Ultrareel – High flexibility for wrap-around labelling

Krones plans to reorganize its Compact Class business unit

In light of the ongoing transformation in the beverage and liquid food industry, as well as increasing demands for sustainable, competitive, and efficient products, Krones is realigning its profitable growth strategy in the Compact Class business unit. This unit brings together Krones’ solutions for filling and packaging in the low to medium output range for beverages, wine and spirits, food, dairy products, as well as applications in the home and personal care sector and pharmaceuticals.

The Compact Class consists of four different subsidiaries: KOSME Italy, KOSME Austria, the sales and service company KOSME FBA (responsible for the markets in France and Belgium), which have been fully integrated into the Krones Group since 2009, and the labelling machine specialist Gernep, which was acquired in 2015. These entities will now be brought together under one roof – the new KOSME organisation.

The starting point for this integration was the joint development of a new labeling machine generation called Flectra  over the course of the last 12 months, which uniquely combines the expertise of both Kosme and Gernep: compact, flexible, and intuitive. The machine will be showcased and offered for sale for the first time live at this year’s drinktec in Munich (starting September 15, 2025).

The newly formed organization will be even more flexible in responding to customer needs, positioning itself as a strong unit in the face of competition, and strategically tapping into new markets and industries – both nationally and internationally. As part of this realignment, a completely new brand identity will also be developed in 2026.