BOBST FAMILY AIM FOR TOTAL OWNERSHIP
The Bobst family is bidding to take the company out of public hands and back into its control, launching a 22 per cent per share loading offer for the CHF1.65bn business.
Image - Bobst
The offer is being made through Bobst family vehicle JBF Finance, which currently owns 53 per cent of the business, which is listed on the Swiss stock market. Some 60 descendants of the original Bobst founder have a stake in JBF.
Bobst is currently run by the fourth generation of the Bobst family, wikth Jean-Pascal Bobst its CEO. They say the offer will give the company the appropriate conditions to deploy a long-term strategy, to execute its digital transformation, and to maintain its strong Swiss industrial activities.
Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, which is still the location of its main factory, Bobst has a presence in 50 countries, runs 19 production facilities in 11 countries, and employs 5,800 people around the world.
The firm recorded a consolidated turnover of 1.5bn Swiss Francs (A$2.25bn) for the year ended December 31.
Bobst is represented in Australia and New Zealand by Print & Pack. Bobst suppliers substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries.