What GUK does

GUK-Falzmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German Mittelstand industrial machinery manufacturer founded in 1948 and headquartered in Wellendingen, Baden-Württemberg. The company designs and produces specialized folding machines for print finishing, pharmaceutical packaging automation, and precision-turned metal components, serving industrial customers globally through approximately 150 employees and a distribution model combining direct enterprise sales with an authorized dealer (Händler) network.

The company's product platform spans four technology lines: pocket folding machines (Taschenfalzmaschinen) such as the FA 35/43 through FA 54/74/82 series, outsert and combination folding systems, pharmaceutical folding apparatus (Prospektfalzapparate) under the Cartonac and RS series, and insert feeding systems (Beilagenzuführsysteme) under the PA and PP pick-and-place series. Its wholly-owned subsidiary MB (Bauerle) extends the portfolio into fully automatic folding lines with end-to-end automation from feed to output. The Drehtechnik division produces precision-turned parts and assemblies for automotive, commercial vehicle, and automation customers in production runs ranging from 10 to 10 million pieces, certified to IATF 16949 (automotive quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental management). The company claims that nearly every medication package worldwide contains a leaflet folded or dispensed by a GUK machine, positioning itself as a world market leader in folding machine technology.

GUK generates revenue primarily through one-time capital equipment sales of folding machines, customized Sonderlösungen, and a recurring stream of accessories and spare parts such as feeders, scoring and perforating machines, height-adjustable folding units, knife folding units, transport systems, labelers, inspection/marking systems, output trays, and mailing systems. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year contract billing cadences typical of industrial capital equipment. Customer segments span the printing industry (printers, bookbinders, lettershops, internet printers producing photobooks, greeting cards, and flyers), pharmaceutical packaging (package insert folding integrated with cartonier machines), the packaging machinery industry (insert feeding systems for high-speed lines), and automotive/automation suppliers (precision-turned components). Marketing is conducted through a multilingual website, trade show participation, and active profiles on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Export share exceeds 65%, with installed equipment delivered to all continents.

Name

GUK

Legal name

GUK-Falzmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://guk-falzmaschinen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Family-owned German Mittelstand industrial machinery manufacturer specializing in folding machines for print finishing and pharmaceutical packaging, plus precision-turned metal components, serving global B2B customers on all continents since 1948.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Folding Machinery

NAICS

Packaging Machinery Manufacturing (333993), Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (33324), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Screw Machine Products (3451), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)

akta.pro primary industry

End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems (IMAHAOAN)

Keywords

• Industrial folding machines
• Pharmaceutical packaging equipment
• Precision turned parts
• Print finishing machinery
• Insert feeding systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellendingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Machinery Sales: Sale of folding machines, pharmaceutical folding apparatus, insert feeding systems, and precision turned parts. Revenue generated through one-time capital equipment sales to industrial customers.
2. Accessories and Spare Parts: Sale of accessories including feeders, scoring/perforating/cutting machines, height-adjustable folding units, knife folding units, transport systems, labelers, inspection/marking systems, output trays, and mailing systems.
3. Customized Solutions: Individual solutions and special machines (Sonderlösungen) tailored to specific customer requirements in printing, packaging, and automation industries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GUK manufactures industrial folding machines for print finishing and pharmaceutical packaging, including pocket folding machines, outsert systems, combination folding machines, pharmaceutical folding apparatus (Prospektfalzapparate), and insert feeding systems. The company also produces precision turned parts and assemblies for the automotive and automation industries, with production capacity ranging from 10 to 10 million pieces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cartonac Serie: Pharmaceutical machine series for folding and dispensing package inserts in pharmaceutical packaging
• RS Serie
• PA Serie
• PP Serie

Products and services

• Pocket Folding Machines (Taschenfalzmaschinen) Industrial machines that mechanically fold printed paper sheets, used by printers, bookbinders, and lettershops for print finishing of photobooks, greeting cards, flyers, brochures, and books. Models include FA 35/43, FA 36/45, FA 50, FA 51/FA 51 AUTO, and FA 54/74/82.
• Outsert Systems Systems for inserting materials into folded products, designed for print finishing operations. Models include FA 43 MV, FA 51/FA 51 AUTO MV, FA 53 MV 11, and FA 73 MV, plus outsert accessories.
• Combination Folding Machines (Kombifalzmaschinen) Combined folding systems that integrate multiple folding operations for high-volume print finishing. Models include K 50 and K 54/74.
• Pharmaceutical Folding Apparatus - Cartonac Series (FA 21) Pharmaceutical folding machines designed for folding and dispensing package inserts (Beipackzettel) in medication packaging, for integration with cartonier machines or stand-alone use. Models include FA 21 Cartonac 2005, 2003, 2000, 91, and stand-alone variants.
• Pharmaceutical Folding Apparatus - RS Series Prospect folding apparatus series for pharmaceutical packaging inserts, processing leaflets from roll stock to smallest final formats. Models include RS 21/880, RS 21/070, RS 42, plus roll feeders.
• Insert Feeding Systems - PA Series PA series insert feeding systems for packaging machinery, designed for integration with cartonier machines in packaging lines. Models include PA 15, PA 15 AUTOLOAD, and PA 21.
• Pick-and-Place Systems - PP Series Pick-and-place systems for the packaging industry, enabling automated placement of inserts in packaging operations.
• Precision Turned Parts (Präzisionsdrehteile) Precision-turned parts and assemblies for the metalworking industry, focused on automotive/truck supplier parts and housing parts for automation control technology. Production capacity ranges from 10 to 10 million pieces. Certified to IATF 16949 and ISO 14001.
• Folding Machine Accessories and Spare Parts Accessories for folding machines including feeders, scoring/perforating/cutting machines, height-adjustable folding units, knife folding units, transport and handover systems, labelers, inspection/marking systems, output trays, and mailing systems.
• Customized Solutions and Special Machines (Sonderlösungen) Individual solutions and special machines tailored to specific customer requirements in the printing, packaging, and automation industries.

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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MB BauerlecoreOthersSubsidiary company (Tochterunternehmen) producing fully automatic folding systems. MB Bauerle specializes in innovative products with simple operation, maximum productivity, and minimal setup times through comprehensive automation from feeding system to output.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Marchesini Group: Marchesini Group manufactures complete pharmaceutical packaging lines, including cartoniers and downstream equipment that integrate with GUK-style insert folding and feeding systems. Serves the same pharma packaging customer base.
• ACG (ACG Worldwide): ACG is a broad pharmaceutical packaging machinery and materials supplier, offering integrated lines that include insert folding and cartoniering — overlapping with GUK's Prospektfalzapparate and Beilagenzuführsysteme on pharma packaging customers.
• Bobst Group: Bobst is a leading global supplier of packaging machinery and services for folding cartons, labels, and flexible packaging. While not focused on folding machines for print finishing, it overlaps with GUK on packaging-line integration and serves similar pharmaceutical and packaging customers.
• Heidelberger Druckmaschinen: Heidelberg is a global incumbent in print finishing and post-press equipment with a much broader portfolio than GUK, but it competes in the same downstream printer/lettershop customer base and adjacent finishing equipment categories. Comparable through end-market overlap and indirect product overlap.

Direct peers

• Perfecta (Perfecta cutting machines): Perfecta manufactures cutting, creasing, and finishing machinery serving commercial printers and bookbinders — a directly overlapping customer base with GUK's print finishing folding machines and adjacent finishing equipment categories.
• Bograma: Bograma is a Swiss manufacturer of folding machines for print finishing, serving industrial printers and lettershops with comparable product offerings to GUK's Taschenfalzmaschinen line.
• MBO Group (Maschinenbau Oppenweiler Binder): MBO is one of the most direct competitors to GUK, specializing in folding machines for the print finishing and pharmaceutical packaging industries with overlapping product families (pocket folding, combination folding, pharma insert folding). Highly comparable on product, customer base (printers, lettershops, pharma packagers), and business model.
• Herzog + Heymann: Herzog + Heymann is a long-standing German folding machine manufacturer serving the same print finishing and pharmaceutical insert folding markets as GUK, with directly overlapping product types and customer segments.
• Kohmann GmbH: Kohmann is a German folding machine manufacturer serving printing and pharmaceutical packaging customers, with product overlap to GUK's folding and insert feeding lines and a similar Mittelstand profile.
• Gietz (Maschinenfabrik Gietz): Gietz is a Swiss manufacturer of folding machines for the pharmaceutical and print finishing industries, with overlapping products (insert folding, combination folding) and customer segments similar to GUK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@guk-falzmaschinen4183
• Facebookfacebook.com/GUKFalzmaschinen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guk-falzmaschinen
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/1035625788/guk-falzmaschinen-gmbh-co-kg

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about GUK