Koenig & Bauer|Celmacch: From Local Roots To Global Reach BY ASHLEY PRAZYCH & LEN PRAZYCH About 130 kilometers (80 miles) east of Milan, in Desenza- no del Garda, Italy, Koenig & Bauer|Celmacch’s production floor reflects a company in constant motion. Machines are in various stages of assembly, with several large-format lines taking shape at once—some destined for long-stand- ing European customers, others bound for the U.S. That broad reach marks a new chapter for the fami- ly-owned manufacturer of high-quality flexo printing and rotary die cutting machinery. Over nearly four decades, the company has built its position through steady growth and close customer relationships. Since formalizing its partnership with Koenig & Bauer in 2022, the company is extending that foundation into new markets, supported by a global network while maintaining the structure and mind- set that defined its early years.
From there, development followed the direction of the market. Rotary die cutting was added. Print capability im- proved. The machines moved further into the high-graph- ics segment, where expectations around quality and consistency were rising quickly. By the time Luca Celotti joined the business about 15 years ago, the company had already established itself as a manufacturer with a defined position in Europe. His background was different from his father’s—busi- ness and marketing rather than mechanical engineering— but the focus was consistent. “The company was already producing machines,” he says. “We worked to improve the structure, make investments, and develop further.” Through all of it, Koenig & Bauer|Celmacch has re- mained a family-owned company. The Celotti family still holds the majority stake, and that shows up in how the business operates. Decisions tend to be direct. There’s less layering than you’d find in a larger corporate struc- ture. Customers, particularly independents, tend to notice and appreciate that. Partnering For Growth At the same time, that independence came with some limitations. Expanding beyond Europe required more than just a good machine. It took people, infrastructure, and the ability to support customers locally—especially in markets like the United States. “We were in the position to cover Europe really well, but we wanted to jump into the interna- tional market beyond Europe,” Rodolfo says. “We decided that to make this happen, we needed to have a partner. That’s where Koenig & Bauer came in.” From Celmacch’s side, the need was clear: broader commercial reach and service capability. From Koenig & Bauer’s perspective, the partnership would offer an ‘in’ to a new market. The company has deep experience in off- set and post-press equipment but had limited presence in corrugated. Building that capability internally would have taken time, and joining forces offered a faster path. The partnership agreement, signed in 2022, gave Koenig & Bauer a 49 percent stake in Celmacch, with Luca Celotti retaining 51 percent. It’s a structure that reflects a shared interest without fully absorbing one into the other. There’s a small board of three people for coordination on product development and strategy, but the company continues to operate with a fair amount of independence. “It’s important for us to keep our identity,” says Luca. “At the same time, we can rely on the support of an organiza- tion with global reach and resources.” Coming To America This dynamic has proven successful so far. One of the more visible examples is Koenig & Bauer|Celmacch’s entry into the United States, where its first installation was with Morrisette Packaging in Greensboro, North Carolina. It’s a meaningful step, not just because of the sale itself, but because it represents a foothold in a market that’s difficult to enter without local support. “Thanks to Koenig & Bauer, we’ve been able to reach new customers,” says Rodolfo. CONTINUED ON PAGE 44
“We started out as a service company,” says Rodolfo Celotti, majority owner and managing director at Koenig & Bauer|Celmacch. “Just a few people, refurbishing sec- ond-hand corrugated equipment, primarily machines built by Bobst. We grew steadily from there, building trust with our existing customers and adding new ones.” Northern Italy gave the growing company a natural ad- vantage. The region around Milan has long been dense with mechanical and engineering expertise, and the Celot- ti’s—Rodolfo’s son Luca Celotti is the company’s General Manager—leaned into that from the start, working with lo- cal suppliers, keeping relationships tight, and building ma- chines in an environment where precision manufacturing is the norm, not the exception. The shift toward manufacturing was gradual. In 1996, Celmacch produced its first flexo printer under its own name. By today’s standards, it was a straightforward ma- chine, but it marked a clear step beyond refurbishment. A few years later, in 2003, the company introduced its Hyperline concept, a fixed-unit flexo printer designed to reduce setup time and improve efficiency. That machine, more than the first, pointed to where Celmacch intended to compete. Rodolfo Celotti, right, and his son, Luca Celotti, are the driving forces managing the success of Koenig & Bauer|Celmacch.
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April 13, 2026
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