Barry-Wehmiller

What Barry-Wehmiller does

Barry-Wehmiller Group, Inc. is a privately held, diversified industrial manufacturer and services company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1885 as a brewing-machinery maker, the company now operates more than 100 locations in 30+ countries with a workforce of nearly 12,000, organized into seven business segments: packaging equipment, corrugating/sheeting/paper processing, converting and flexographic printing, engineering and IT consulting, bioprocessing centrifugation, leadership and culture training, and an in-house investment group (BW Forsyth Partners). Barry-Wehmiller's revenue reached $3.6 billion in 2025, up from $20 million in 1975 when Bob Chapman became senior executive, reflecting a stated 150+ acquisitions executed under his leadership and the formal transition of the CEO role to his son Kyle Chapman in 2025.

The company's technology stack centers on industrial packaging, converting, and processing machinery delivered through brands such as Accraply, BW Flexible Systems, BW Integrated Systems, Pneumatic Scale Angelus, Synerlink, PCMC, and W+D (Winkler+Dünnebier); bioprocessing is delivered via Carr Biosystems and engineering consulting via Design Group. Differentiated technical capability includes the BW Converting platform (unifying six historic brands), the recently launched TexCoat G4 textile finishing system delivering 50% reductions in water and drying energy, AI-powered troubleshooting assistants and computer vision-based defect detection embedded across product lines, and a Packaging Innovation Center in Green Bay, WI developing equipment compatible with recycled paper and new substrates. The company also operates a Global Competency Center in Chennai, India covering engineering, IT, sourcing, content management, and shared financial services.

Barry-Wehmiller earns revenue through a quote-based B2B enterprise sales model selling custom industrial equipment and engineering services to manufacturers in food processing, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods verticals, complemented by professional services revenue from Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute (serving clients such as American Airlines, Emerson, Meijer, and the San Francisco 49ers) and investment income via BW Forsyth Partners. Pricing is custom, with multi-year contracts typical for capital equipment and consulting engagements. The business is anchored by Barry-Wehmiller's "Truly Human Leadership" people-centric operating philosophy, which is both an internal cultural framework and an externally monetizable consulting practice, and is featured in Harvard Business School case studies taught at 70+ institutions.

Name

Barry-Wehmiller

Legal name

Barry-Wehmiller Group, Inc.

Website

http://www.barrywehmiller.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Barry-Wehmiller Group, Inc. is a privately held, $3.6 billion diversified industrial manufacturer and services company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, operating 100+ locations across 30+ countries and serving food processing, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, and life sciences customers through packaging, converting, paper processing, bioprocessing, and engineering consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging Machinery

NAICS

Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)

akta.pro primary industry

Foodservice/To-Go Packaging (Cups, Clamshells, Cutlery) (IMALAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB)

Keywords

• Industrial packaging equipment
• Paper processing machinery
• Converting equipment manufacturing
• Flexible packaging machinery
• Leadership training consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Equipment Manufacturing: Manufacturing and selling packaging equipment, converting machinery, corrugating, sheeting, and paper processing equipment to industrial customers
2. Leadership & Culture Training & Consulting: Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute provides leadership development, culture transformation, and consulting services to external organizations
3. Engineering & IT Consulting: Design Group provides engineering and IT consulting services through BW Integrated Systems and Design Group divisions
4. Bioprocessing Solutions: Carr Biosystems provides bioprocessing centrifugation systems for life sciences applications
5. Investment Management: BW Forsyth Partners operates as an investment group that acquires and manages portfolio companies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Barry-Wehmiller manufactures and sells industrial packaging, converting, corrugating, sheeting, and paper processing equipment for food, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, tissue, and nonwovens customers. Beyond equipment, the company provides bioprocessing centrifugation systems (Carr Biosystems), engineering and IT consulting (Design Group), leadership and culture training and consulting (Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute), and operates an in-house investment group (BW Forsyth Partners) that acquires and grows industrial businesses under its 'Truly Human Leadership' philosophy.

Product overview

Barry-Wehmiller is a multi-billion-dollar diversified industrial manufacturing and services company with a portfolio of business segments spanning packaging equipment, paper processing, converting, engineering consulting, bioprocessing, and leadership training. The company operates through multiple acquired brands and sub-brands including Accraply (labeling), BW Flexible Systems (flexible packaging), BW Integrated Systems (end-of-line packaging), Pneumatic Scale Angelus (filling/capping), Synerlink (cup/bottle filling), PCMC and W+D (converting), and BW Converting (unifying six historic converting brands). The portfolio also includes Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute for leadership development services, Design Group for engineering consulting, bioprocessing centrifugation solutions, and BW Forsyth Partners for investment activities. The company is organized around a 'Truly Human Leadership' philosophy emphasizing people-centered business practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TexCoat G4 Textile Finishing System Industrial textile finishing system that applies coatings to fabric while cutting water and energy use in half and eliminating chemical waste during color changeovers; sold to textile and converting manufacturers through BW Converting.
• Packaging Equipment & Solutions Industrial packaging equipment line spanning labeling (Accraply), flexible bag filling and palletizing (BW Flexible Systems), end-of-line packaging systems integration (BW Integrated Systems), wet and dry filling, capping, can seaming, centrifugation (Pneumatic Scale Angelus), and cup, bottle, and FFS rigid packaging (Synerlink) for food, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods manufacturers.
• Corrugating, Sheeting & Paper Processing Solutions Equipment and systems for corrugating, sheeting, and paper processing used in industrial packaging applications, including corrugated box and sheet production lines.
• Converting & Packaging of Tissue, Film & Envelopes; Flexographic Printing Converting and packaging lines for tissue, nonwovens, film, and envelopes with flexographic printing capabilities, delivered through PCMC and W+D (Winkler+Dünnebier) brands, including integrated machines for manufacturing, printing, inserting, and packaging envelopes and pockets for the mail industry.
• Engineering & IT Consulting (Design Group) Engineering and IT consulting services delivered through the Design Group brand to manufacturers across multiple industries, supporting process improvement, systems integration, and operational modernization.
• Leadership & Culture Training & Consulting (Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute) Leadership development, culture transformation, executive coaching, assessments, and 360-degree feedback services grounded in the Truly Human Leadership philosophy, sold to enterprise clients such as American Airlines, Meijer, Emerson, and the San Francisco 49ers.
• Bioprocessing Centrifugation Systems (Carr Biosystems) Centrifugation systems for bioprocessing applications including cell therapy and gene therapy development, sold to life sciences customers worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% increase in likelihood of hiring high-performing talent with pre-employment testing vs. interview-only process
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Chapman & Co. Leadership InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founded in 2015 by Bob Chapman to bring the principles of Truly Human Leadership to for-profit organizations through culture transformation and leadership training. Named Patrick Berges as CEO and Managing Partner effective March 30, 2026.
• Chapman Foundation for Caring CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Nonprofit founded by Bob and Cynthia Chapman in 2013 to bring Barry-Wehmiller's Listen Like a Leader training to communities. Part of the company's outreach mission to share Truly Human Leadership principles beyond the company.
• BW Forsyth PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment group within Barry-Wehmiller that blends the best of Barry-Wehmiller's strategic acquisition approach with private equity world to acquire and grow companies under the Truly Human Leadership philosophy.
• Conscious Capitalism (Raj Sisodia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBob Chapman co-authored 'Everybody Matters' with Raj Sisodia, founder and co-author of Conscious Capitalism. Sisodia's framework of Conscious Capitalism influenced Barry-Wehmiller's leadership philosophy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Krones AG: Global German-based leader in packaging and bottling machinery for the beverage, food, and consumer goods industries. Directly comparable as a large-scale packaging equipment OEM serving the same end markets as Barry-Wehmiller's BW Flexible Systems, Pneumatic Scale Angelus, and Synerlink divisions.
• Duravant: US-based private owner of specialized packaging and food processing equipment brands. Direct comparable as a multi-brand packaging equipment platform competing across food processing, flexible packaging, and end-of-line categories with similar acquisition-driven growth model.
• Coesia Group: Italian privately-held group of packaging and processing machinery companies serving consumer goods, pharma, and industrial markets. Direct peer given the multi-brand industrial packaging equipment structure and global enterprise customer base similar to Barry-Wehmiller.
• IMA Group: Italian global leader in packaging machinery for pharma, food, cosmetics, and personal care. Direct peer particularly in pharmaceutical and consumer goods packaging equipment categories where Barry-Wehmiller competes through Pneumatic Scale Angelus and Synerlink.
• Tetra Pak: Global leader in food processing and packaging equipment and cartons for the dairy, beverage, and food industries. Comparable as a major player in food and beverage packaging equipment with overlapping customer base in food processing, one of Barry-Wehmiller's primary verticals.
• Syntegon Technology (formerly Bosch Packaging Technology): Major global packaging machinery manufacturer spun out of Bosch, focused on pharma, food, and confectionery packaging equipment. Direct competitor across Barry-Wehmiller's pharmaceutical and food packaging equipment lines with similar product breadth and enterprise sales motion.
• ProMach: US-based private packaging machinery solutions provider offering labeling, filling, flexibles, and end-of-line equipment. Closely comparable as a multi-brand packaging equipment conglomerate competing head-to-head with Barry-Wehmiller's Accraply, BW Flexible Systems, and BW Integrated Systems brands.

Broad incumbents

• GEA Group: Large German industrial machinery group focused on food processing, dairy, and beverage equipment, plus broader process industries. Overlaps with Barry-Wehmiller's food processing and packaging equipment segment but operates at significantly larger scale with broader portfolio.
• Roper Technologies: US-listed diversified industrial technology holding company acquiring niche industrial software and equipment businesses. Comparable as a buy-and-hold industrial conglomerate model, though Roper focuses on higher-margin software and technology-enabled assets rather than heavy machinery.
• ATS Corporation: Canadian-based provider of automation solutions for manufacturing, including factory automation, life sciences, and industrial equipment. Comparable in serving industrial customers with engineering services and automation technology, including life sciences — adjacent to Barry-Wehmiller's Carr Biosystems division.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• Xx.com/barrywehmiller
• Facebookfacebook.com/barrywehmillercompanies

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barry-Wehmiller