Gerhard Schubert reports business growth despite challenging market conditions

25 Jun 2024 --- Gerhard Schubert registered an overall revenue of €320 million (US$343 million) and an increase in turnover of more than 9% in 2023.

As part of its Mission Blue Sustainability Initiative, the company is now focusing on the R&D of environmentally friendly packaging technologies. The largest investment in recent years has been the completion of the new building complex at its headquarters — a project for climate protection and workplace design. 

“Our Vision 2050 and Mission Blue initiatives are the right forward-looking strategies for Schubert. We have defied the trend and achieved a very good annual result. It’s a team effort we can be proud of,” says Marcel Kiessling, managing director for Sales and Service at Gerhard Schubert. 

Schubert is maintaining its leading role in the packaging industry, registering steady growth for the thirteenth year. The Schubert Group has also continued its growth trend with an estimated overall performance of €400 million (US$429 million).

Despite a shortage of skilled labor, the company says it succeeded in increasing its core workforce and, with the help of increased productivity, successfully processed 2023’s high order volume. 

The packaging specialist discloses that orders have been booked until 2025. 

Technological advancements 
Ralf Schubert, managing partner and head of Technology, reports: “This year, we will continue to invest in digitalization and the expansion of our existing product portfolio.” 

“Our key future technologies include the resource-saving TLM Comfort Feeder in conjunction with the A3 carton erector for feeding cardboard blanks, as well as the Dotlock technology for creating strong joints in cardboard packaging without using hot glue.” 

The group is also expanding its Schubert Motion technology to other robot units to optimize path planning, the production-ready tog.519 collaborative robot and the 4YOUconnect service platform. 

Research activities in the field of robot technology will be further intensified to support the company’s future activities in AI projects in robotics and image processing. Work on the new TLM 7 machine generation is also progressing. 

Additional success factors in the company’s current business development profile are establishing industrial on-demand 3D printing processes for additive manufacturing and the systematic further development of sustainable packaging solutions with the Schubert Packaging Perspectives services.

High vertical integration, increased capacities
Schubert has an in-house production rate of 53%. Peter Gabriel, managing director for Finance and Supply Chain, says: “With Schubert Fertigungstechnik, which produces mechanical components and assemblies made of aluminum or using the 3 D printing process, and Schubert System Elektronik, which develops and supplies electronic components, we are covering important areas of our production in-house — and making them less dependent on global supply chains.” 

The manufacturer also benefits from short transport routes, as both subsidiaries are located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. On average, some 140 packaging machines are built and delivered annually at the main site in Crailsheim — almost two-thirds of these are for the food industry (39%) and the confectionery industry (25%). 

A further 17% goes to pet food manufacturers. Schubert machines also pack beverages, cosmetics, cleaning agents and pharmaceutical products.

“With our Mission Blue Sustainability Initiative, we have set ambitious environmental protection targets. We are delighted that we have come a step closer to achieving these goals with the new buildings,” adds Gerald Schubert, a shareholder of the Schubert Group and managing director of Schubert Business Development.