Invisible to the human eye, silent and uninvited, but with massive and, to date, still incalculable consequences for the affected patients, for public health systems and for global trade, COVID-19 is also impacting the industry we all work in. The protection of all employees is our utmost priority, yet at the same time, maintaining our delivery capabilities, service readiness and spare parts supplies is of crucial importance! A task force comprising supervisory board members, managing directors and departmental managers has been set up to continuously coordinate, monitor and, where necessary, adapt measures to safeguard these activities. We can assure you, our customers, that we are doing everything we can to cater to your needs in the best way possible in these exceptional times. Many of our customers are suppliers to the food, pharmaceuticals and beverage industries, whose packaging and packaging materials have been classified as “critical and systemrelevant” by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). This also includes the corresponding supplier industries. Our company is fully aware of its responsibility. Working to the best of our ability to keep your production running provides us with additional motivation. To provide the Koenig & Bauer Group with more support, the supervisory board has appointed two new board members with effect from 15th April 2020: Mr Michael Ulverich as COO with a remit covering materials management, production and logistics, and Dr Stephen Kimmich as CFO. Dr Kimmich succeeds Dr Mathias Dähn, who has left the company in consensus with the supervisory board. We were all eagerly anticipating drupa 2020, with all our new products, solutions and a window to the future. It was with full respect and understanding that exhibitors and customers agreed to the firstever postponement of our flagshiptrade fair since it was established in 1951. However, we are convinced that you will also have good reason to come and see Koenig & Bauer in Düsseldorf on the new dates between 20th and 30th April 2021. The impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the postponement of drupa may be delaying a few of the surprises which Koenig & Bauer had in store, but none are being abandoned forever! The newly developed VariJET 106, the award-winning and uniform design for our full product portfolio, the planned open house at the Klingele company in Delmenhorst (the first user of the CorruCUT), the latest RotaJET for TetraPak in the USA, or further developments in the field of fltbed die-cutting – we promise to remain as active as ever, and hope that you all stay healthy!

Yours,

Claus Bolza-Schünemann