Rise to a public limited company and start of the brewery business

In order to keep pace with the company's continuous growth, Hermann Kronseder converts the former Krones GmbH & Co KG into a public limited company. This legal form ensures confidence in the capital and management structure among major customers in international trade.

Proximity to customers is an important basis for opening up new markets. The foundation of Krones do Brasil Ltda in São Paulo ensures that customers in South and Central America can reach their contacts quickly and be supplied with spare parts without delay.

Krones, now with a turnover of 210 million DM, is an attractive partner in the beverage industry. The holding in the Freising-based brewhouse manufacturer Anton Steinecker Maschinenfabrik makes it possible to expand the product range to include brewery equipment.

The issue of shares at a price of 460 DM per share puts the financing of Krones AG and the distribution of shares on a new basis. This reorganisation consolidates the company's reputation and secures its long-term existence.

With the Contiroll, Krones is opening up another labelling field for its customers. Labelling bottles with wrap-around labels from the reel opens up new possibilities. The rotary labeller continues to be developed to this day and is an international bestseller.

The PET bottle starts its career at Krones. Initially, fillers with lifting plates are used, for example in long-tube design at the English brewery Whitbread Samlesbury. The first filler with neck handling goes to the Polar brewery in Venezuela.

Zierk, the Flensburg-based manufacturer of bottle washers, sells all its shares to Krones as part of a succession plan. With patents such as the rotary jetting units and the infeed and discharge concept, Krones is able to further develop the market.

A additional block is added to the concept of the complete line manufacturer pursued today: With the Roundpac, a packer and unpacker with a vertical path of circulation and continuous operation, and the Palmaster, a single-column palletiser, Krones' solutions also cover the dry section.

The Krones Group employs almost 7,600 people worldwide. Hermann Kronseder moves to the Supervisory Board after 45 years of successful work for his company. His son Volker Kronseder takes over as Chairperson of the Executive Board.