Dave Savastano, Editor11.30.15
For any family-owned company to make even 25 years is a cause for celebration. For hubergroup, the sixth-largest ink manufacturer in the world with more than a billion dollars in sales in 2014, 25 years isn’t much: the company just celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2015, remaining a family-owned company to this day.
With 40 regional ink companies and more than 150 sales offices worldwide, hubergroup is one of the world’s largest ink manufacturers. It is active in just about every ink market, and even has success in specialty areas such as security inks, where its subsidiary, Gleitsmann Security Inks GmbH, is one of the industry’s leaders. The company’s success has been driven by its dedication to quality and service.
“The hubergroup slogan ‘More than just ink’ describes hubergroup’s commitment to quality and service that goes far beyond the usual scope,” said Marion Steinhart, corporate communications Europe for hubergroup Deutschland GmbH. “Through intensive research and development work we constantly redefine quality standards. With modern production facilities and an innovative product range we supply today’s printers with tomorrow’s solutions. A lot of our products are tailor-made to satisfy every demand. Together with all companies and affiliates, the hubergroup is one of the world’s largest printing ink manufacturers.”
The History of hubergroup
hubergroup traces its roots back to 1765, when Mathias Mittermayr, a Munich resident, became interested in ink manufacturing. On Nov. 29, 1765, Mittermayr filed an application for his first patent on the production of inks: with the permission of the Electoral Court, he was allowed to manufacture and market his own Sienna laque, Parisian blue, Carmine red and yellow inks.
Mittermayr’ son-in-law, Georg Huber, took over in 1781 and was soon permitted to sell inks not just at markets, but also to traders, significantly increasing sales.
Georg Huber’s son, Michael Huber, took over the company in 1815. His contacts with Alois Senefelder, the inventor of lithography, led him to add manufacturing capacity. He formed the Michael Huber München (MHM) ink company, which he ran until 1857. In the next decades, his sons and grandsons continued the family business, expanding internationally.
The company has had its challenges. hubergroup was badly damaged during World War II, and after the war, MHM began with a workforce of between 40 and 50. Under Dr. Walter Ringer’s leadership, facilities were rebuilt, hundreds of employees were added and the company outgrew its manufacturing sites. In 1965, the capacity of the production facilities in Haidhausen had reached its limits and the company inaugurated new, modern premises in Kirchheim-Heimstetten on the occasion of its 200th anniversary.
“This relocation not only marked the transition from a ‘small’ handicraft firm to a modern, industrial enterprise, but also installed the prerequisites for further expansion plans,” Steinhart said.
Dr. Ringer was also instrumental in the company’s expansion, adding Hostmann-Steinberg in 1977. Heiner Ringer would continue the tradition, adding Stehlin Hostag UK in 2001 and Micro Inks in 2006.
“The first step towards ‘globalization’ took MHM to northern Germany and culminated with the acquisition of Hostmann-Steinberg in Celle, which at that time was twice the size of Huber itself, and which had a sister company in Canada,” Steinhart said. “This was followed later by the acquisition of E.T. Gleitsmann in Berlin, Stehlin (which merged with Hostmann-Steinberg’s Swiss ‘appendage,’ Hostag, to form Stehlin-Hostag in Switzerland) and then Ireland’s Info-Lab.”
After these successful acquisitions, the 10 years from 1995 to 2005 saw expansion within Europe, with the opening of more foreign subsidiaries and sales companies.
“One of the largest tasks of all came just a few years later – the acquisition and integration of Micro Inks (now hubergroup India) in 2006,” Steinhart noted. “Initially planned as reverse integration – that is, producing our own raw materials – and a way to open up an emerging and growing market, it soon became clear that an enormous amount of potential and innovative energy was to be found in this company and its employees. Once all of the synergies had been realized and implemented, not only did hubergroup have new products based on concentrates of identical quality the whole world over, but the company also owned a fully integrated ‘mother plant’ now with key functions such as R&D and purchasing.”
The Huber family directly managed the company until 2012, when Heiner Ringer, the last CEO directly from the Huber family, retired. The company remains family-owned, but is managed by an international management board.
The focus on new technologies has been an important driver in the company’s success, from Michael Huber’s friendship with Alois Senefelder to the company’s ability to foresee the future needs of its customers.
“hubergroup realized very early that packaging printing will become one of its key markets in the future,” Steinhart said. “From the late 1990s on we developed low migration inks (MGA) that is safe for food packaging and began to produce it from 2002 on, long before any corresponding legal regulations required it, becoming a pioneer in this market.”
The interest in environmentally friendly inks is another area where hubergroup has distinguished itself.
“Soon after the acquisition of Micro Inks in India, hubergroup launched an innovative offset ink series in 2007,” Steinhart noted.
“This series is adapted to more sophisticated production processes and is based on innovative ideas on raw material synthesis and on ink formulation. It takes full account of the continuous developments on the press side of the business and the increased demands with respect to process standardization. What’s more, environmental aspects have also been taken into account, with the constant use of renewable raw materials being employed and the production process being resource-friendly.”
Understandably, hubergroup has been celebrating its 250th anniversary, with employee lunches and programs, and an official ceremony in Munich near the company’s first headquarters. In honor of the 250th anniversary of hubergroup, Munich’s Haidhausen Museum, located just a few meters away from the company’s original site and seat, is running an exhibition of illustrations, photos and exhibits through Feb. 16, 2016, with an intermission from mid-December to mid-January, titled “Munich Coatings and Genuine Carmine – 250 Years of Huber Inks.”
“Our claim for the entire year of 2015 is ‘hubergroup – 250 years of living colours,’” Steinhart said.
Outlook for hubergroup
As hubergroup looks back on its first 250 years, it is clear that there is much more ahead for the company.
“The management board is very optimistic about hubergroup’s future because the company can rely on the quality of the products and an innovative energy at a high level,” Steinhart said. “The know-how, the experience, the products and the structure of the group all account for a positive outlook.
“With the acquisition of Micro Inks Ltd. in India, meanwhile hubergroup India, the backward integration of the group is secure; this main source of the raw materials works on an excellent cost basis and produces under European demands of labor conditions, environmental protection and quality,” Steinhart added. “The hubergroup global service network provides and guarantees optimum customer support, a fact that the customers appreciate every day. In the last two years the group has seen some major restructuring which will help hubergroup to develop into an even more competitive and sustainable company.”
With 40 regional ink companies and more than 150 sales offices worldwide, hubergroup is one of the world’s largest ink manufacturers. It is active in just about every ink market, and even has success in specialty areas such as security inks, where its subsidiary, Gleitsmann Security Inks GmbH, is one of the industry’s leaders. The company’s success has been driven by its dedication to quality and service.
“The hubergroup slogan ‘More than just ink’ describes hubergroup’s commitment to quality and service that goes far beyond the usual scope,” said Marion Steinhart, corporate communications Europe for hubergroup Deutschland GmbH. “Through intensive research and development work we constantly redefine quality standards. With modern production facilities and an innovative product range we supply today’s printers with tomorrow’s solutions. A lot of our products are tailor-made to satisfy every demand. Together with all companies and affiliates, the hubergroup is one of the world’s largest printing ink manufacturers.”
The History of hubergroup
hubergroup traces its roots back to 1765, when Mathias Mittermayr, a Munich resident, became interested in ink manufacturing. On Nov. 29, 1765, Mittermayr filed an application for his first patent on the production of inks: with the permission of the Electoral Court, he was allowed to manufacture and market his own Sienna laque, Parisian blue, Carmine red and yellow inks.
Mittermayr’ son-in-law, Georg Huber, took over in 1781 and was soon permitted to sell inks not just at markets, but also to traders, significantly increasing sales.
Georg Huber’s son, Michael Huber, took over the company in 1815. His contacts with Alois Senefelder, the inventor of lithography, led him to add manufacturing capacity. He formed the Michael Huber München (MHM) ink company, which he ran until 1857. In the next decades, his sons and grandsons continued the family business, expanding internationally.
The company has had its challenges. hubergroup was badly damaged during World War II, and after the war, MHM began with a workforce of between 40 and 50. Under Dr. Walter Ringer’s leadership, facilities were rebuilt, hundreds of employees were added and the company outgrew its manufacturing sites. In 1965, the capacity of the production facilities in Haidhausen had reached its limits and the company inaugurated new, modern premises in Kirchheim-Heimstetten on the occasion of its 200th anniversary.
“This relocation not only marked the transition from a ‘small’ handicraft firm to a modern, industrial enterprise, but also installed the prerequisites for further expansion plans,” Steinhart said.
Dr. Ringer was also instrumental in the company’s expansion, adding Hostmann-Steinberg in 1977. Heiner Ringer would continue the tradition, adding Stehlin Hostag UK in 2001 and Micro Inks in 2006.
“The first step towards ‘globalization’ took MHM to northern Germany and culminated with the acquisition of Hostmann-Steinberg in Celle, which at that time was twice the size of Huber itself, and which had a sister company in Canada,” Steinhart said. “This was followed later by the acquisition of E.T. Gleitsmann in Berlin, Stehlin (which merged with Hostmann-Steinberg’s Swiss ‘appendage,’ Hostag, to form Stehlin-Hostag in Switzerland) and then Ireland’s Info-Lab.”
After these successful acquisitions, the 10 years from 1995 to 2005 saw expansion within Europe, with the opening of more foreign subsidiaries and sales companies.
“One of the largest tasks of all came just a few years later – the acquisition and integration of Micro Inks (now hubergroup India) in 2006,” Steinhart noted. “Initially planned as reverse integration – that is, producing our own raw materials – and a way to open up an emerging and growing market, it soon became clear that an enormous amount of potential and innovative energy was to be found in this company and its employees. Once all of the synergies had been realized and implemented, not only did hubergroup have new products based on concentrates of identical quality the whole world over, but the company also owned a fully integrated ‘mother plant’ now with key functions such as R&D and purchasing.”
The Huber family directly managed the company until 2012, when Heiner Ringer, the last CEO directly from the Huber family, retired. The company remains family-owned, but is managed by an international management board.
The focus on new technologies has been an important driver in the company’s success, from Michael Huber’s friendship with Alois Senefelder to the company’s ability to foresee the future needs of its customers.
“hubergroup realized very early that packaging printing will become one of its key markets in the future,” Steinhart said. “From the late 1990s on we developed low migration inks (MGA) that is safe for food packaging and began to produce it from 2002 on, long before any corresponding legal regulations required it, becoming a pioneer in this market.”
The interest in environmentally friendly inks is another area where hubergroup has distinguished itself.
“Soon after the acquisition of Micro Inks in India, hubergroup launched an innovative offset ink series in 2007,” Steinhart noted.
“This series is adapted to more sophisticated production processes and is based on innovative ideas on raw material synthesis and on ink formulation. It takes full account of the continuous developments on the press side of the business and the increased demands with respect to process standardization. What’s more, environmental aspects have also been taken into account, with the constant use of renewable raw materials being employed and the production process being resource-friendly.”
Understandably, hubergroup has been celebrating its 250th anniversary, with employee lunches and programs, and an official ceremony in Munich near the company’s first headquarters. In honor of the 250th anniversary of hubergroup, Munich’s Haidhausen Museum, located just a few meters away from the company’s original site and seat, is running an exhibition of illustrations, photos and exhibits through Feb. 16, 2016, with an intermission from mid-December to mid-January, titled “Munich Coatings and Genuine Carmine – 250 Years of Huber Inks.”
“Our claim for the entire year of 2015 is ‘hubergroup – 250 years of living colours,’” Steinhart said.
Outlook for hubergroup
As hubergroup looks back on its first 250 years, it is clear that there is much more ahead for the company.
“The management board is very optimistic about hubergroup’s future because the company can rely on the quality of the products and an innovative energy at a high level,” Steinhart said. “The know-how, the experience, the products and the structure of the group all account for a positive outlook.
“With the acquisition of Micro Inks Ltd. in India, meanwhile hubergroup India, the backward integration of the group is secure; this main source of the raw materials works on an excellent cost basis and produces under European demands of labor conditions, environmental protection and quality,” Steinhart added. “The hubergroup global service network provides and guarantees optimum customer support, a fact that the customers appreciate every day. In the last two years the group has seen some major restructuring which will help hubergroup to develop into an even more competitive and sustainable company.”