The Mannesmann Plastics Machinery group (mpm, Munich / Germany; www.mpm-group.com) is undergoing a radical reorganisation following last year´s takeover by Madison Capital Partners (Chicago, Illinois / USA; www.madisoncapitalpartners.net) – see Plasteurope.com Web of 21.07.2006.

The plan foresees linking extrusion specialist Berstorff (Hanover / Germany; www.berstorff.com) and the more diversified Krauss-Maffei (KM, Munich / Germany; www.krauss-maffei.de) into a "new" Krauss-Maffei, which will swallow the current mpm holding and function as the new holding. Swiss injection machinery manufacturer Netstal (Näfels / Switzerland; www.netstal.com) will be an operating subsidiary. According to Richard C. Osborne, chairman of the mpm managing board since July 2006, the integrated, flat organisation "will enable us to respond more quickly and efficiently to our customers."

Injection moulding machinery manufacturer Demag Plastics Group (DPG, Schwaig / Germany; www.dpg.com) will be managed separately by Madison. This, Osborne said, will allow the company, with its "unique product portfolio," to focus on its individual strengths and leverage its capabilities and at the same time "further focus the new Krauss-Maffei´s business." The machinery group´s new shareholder did not say whether the separate status means DPG it is up for sale. However, the phrasing of its announcement – differing in the German and English versions – could sound like a sales prospectus to some.

In the German statement, Osborne said "DPG is very well positioned internationally," is one of the "leading players in Europe," and offers "excellent manufacturing technology for small and medium-sized machinery as well as all-electric injection moulding machinery." Separately, DPG asserted that the "newly gained freedom will offer us more opportunities to develop our strengths in the global markets and to acquire new customers."

With the new organisation in place, Osborne will hand over the chairmanship of the holding´s managing board to Dietmar Straub on 1 April 2007 and will become head of the supervisory board. The 52-year-old Straub previously has held senior management positions at Mannnesmann group subsidiaries Rexroth and Siemens Dematic. Most recently, he served on the managing board of brake systems manufacturer Knorr Bremse. The three other mpm managing board members, Henning Scheele, Otto Urbanek and Peter Sassenfeld, will continue in their present positions.