Management takes over Saueressig Packaging and Surfaces, ensuring continuity and long-term stability
The Packaging and Surfaces divisions of SAUERESSIG entered a new phase on December 16, 2025, following a management buyout that transferred ownership to the existing leadership team. As part of the transaction, Markus Pennekamp and the current management assumed control through the newly established holding company, SAUERESSIG Group GmbH, which now brings together the former Matthews Packaging and Surfaces divisions under a single corporate structure.
Headquartered in Vreden, the newly formed SAUERESSIG Group GmbH acts as the central hub of an internationally connected group with operations across Europe and Asia. The company confirmed that its strategic focus remains unchanged, with continued emphasis on customer proximity, operational continuity and innovation.
“We are taking on entrepreneurial responsibility with complete conviction – because we believe in our employees, our locations, and our customers,” explains Markus Pennekamp, Managing Director. “The MBO is not just a strategic step – it is a clear commitment to long-term partnerships, continuity, and future viability.”
The transaction was supported by regional investors and partners with strong local networks, all sharing a focus on sustainable, long-term investment. According to the company, employees were also given the opportunity to participate financially in the transaction. “Our employees were also able to participate in the financing – an opportunity they made impressive use of,” says Markus Pennekamp. “The cooperation of all those involved contributed significantly to the successful realization of the MBO.”
Returning to entrepreneurial roots while looking ahead
The Packaging and Surfaces activities are closely linked to the SAUERESSIG brand. In 2008, the group was acquired by Matthews International Corporation, a US-based company, initiating a period of structured growth. During this phase, UNGRICHT GMBH + CO KG was integrated into the group in 2017, followed by AKG Ahler Gravuren GmbH in 2022. With the completion of the management buyout, these established companies are now reunited under the SAUERESSIG Group umbrella, forming an independently positioned, internationally active group.
The new ownership structure marks a return to the company’s entrepreneurial origins while creating a platform for future-oriented development. The operational setup will remain unchanged, and customers and partners will continue to work with the same products, services and contact persons. At the same time, the MBO opens up additional opportunities for innovation, digitalisation and closer collaboration across locations.
The group employs around 790 people worldwide. Its international footprint includes the headquarters in Vreden with SAUERESSIG Vreden GmbH and AKG Ahler Gravuren GmbH, UNGRICHT GMBH + CO KG in Mönchengladbach, sites in Poznań and Warsaw in Poland, as well as a production location in Surabaya, Indonesia.
