Feldmuehle Uetersen continues to implement its successful long-term strategy
Feldmuehle Uetersen, a paper mill with a rich heritage located northwest of Hamburg, has made great progress since becoming independent in February 2015. Products from the company's segments Board Solutions, Liner Options, Labelling Applications and Flexible Packaging will be showcased at the FachPack 2015 trade fair.
Since July 2015, Feldmuehle Uetersen GmbH and Kämmerer Osnabrück GmbH are owned by FK Paper Beteiligungen GmbH and Querino GmbH. With the acquisition of both companies emerges a new, significant and long-standing market participant in the German paper industry.
The change of ownership, which includes all the shares of Feldmuehle, represents a significant step forward towards an even more sustainable and stable future for the papermaker. Dr. Christopher Höfener, Managing Director of Querino GmbH, is delighted to sustainably continue the business as a privately owned company. As a partner in the Munich-based Perusa GmbH, Dr. Höfener helped to procure and manage the business. This step was motivated by his passion for papermaking and its numerous future possibilities in packaging and in technical specialty papers. "The company will continue to implement its successful strategy. We will focus on continuity," says Höfener.
In connection with the transaction, the shareholder Dr. Klaus Freihube has now been appointed Managing Director of Feldmuehle Uetersen GmbH. With this step, the new shareholders are personally taking charge of the further development of the company and actively support the long-term growth strategy drawn up for the economy.
Uetersen's strategy is paying off: Thanks to the excellent reputation of Feldmuehle and the quality of the products, several new customers have been gained since Stora Enso gave up its ownership, and both paper machines currently have a high utilisation rate. The number of sales personnel has increased significantly, and Feldmuehle continues to expand its operations.
An exceptionally high service level, 'Made in Germany' quality, and a product portfolio fine-tuned to the expectations of the packaging and graphical industries are part of the credo of Feldmuehle Uetersen. The product portfolio includes SBS boards, liners, label papers, flexible packaging papers, technical speciality papers as well as two-side multicoated art papers.
The Board Solutions segment consists of MediaCard, an SBS board featuring an excellent high-white, bright and silky smooth surface. It is ideal for a wide range of packaging and graphical applications, including folding boxes, playing cards, shopping bags, cards and covers.
The Liner Options segment features MediaLiner, a bright-white graphical top-liner for corrugated board packaging, sales trays, displays and other lamination applications. MediaLiner's uniqueness lies in its suitability for both offset and flexography printing and its usability for pre-print and direct printing using either sheets or reels.
As a label paper producer, Feldmuehle Uetersen has for decades been the Labelling Application partner of the beverage, food and non-food industries. The company offers a broad portfolio for both returnable and non-returnable packaging containers, including LabelSet - the leading high wet strength and alkaline resistant label paper.
The Flexible Packaging segment includes the one-side coated LennoFlex, the versatile all-rounder for various flexible packaging applications, as well as LennoKraft, a white coated kraft paper for end uses such as single- and multi-wall bags and sacks.
The Technical Specialities segment consists of tailor-made solutions designed jointly with the customer for specific requests or requirements.
The Graphical Printing segment offers Exceo, a white, bright, two-side multicoated, woodfree art paper with glossy or silky surface designed specifically for the needs of publishers and printing houses.
The mill has a track record of comprehensive expertise and extensive experience. The location, within the metropolitan area of Hamburg, is ideal for flexible deliveries, even on short notice, to the core markets of Central Europe, particularly Germany, as well as overseas thanks to the excellent sea link offered by the port of Hamburg. The size and modernity of the paper machines and other equipment furthermore provide excellent capability to quickly adapt to market conditions and customer needs. It is flexibility, customer service and quality that make Feldmuehle Uetersen a reliable partner.
"The Feldmuehle strategy has a clear focus on profitable growth and innovation in all product segments," says Director Sales & Marketing Eckhard Kallies. The traditionally strong business areas of labelling and art papers have been complemented with packaging during the last few years. Thus Feldmuehle already has a significant market share in graphic liners for corrugated board, SBS board and flexible packaging papers, and its market position will be further expanded and strengthened in the future.
"The divestment from a large corporation left some hurdles that still need to be overcome. Particularly the cost pressure in raw materials requires even better and more efficient processes, but also inevitably calls for price increases in all product segments." To accomplish this, says Kallies, "We will, on the one hand, offer customer benefits through standardisation and, on the other hand, we will start invoicing special transactions and services. An extra cost will be charged for special formats and roll widths, for example, and also for 'fast deliveries'. Furthermore, we will enforce minimum purchase quantities. The implementation of these measures requires negotiations with customers, which will take place during the fourth quarter."
