Big organizational changes for K-M, Berstorff, and Demag

In a bid to simplify its own internal reporting and expand its sales of extruders, the mpm group, the Munich, Germany-holding company for processing machinery manufacturers Berstorff, Demag Plastics Group (DPG), Krauss-Maffei, and Netstal, is making substantial organizational changes that will include merging Berstoff and the holding company into Krauss-Maffei, naming Netstal a Krauss-Maffei subsidiary, and having owner Madison Capital Partners (Chicago) manage DPG as a separate business. Madison acquired mpm last summer.

Jörg Hettmann, spokesman for mpm, explains, “We think we can realize more in our extrusion business with this (new) structure.” Berstorff is best known as a manufacturer of compounding extruders and sheet and rubber extrusion lines; Krauss-Maffei’s extruders primarily are for pipe and profile extrusion, with only little overlap in the firms’ portfolio. Hettmann says the move is “essentially no change” for Swiss injection molding machine maker Netstal. Brand names from all of the firms remain, as do their separate manufacturing facilities. He would not speculate on Madison’s plans for DPG (Schwaig, Germany).

In addition, says Hettmann, the simplified internal reporting structure will free the firm’s employees to concentrate more on customers. He agreed that the mpm name would likely disappear. Current chairman and CEO Richard Osborne, appointed by Madison last summer, will become Chairman of the Advisory Board and be succeeded as CEO by Dietmar Straub, a 52-yr old who comes to the firm from Knorr-Bremse AG, the world’s leading manufacturer of brake systems for rail and commercial vehicles.—[email protected]