Dave Savastano, Editor07.31.15
hubergroup
MHM Holding GmbH
Feldkirchenerstrasse 15
85551 Kirchheim Heimstetten
Germany
Phone: +49-89-9003-0
Fax: +49-89-9003-222
www.hubergroup.com
Sales: $1.02 billion (€835 million).
Major Products: Sheetfed, coldset and heatset offset inks; solvent-based gravure inks for packaging; water- and solvent-based flexo inks for packaging; UV offset and flexo inks; security inks; screen inks; fountain solutions, varnishes and transfer inks.
Key Personnel: Ursula Borgmann, chairman, R&D, Technology; Ashwani Bhardwaj, management, Asia and North America; Heiner Klokkers, management, Europe and South America; Michael Geiger, CFO.
Number of Employees: 3,600 worldwide.
Comments: hubergroup had a good year in 2014, with sales in terms of euros increasing 2.9% to €835 million ($1.015 billion).
hubergroup has more that 40 regionally operating ink manufacturing companies, including Michael Huber München, Micro Inks, Hostmann-Steinberg, Gleitsmann, Stehlin Hostag and Tipolit. In order to strengthen its global brand, the company is consolidating its subsidiaries under the hubergroup name.
“The two German companies, Michael Huber München GmbH and Hostmann-Steinberg GmbH, have merged into hubergroup Deutschland GmbH,” said Robert Doerffel, corporate communications Europe for hubergroup. “Many other companies have changed their name to hubergroup, strengthening the brand’s appearance. Along with that, structures are being adapted to meet the general challenges.”
This was also the case in North America, where the Hostmann-Steinberg name was changed to hubergroup USA and hubergroup Canada Limited Inc.
The packaging ink field is continuing to do well for hubergroup, while the publication field is struggling.
“We continue to invest especially in our liquid inks and our UV inks sectors, plus the connected and adequate investments in personnel,” Doerffel said. He added that hubergroup has launched a special UV ink series, as well as introducing its Gecko gravure ink series into the Asia-Pacific region.
“Print media is still shrinking, impacting all ink makers,” Doerffel added. “Continuous structural adjustments are part of a regular process irrespective of regions and markets. Business development focuses on strong countries and product types with growth potential.”
While raw material prices stabilized during 2014, albeit at a high level, European ink manufacturers found themselves with the added challenge of battling the declining value of the euro compared to the dollar.
“The loss of value of the euro compared to the USD was problematic for European ink makers,” Doerffel noted. “Raw material alternatives and strategies for purchasing synergies helped to limit the impact.”
MHM Holding GmbH
Feldkirchenerstrasse 15
85551 Kirchheim Heimstetten
Germany
Phone: +49-89-9003-0
Fax: +49-89-9003-222
www.hubergroup.com
Sales: $1.02 billion (€835 million).
Major Products: Sheetfed, coldset and heatset offset inks; solvent-based gravure inks for packaging; water- and solvent-based flexo inks for packaging; UV offset and flexo inks; security inks; screen inks; fountain solutions, varnishes and transfer inks.
Key Personnel: Ursula Borgmann, chairman, R&D, Technology; Ashwani Bhardwaj, management, Asia and North America; Heiner Klokkers, management, Europe and South America; Michael Geiger, CFO.
Number of Employees: 3,600 worldwide.
Comments: hubergroup had a good year in 2014, with sales in terms of euros increasing 2.9% to €835 million ($1.015 billion).
hubergroup has more that 40 regionally operating ink manufacturing companies, including Michael Huber München, Micro Inks, Hostmann-Steinberg, Gleitsmann, Stehlin Hostag and Tipolit. In order to strengthen its global brand, the company is consolidating its subsidiaries under the hubergroup name.
“The two German companies, Michael Huber München GmbH and Hostmann-Steinberg GmbH, have merged into hubergroup Deutschland GmbH,” said Robert Doerffel, corporate communications Europe for hubergroup. “Many other companies have changed their name to hubergroup, strengthening the brand’s appearance. Along with that, structures are being adapted to meet the general challenges.”
This was also the case in North America, where the Hostmann-Steinberg name was changed to hubergroup USA and hubergroup Canada Limited Inc.
The packaging ink field is continuing to do well for hubergroup, while the publication field is struggling.
“We continue to invest especially in our liquid inks and our UV inks sectors, plus the connected and adequate investments in personnel,” Doerffel said. He added that hubergroup has launched a special UV ink series, as well as introducing its Gecko gravure ink series into the Asia-Pacific region.
“Print media is still shrinking, impacting all ink makers,” Doerffel added. “Continuous structural adjustments are part of a regular process irrespective of regions and markets. Business development focuses on strong countries and product types with growth potential.”
While raw material prices stabilized during 2014, albeit at a high level, European ink manufacturers found themselves with the added challenge of battling the declining value of the euro compared to the dollar.
“The loss of value of the euro compared to the USD was problematic for European ink makers,” Doerffel noted. “Raw material alternatives and strategies for purchasing synergies helped to limit the impact.”