in 2010.