Packaging machine manufacturer Schubert defies market conditions and asserts its leading position in the packaging world. The family-operated company shared its Vision 2050 and Mission Blue with over 100 customers at the Schubert Days 2024. The 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.
Despite the adverse market conditions in the mechanical engineering sector, Gerhard Schubert GmbH achieved remarkable growth in 2023. With an overall performance of € 320 m and an increase in turnover of more than 9%, the German packaging machine manufacturer is proving to be extremely resilient. As part of its ”Mission Blue” Sustainability Initiative, the company is now focusing even more strongly on the research and development of environmentally friendly packaging technologies. The largest investment in recent years has been the completion of the new building complex at its headquarters – a showcase project not only in terms of climate protection, but also in terms of workplace design, according to the company.
Ralf Schubert, Managing Partner and Head of Technology, reports: “This year, we will continue to invest in digitalisation 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.” Also on this list are the expansion of Schubert Motion technology to other robot units to optimise 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 in order to secure the company’s future viability through 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 the establishment of industrial on-demand 3D printing processes for additive manufacturing as well as the systematic further development of sustainable packaging solutions with the Schubert Packaging Perspectives services.
“Our Vision 2050 and Mission Blue initiatives are without a doubt 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,” said Marcel Kiessling, Managing Director Sales and Service at Gerhard Schubert GmbH. “Schubert is clearly maintaining its leading role in the packaging industry – with steady growth for the thirteenth year in a row, even under very difficult market conditions.“
The Schubert Group has also continued its growth trend with an estimated overall performance of € 400 m. The Group now has around 1,700 employees, of whom some 1,200 work for Gerhard Schubert GmbH in Crailsheim. Despite a shortage of skilled labour, the company succeeded in increasing its core workforce and, with the help of increased productivity, successfully processed 2023’s high order volume. Production and assembly capacities have also been fully utilised so far this year and the order books are full until 2025. “This is an extremely favourable starting position for innovative product developments, especially as the budget for research and development in 2024 is once again the largest single budget, representing 9% of overall performance,“ added Kiessling.
On average, some 140 packaging machines are built and delivered every year at the main site in Crailsheim – almost two thirds of these are for the food industry alone, including baked goods industry (39%) and the confectionery industry (25%). A further 17% go to manufacturers of pet food. Schubert machines are also used to pack beverages, cosmetics, cleaning agents, and pharmaceutical products.
With the completion of the new assembly hall and office complex at the main site, Schubert has once again significantly expanded its production capacity. On a total area of 13,000 square metres, 30% more space has been created for final assembly, as well as workspaces for 300 employees. The design and assembly areas are now located even more closely together, which fosters direct feedback, creative technological advances and the ongoing development of energy-saving machine components.
The state-of-the-art working environment also supports the company’s long-term goal of becoming one of Germany’s best employers and therefore attracting sufficient skilled labour in the long term. The new buildings’ energy concept also has a positive impact on sustainability: Equipped with one of the largest ice storage systems in the world, heat pump technology and photovoltaics on the roof, the buildings are operated 100 % climate-neutrally in accordance with Scope 1 and 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
“Schubert builds the best packaging machines in the world. The company founder and visionary Gerhard Schubert’s ambitious goal still holds true for us today – but no longer exclusively,” explained the Managing Partner. ”We aim to continue reshaping the world of packaging and to accompany our customers into the future. To enable future generations to live in an intact environment, in peace, health and prosperity, we have to ensure that we do so in an environmentally friendly manner.”
Ralf Schubert highlights that further investments are also being made in Germany: “Our goal of building cost-effective machines and systems of the highest quality for our customers requires continuous investment in effective production and assembly methods, which we are constantly reviewing and improving. With this in mind, we have kept the investment budget for 2024 at the same high level as the previous year.” Even if the market as a whole has not yet shown a positive turnaround, Schubert will no doubt know how to exploit the opportunities arising from the trends of digitalisation, automation and sustainability in the future.
