The Saueressig Packaging and Saueressig Surfaces divisions have been carved out of the Matthews International Group as part of a management buyout (MBO). With the newly established Saueressig Group GmbH, management is focusing on entrepreneurial independence, operational continuity, and targeted international development.
Effective December 16, 2025, Markus Pennekamp and the existing management team have acquired the Saueressig Packaging and Saueressig Surfaces divisions through a management buyout. The newly founded Saueressig Group GmbH acts as the holding company, consolidating the group’s international activities across locations in Europe and Asia. Operational activities will continue unchanged from the company’s headquarters in Vreden.
With the change in ownership, management is pursuing a clear strategic agenda: long-term stability, close customer relationships, and the consistent development of the company’s service and technology portfolio. “The MBO is a deliberate commitment to entrepreneurial responsibility, continuity, and sustainable growth,” explains Managing Director Markus Pennekamp. “Our structures, processes, and points of contact remain unchanged—while at the same time we gain new entrepreneurial flexibility.”
The management buyout is financially supported by regional investors and network partners with a focus on sustainable investment models. Employees also participated in the financing. According to the company, this broad capital base made a significant contribution to the successful completion of the transaction.
Strategic Realignment with Historical Continuity
The Packaging and Surfaces divisions have long been closely associated with the Saueressig brand. Since the acquisition by the U.S.-based Matthews International Corporation in 2008, the group has undergone targeted strategic expansion. During this period, Ungricht GmbH + Co. KG (2017) and AKG Ahler Gravuren GmbH (2022) were also integrated into the group.
Through the management buyout, these entities are now brought together under the umbrella of the Saueressig Group. The objective is to build an independently operating, internationally oriented corporate group with a clear technological positioning in engraving, embossing, prepress, and surface finishing technologies.
For customers and business partners, there will be no operational changes. Products, services, and contacts remain unchanged. At the same time, the new ownership structure creates additional scope for investment in digitalization, technology development, and cross-location collaboration.
The Saueressig Group employs approximately 790 people worldwide. The group includes its headquarters in Vreden with Saueressig Vreden GmbH and AKG Ahler Gravuren GmbH, Ungricht GmbH + Co. KG in Mönchengladbach, locations in Poznań and Warsaw, and the production site in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Saueressig Group at a Glance
The Saueressig Group is an internationally active technology partner for engraving, embossing, prepress, and surface finishing solutions. With more than 100 years of experience and state-of-the-art production facilities in Europe and Asia, the company develops highly precise embossing, printing, and coating rollers for demanding industrial applications.
