Kruse and Sohn Maschinenbau und Anlagentechnik AG

What Kruse and Sohn Maschinenbau und Anlagentechnik AG does

Kruse and Sohn Maschinenbau und Anlagentechnik AG (Kruse + Sohn AG) is a privately held German industrial machinery builder headquartered in Edewecht, Lower Saxony, founded in 1977 by Alfred and Heino Kruse and restructured into an Aktiengesellschaft in 2009 with Dr. Stephan Siemer as Supervisory Board Chairman. The company designs and manufactures modular conveying, packaging, cartoning, and palletizing systems, with a domain focus on handling primary packaged food products under stringent hygiene regimes. Its offering includes hygiene conveyors (Type A and Type B, FDA-compliant), belt/modular belt/roller/telescopic conveyors, carton erectors and sealers, bag insertion systems, pick-and-place collective packers, robotic palletizing cells built around KUKA and Stäubli robots, and specialized autoclave loading systems, alongside custom Sondermaschinenbau for bespoke applications.

The technology stack combines in-house mechanical engineering (since 1988), proprietary controls and visualization software, and certified integration partnerships with KUKA (Official KUKA System Partner since 2023) and Stäubli. The architecture is deliberately modular — pre-engineered building blocks configurable to specific production-line requirements — and supports turn-key delivery from planning through commissioning, including ERP/BDE integration via signal exchange and bus systems.

The business model is project-based: the majority of revenue is recognized on delivery and installation of custom equipment (one-time equipment sales), supplemented by an after-sales stream covering service contracts, spare parts, and a 24-hour hotline plus online remote support. Pricing is non-public and negotiated per project. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales led by a dedicated Vertriebsleitung (Prokurist), targeting primarily food manufacturers, with secondary coverage of non-food consumer goods. Geographic focus is Germany and continental Europe. In 2023, the company acquired ALWID GmbH in Dinklage, marking its first disclosed M&A move.

Name

Kruse and Sohn Maschinenbau und Anlagentechnik AG

Legal name

Kruse + Sohn Maschinenbau und Anlagentechnik AG

Website

https://kruseundsohn.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kruse + Sohn AG is a German industrial machinery builder founded in 1977, designing modular conveyor, packaging, and robotic palletizing systems — primarily for food manufacturers handling primary packaged goods — delivered as turn-key projects across Germany and continental Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging Machinery

NAICS

Packaging Machinery Manufacturing (333993), Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241), Conveyor and Conveying Equipment Manufacturing (333922)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Conveying, Feeding & Accumulation Systems (Packaging Lines) (IMAHAOAK), Cartoning & Case Packing Systems (IMAHAOAB), Packaging Line Automation, Robotics & Integration (Controls, Turnkey Lines) (IMALAOAL), Conveying, Feeding & Material Handling for Packaging Lines (IMALAOAG)

Keywords

• Industrial conveyor systems
• Packaging machinery
• Robotic palletizing
• Hygienic food conveying
• Special machine building

Headquarters

HQ city

Edewecht

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Machinery & Equipment Sales: Project-based sales of custom-built conveyor systems, packaging machines, palletizing cells, and autoclave loading systems. Systems are engineered to order based on customer-specific requirements. Revenue is recognized upon delivery and installation of equipment.
2. After-Sales Service & Maintenance: Ongoing service contracts, spare parts, remote support, and 24/7 hotline services for installed machinery. Service operations include maintenance, troubleshooting, and technical support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kruse + Sohn designs, engineers, manufactures, and commissions modular industrial conveyor systems, packaging machinery (carton and folding carton handling, bag insertion, pick-and-place), robotic palletizing cells, and automated autoclave loading systems, primarily for food manufacturing customers in Germany and continental Europe. The company delivers turn-key projects from planning and design through assembly, installation, robot programming, ERP integration, and 24/7 after-sales service, combining proprietary modular architecture with KUKA and Stäubli industrial robotics.

Product overview

Kruse + Sohn Maschinenbau und Anlagentechnik AG is a medium-sized traditional company offering a modular system of mechanical automation solutions organized around four core product areas: Fördertechnik (Conveyor Technology) including hygiene-compliant conveyors, belt conveyors, modular belt conveyors, roller conveyors, telescopic conveyors, and line dividers; Verpacken (Packaging) encompassing carton erectors and sealers, folding carton handlers, bag insertion systems, collective packers, and picker systems; Palettieren (Palletizing) featuring robot-controlled palletizing systems; and Autoklaven Beschickungssysteme (Autoclave Loading Systems) providing automated loading/unloading solutions. The company also offers custom Sondermaschinenbau (Special Machine Building) for bespoke solutions, plus comprehensive planning, construction, assembly, and 24/7 after-sales service. The product architecture is modular, allowing customized configurations for specific production requirements in the food industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ALWID GmbHcoreOthers · 1 January 2023Acquired by Kruse + Sohn AG in 2023. ALWID GmbH is based in Dinklage, Germany. The acquisition expanded Kruse's capabilities and market presence.
• KUKAcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1995Long-standing cooperation established in 1995 with the market leader for industrial robot automation solutions. Kruse + Sohn is an official KUKA System Partner certified in 2023. KUKA robots are integrated into Kruse's palletizing systems, with Kruse handling robot programming, tool customization (grippers, vacuum grippers, pushers), and full system integration.
• StäublicoreTechnology or IntegrationWorld-leading industrial automation and smart technology provider. Partnered with Kruse + Sohn to deliver efficient and reliable automation solutions. Stäubli's robotics and connector technology complement Kruse's custom machine building capabilities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Syntegon Technology (formerly Bosch Packaging Technology): Global provider of processing and packaging solutions for pharmaceuticals, food, and consumer goods. Overlaps with Kruse + Sohn in food packaging, cartoning, and palletizing but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple verticals.

Direct peers

• Cama Group: Italian supplier of secondary packaging machinery and robotic end-of-line solutions (case packers, cartoners, palletizers). Directly comparable in scope (cartoning, case packing, robotic palletizing) and customer overlap in food and consumer goods.
• MULTIVAC: German manufacturer of packaging solutions and processing equipment for food, medical, and consumer goods. Closely comparable to Kruse + Sohn as a turnkey provider of packaging, conveying, and labeling systems targeting food manufacturers in Europe.
• Schubert Group (Gerhard Schubert): German family-owned manufacturer of packaging machinery systems (top-load cartoners, flow-wrappers, pick-and-place robotics). Highly comparable as a Mittelstand specialist offering modular, robotic, and turnkey packaging line solutions, particularly for food and cosmetics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kruseundsohn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Kruse and Sohn Maschinenbau und Anlagentechnik AG