German extrusion machinery maker Windmöller & Hölcher KG (W&H) has been the majority shareholder of BSW Machinery (Bag Solutions Worldwide) since 2005. Last year, in August, W&H increased its stake in BSW (based in Vienna, Austria and Prostejov, Czech Republic) by acquiring shares previously owned by company founders Thomas Breitenberger, Peter Schmalzholz and Günter Wais. With this step, W&H says it will build an even stronger presence in the poly-woven packaging segment. At the same time, Walter Häder was been named CEO of BSW.

BSW has long provided solutions for the production of stretched PP-woven fabrics and woven sacks. The company produces tape stretching lines, circular looms, extrusion coating and sack production lines along with the corresponding peripheral equipment.

W&H also maintains decades of experience developing extrusion and converting technology and has manufactured equipment for tape extrusion and coating machinery for PP woven fabrics since the 1980s. In the 1990s the patented CONVERTEX bottomer was introduced to the market.

With W&H’s larger percent ownership, BSW will be more integrated into the W&H structure allowing for a stronger international foothold. BSW Vienna and W&H Lengerich have worked together closely for a long time and have benefited from their collective experience.

To strengthen the management team, Walter Häder, has been appointed CEO of BSW Machinery. Häder brings year of experience running well-known machinery manufacturers. Most recently, he served as the CEO of Cincinnati Extrusion in Vienna (now battenfield-cincinnati Austria).

Dr Jürgen Vutz, Chairman of W&H said, “With Walter Häder, we have won an internationally experienced industry veteran, who has led and developed successful companies.”

W&H and BSW say they will collaborate closely, focusing on the quality and durability of the end product as well as the overall efficiency of the machinery, in order to ensure customers get both a technological and economic market advantage.