Krones AG has put together an action package designed to upgrade the competitiveness of its Kosme subsidiary.
Kosme offers filling and packaging machines for the lower output range, with production facilities in Roverbella (Italy) and Sollenau (Austria).
The action package relates solely to the facility in Roverbella.
Kosme Italy began negotiations with the trade unions on 7 July 2014.
Once these have been concluded, the company will be publishing details of the action agreed.
Krones says this corporate refocus is to secure the long-term future of the facility in Roverbella.
In order to achieve this, Kosme’s product portfolio has to be optimized, and the capacities right sized so as to ensure that Kosme can operate with sustained profitability.
For this purpose, Kosme will in future be concentrating once again on its core competences in the fields of filling and labelling technologies and will discontinue its operations for packing and palletizing technologies.
The associated reduction in headcount is part of the ongoing negotiations with the trade unions.
Krones says it will be making every effort to ensure that this painful but unavoidable action is handled with the minimum social impact on those involved.
Nothing will change in terms of Krones’ strategic focus, in which Kosme and the plant in Italy play an important role.
Kosme will continue to offer on all markets its core products of fillers and labelers, plus complete lines supplemented with original equipment manufacturing products.
