In July, a group of regional sales managers, including myself, made our first trip to the Kolbus factory in Rahden, Germany. We went through extensive equipment training in the Blue Saloon, Kolbus’ renowned demo room, and we also toured the assembly portion of the facility as machines were being constructed. One of my most unforgettable experiences was a visit to the Kolbus foundry where metals are melted to liquid, and then poured into molds to solidify for casting.
Arguably one of the most important visits we made was to printers and binderies who use Kolbus equipment. The plants were busy, and there was no apprehension or concern regarding the Muller Martini acquisition. Both management and operators were happy to let us witness these machines in actual production, and they were proud of their performance and output.
I think our entire customer base, both old and new, would agree that Muller Martini’s portfolio is even more robust than before, and that brand loyalty for both technologies is extremely high. And, it’s that dedication to brand which allows me to form new relationships with U.S. companies that utilize Kolbus machines.
Now that we are one company, it’s a lot easier for all customers to speak openly about their equipment and their specific business challenges. I’m not only happy to champion these two highly respected and valued product lines, but to continue to provide our customers with a superior experience in terms of innovation, engineering, and service.