History of Koenig & Bauer

Friedrich Koenig’s cylinder printing press prints the “The Times” in London – the first newspaper in history to be printed on a steam-driven machine. In a sense, it was us that heralded the start of the media age. This pioneering spirit has characterised Koenig & Bauer ever since and continues to yield new innovations.

Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Bauer establish Schnellpressenfabrik Koenig & Bauer in a secularised monastery in Oberzell near Würzburg, with the official founding contract being signed on the 9th of August 1817. Over the following decades and centuries, the company achieves considerable success with its high product quality and countless innovations. The entry into webfed press manufacture later lays the foundations for today’s Koenig & Bauer Digital & Webfed.

Koenig & Bauer establishes a sickness benefit fund to offer its employees a safeguard against the risks of poor health – decades before the introduction of Germany's social health insurance system in 1883. 

Andreas Albert, a former craftsman at Koenig & Bauer, and Andreas Hamm found Schnellpressenfabrik Albert & Hamm in Frankenthal. Later renamed Albert-Frankenthal, the company became part of Koenig & Bauer again in 1990.

Koenig & Bauer establishes its own vocational training school – the first of its kind in the world – to educate and train the future generations of skilled employees.

Even today, operating a company-owned vocational school is one of Koenig & Bauer's unique characteristics.

Founding of Druckmaschinenfabrik Mailänder, whose innovations and technologies are instrumental in the development of metal decorating and culminate in 2006 with its acquisition by Koenig & Bauer subsidiary Bauer + Kunzi to form Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint.

Dresdner Schnellpressenfabrik is established in Radebeul and earns acclaim in the 1930s with the development of its Planeta printing presses. In 1991, the company becomes a subsidiary of Koenig & Bauer and is today – as Koenig & Bauer Sheetfed – the group’s largest business unit.

Koenig & Bauer moves from the Oberzell monestary across the river Main to a newly built 80,000 m² factory. To this day, the headquarters of Koenig & Bauer are located here.

Koenig & Bauer operates as a public limited company (AG) for the first time.

Founding of Durst AG, with an initial focus on photographic equipment. The joint venture Koenig & Bauer Durst established in 2019 paves the way for the joint development and marketing of single-pass digital printing systems for the folding carton and corrugated board industries.

Founding of die-cutter manufacturer Iberica. The company is integrated into Koenig & Bauer AG as a wholly owned subsidiary in 2016, expanding the machine portfolio to include mediumand large-format flat-bed die-cutters for carton and corrugated board packaging.

A partnership agreement on the production of security presses with the Giori Organisation in Lausanne, Switzerland, yields the Koebau-Giori-Intagliocolor, the first multicolour intaglio press for banknote printing.

Founding of Kammann Maschinenbau GmbH, originally with a focus on glass packaging for medical and pharmaceutical products. The world market leader for direct decoration on glass has been a member of the Koenig & Bauer group since 2013.

The foundation stone is laid for what would later become Grafitec in Dobruška. Full acquisition of the Czech printing press manufacturer is finalised in 2005.

At drupa, Koenig & Bauer unveils the first sheetfed offset printing press bearing the “Rapida” name – a name that will be synonymous with world-class sheetfed offset technology for many decades.

Founding of Metronic in Veitshöchheim, with a focus on UV offset systems for electronic data carriers and on coding devices. In 2004, Koenig & Bauer acquires a majority stake in the company, which has operated as Koenig & Bauer Coding since 2018 and makes particular advances as a supplier of digital solutions for the printing industry.

Celmacch Group S.r.l. is established and very quickly emerges as a leading manufacturer of high-resolution flexo printing presses and rotary die-cutting machines for the processing of corrugated board. Since 2022, the potential bundled in Koenig & Bauer Celmacch has been driving innovation and the development of a joint portfolio of machines covering all price and performance classes.

Founding of Flexotecnica S.p.A. in Italy, as a specialist for the printing of flexible packaging. In 2013, acquisition of the company enables Koenig & Bauer to broaden its portfolio in this growing market segment.

The company Duran is established to develop and manufacture folding and gluing machines. With acquisition of the company in 2018, Koenig & Bauer integrates a further process step into its post-press portfolio.

Acquisition of De La Rue Giori S.A., which secures Koenig & Bauer’s definitive market supremacy in the field of banknote printing.

Koenig & Bauer celebrates another major milestone: its 200th anniversary. The festive activities in Würzburg are complemented with the inauguration of the newly built Customer Technology Center.

Back to the roots: Koenig & Bauer retires the “KBA” brand and conducts a full brand relaunch, returning to the traditional brand name “Koenig & Bauer”.

Koenig & Bauer Coding presents the AI technology “Kyana” for digital production support.

With its new strategy “Exceeding Print”, Koenig & Bauer embraces the megatrends digitalisation, sustainability and modularity.

Not only one but two Koenig & Bauer locations celebrate major anniversaries: 125 years in Radebeul, Germany and 175 years in Mödling, Austria.