ChanGe | ChanCe

We focus on profitability: „Spotlight“ focus programme

Our ‚Spotlight‘ programme is designed to sustainably increase earnings in profitable areas and restructure unprofitable areas.
Spotlight focuses on four key areas:

Higher profits in Digital & Webfed:
The ‚D&W 2.0‘ project, led by Dr Andreas Pleßke, is a response to the particular need for action in the Digital & Webfed segment. It comprises organisational, operational and structural measures to safeguard earnings opportunities and reduce costs in the growth markets of flexible packaging, digital printing and corrugated board. The organisational measures have been implemented. Operationally, the focus is on eliminating follow-up and start-up costs for new products and streamlining structures and processes. The overall objective is to end the segment‘s loss-making situation through internal measures within a very manageable timeframe, irrespective of market expectations and sales trends.

Increased profitability in the Special segment: 
The focus is on measures to increase the profitability and earning power of the Special segment, particularly in Banknote Solutions under the leadership of Dr Stephen Kimmich. With the ‚BNSx‘ project, we are optimising the structures of operational value creation and driving forward the successful market launch of new technologies.

Streamlining of the holding company:
At Koenig & Bauer AG, the holding company, inflation-induced increases in personnel and material costs were countered by a package of efficiency measures. The rightsizing of the segments carried out as part of ‘Spotlight’ also required an adjustment to the size and structure of the holding company. 

Metal 2.0: In order to focus on key areas, we have reduced the Group-wide project portfolio. In the Metal 2.0 project, in addition to the personnel and material cost adjustments already agreed, the Executive Board decided to discontinue the CS-MetalCan project for two-piece beverage can printing.

For the „Spotlight“ focus programme, non-operating special items of €50.4m were incurred in the 2024 financial year, which burden the Group EBIT but at the same time lay the foundation for profitable growth in the coming years. These mainly include costs for fixed asset and personnel adjustments, and involved around 300 FTEs. For 2024, there was a positive EBIT effect, mainly from personnel support measures, which exceeded the expected upper limit of €20m. As part of the final implementation of all measures, further expenses in the low single-digit m range are expected in the first half of 2025 to complete the project and drive sustainable earnings growth in the Group. For 2025, we anticipate gross savings of €40m to €50m, and for 2026, €60m to €70m.