From 1 November, Bosch's Sapal subsidiary will take control all of Kimanco's assets and intellectual property, including various types of machinery for packaging and labelling, the company said. Bosch did not disclose the purchace price or the terms of the agreement. Though Kimaco produces a variety of equipment for dairy products like butter and margarine, it is cheese processing that has attracted Sapal,said group general manager Jacques Ochs. "By this purchase, we are expanding our portfolio and extending our global market presence in the processed cheese segment," he stated. Through the deal, Sapal claims it will become a leading global player in the preparation, cooking, sterilisation, conditioning and packaging of processed cheese. The company expects to significantly expand its position in the mid-speed machine segment by adding the Kustner-KIMA to its portfolio of products. Additionally, in obtaining the rights to the Kustner-KF high-speed machine, Sapal says it will also enlarge its portfolio of equipment for production of individually wrapped cheese slices. Kimaco's assets include recent developments such as new high-speed filling and labelling technologies that allow for the use of alternative packaging materials like polypropylene-based OPP film, which is recyclable, Sapal said.
