Kautex Maschinenbau (D-53229 Bonn; www.kautex-group.com) expects sales for 2004 to move back up to the 2003 level of EUR 45m. With projected earnings of just under EUR 1m, the company should be in the black again after many years of losses, CEO Bernhard Berger said at a press conference during K 2004 (www.k-online.de). At the meeting, Berger explained that the insolvency of SIG Blowtec (D-53842 Troisdorf; www.sigblowtec.de), another subsidiary of its former parent company SIG Holding (CH-8212 Neuhausen; www.sig.biz), has had no effect on Kautex, which continues to operate independently under the ownership of German private equity investment group Adcuram (D-80333 München; www.adcuram.de).

Kautex and SIG Blowtec, both blow-moulding machinery manufacturers, were to sold to the investment group in April, and two months later Blowtec went into receivership. But Adcuram is firmly committed to Kautex, as is clear from its long-term plans, Berger said. A first step in rebuilding the company will be the reintroduction of the packaging machinery lines removed by SIG from the Kautex range two years ago. Berger said the machinery manufacturer has identified a clear need among its customers for replacement investment. Customer service also is to be expanded. Other plans to secure the company´s viability include expansion on the Chinese market, where Kautex will concentrate initially on its vertical manufacturing range and quality management. Berger declined to disclose the planned investment volume in China when asked by PIE.