The Körber Group is world-renowned for developing innovative technologies from a broad mix of global industries to make our customers even more successful.
Celebrating 75 years of market leadership through technological leadership provides the opportunity to reflect on the journey from humble beginnings to what Körber Group is today: the home for entrepreneurs.
From basement workshop to global technology group
In 1946, Kurt A. Körber founded Hauni Maschinenfabrik Körber & Co KG in a Hamburg-Bergedorf basement workshop to repair cigarette machines and manufacture hand-operated tobacco cutters. He eventually expanded into machine development, and the “MAX” filter assembler quickly became an international best seller.
World market presence compelled Körber to prioritize proximity to customers in order to better understand and serve them. To that end, he started Hauni Richmond in the U.S. state of Virginia in 1955.
Kurt Körber’s early decisions established the guiding corporate philosophies used to ultimately consolidate all Körber companies into the Körber Group in 1987.
The Körber Group has about 10,000 employees throughout 100 locations. Across business areas Digital, Pharma, Supply Chain, Tissue and Tobacco, Körber offers products, solutions and services that turn entrepreneurial thinking into customer success and shape technological change.
Same entrepreneurial spirit, different names
Continents and decades separated Kurt Körber and Fabio Perini North America (FPNA) company founder Hans Huechert, but they shared an entrepreneurial passion. Körber pursued industry diversification. Huechert concentrated on tissue manufacturing.
In 1978, Huechert and a business partner headquartered FPNA in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to sell and service the highly innovative tissue converting equipment that was being produced at the global headquarters in Lucca, Italy. The 50-mile radius surrounding Green Bay is known as the “Paper Valley,” providing access to the nation’s largest concentration of paper and tissue manufacturers.
FPNA rapidly expanded in the late 1980s. Around that same time, Kurt Körber was strategically acquiring companies in the paper processing and machine tool industries.
The two men’s visions merged in 1994. The Körber Group acquired a majority interest in the global Fabio Perini Group that encompassed the Green Bay headquarters and sites in Italy and Brazil. The acquisition is the basis of Körber Group Business Area Tissue, the only truly integrated and global provider of advanced solutions for the tissue industry.
Still the home for entrepreneurs
Today, the Fabio Perini Group is known as Körber, the result of 2020 global rebranding. Green Bay-based Körber Tissue North America is one of the hubs of the Körber Business Area Tissue and Fabio Perini, MTC and Casmatic brands.
“We’re uniquely positioned to collaborate with and support tissue manufacturers and converters of all sizes, anywhere in the world,” said Körber Tissue North America President Pete Augustine. “Our locations in the United States, Brazil, Germany, China and Italy allow Körber Tissue to tap into a variety of global trends and perspectives to find the best converting, packaging, product development and digital solutions for our customers.”
Körber Group innovation is the hallmark of solutions that are redefining the tissue industry, including:
- Warm-Up Contactless, the first patented hot embossing system to use induction heating to increase roll firmness and volume, while using less capital, energy and space.
- Casmatic Zephyrus, a modular, automated tissue products packaging solution designed to support sustainability efforts and e-commerce.
- Sam Operational Solution, virtual line supervisors that autoregulate converting lines to guarantee consistent quality, performance and waste reduction.
- Tissue Manufacturing Operations Management (TMOM), the smart digitization solution for continuous Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improvement.
“The technologies’ blend of practicality and cutting-edge advancements reflects the spirit of the Körber brand and that of our customers,” explained Augustine. “Körber is truly the home for entrepreneurs and a market leader through technology leadership.”
Körber Tissue North America has worldwide reach but also has local customer-centric offerings. A comprehensive spare parts department gives manufacturers timely access to a 4 million-plus parts inventory. Additionally, Körber technicians are available in the field and through remote technical support to install, train on, troubleshoot and repair/maintain tissue equipment.
Another example of Körber customer-focused innovation is PIVOT Solutions, a network of Pilot Lines and advanced laboratories strategically placed in Körber facilities worldwide. In Green Bay, the high-speed Perini Sincro Pilot Line allows customers to develop and prototype new ideas, test materials and product attributes, access the Körber knowledge database and/or improve existing products or processes. Similar capabilities are available in Italy and Brazil.
Customer focused, community minded
Kurt Körber was a dedicated philanthropist. The interlocking rings of the Körber logo represent the interconnectivity of the company’s business areas with social activities. They are also a tribute to The Körber Foundation, a nonprofit Kurt Körber established in 1959.
The foundation remains the sole shareholder of the Körber Group. The annual equity investment dividend is used exclusively for socially beneficial purposes such as funding the Körber European Science Prize, a 1 million euros endowment recognizing outstanding life sciences and physical sciences professionals.
Two purpose-driven events were central to all Körber 75th anniversary celebrations:
- 75 Years, 75,000€ to 75 Charities: Körber donated 1,000 euros to each of 75 projects and organizations chosen by Körber employees. Körber Business Area Tissue in Lucca and Bologna supported the Primary School of Pieve San Domenico, the Enrico Fermi Institute, the foundation of the Meyer Pediatric Hospital, Fightthestroke Foundation and WWF Italy.
- 10,000 Employees, 10,000 Trees: Körber made a valuable contribution to preserving the environment and the future of the tissue industry by collaborating with GrowMyTree to plant 10,000 trees — one for each Körber team member. Pure oxygen is added to the atmosphere, and carbon emissions are reduced by an estimated 220,000kg.
Körber Tissue North America celebrated by planting trees across the Green Bay campus. Employees were also empowered to support community-based charitable organizations.
Körber proudly acknowledges the decades of experience, innovation and commitment we’ve invested in the tissue industry and our customers. Looking to the past to inform future opportunities makes everyone stronger, together.
3060 S. Ridge Rd. • Green Bay, WI 54304 • (920) 336-5000 • Koerber-tissue.com
