History

Goebel integrated the Müller Martini printing machines division, which fits perfectly into the Network & Partnership Strategy of the company group, bringing together all kind of printing industry competencies of small and flexible autonomous companies under one Swiss Holding, Goebel Capital.

The Goebel Print Competence Center for final assembly, commissioning, training and conference purposes has been opened in Eschenbach, Switzerland, as platform and “meeting point” for customers and industry partners.

Relaunch of the Concepta and Alprinta series within the new Goebel portfolio.

In a cooperation with Goss China Goebel developed the VARIER series, which have been launched during All in Print China. Based on the latest state-of-the-art VSOP 2.0 technology this series is designed for high quality packaging printing applications on film, paper and cardboard.

Goebel developed the “new generation” VSOP 2.0 for packaging applications, with web width up to 1300mm and size range of 18” to 36”. The first machine was launched under the manroland banner as the VARIOMAN series. The first application was a combined offset/gravure shrink sleeve printing line, optimized for fastest job change and absolute minimum wastage. It became another new benchmark in the industry.

Dr. Manuel Vogel, a well-known tax specialist, financial advisor and diversified Swiss investor, took over 100% of the Goebel shares and started a restructuring process of the company, to become “fit for future challenges”.

Goebel launched a new multipurpose high security printing press based on the EXL sleeve offset platform, which has been developed together with MPS Systems, Holland. High security printing technologies, e.g. letterset printing, true rainbow printing with double ink tray, silk screen printing, flexo printing, hot foil stamping, including intaglio printing with Orlof technology - all in one line - provided new opportunities for many security printing applications like tax stamps, postage stamps, visa stickers and all kind of security documents.

Goebel delivered the largest Goebel VSOP printing machine ever built, with 1250mm web width and 1700mm max. circumferential printing length, for high quality cardboard printing in Italy. The machine has been equipped with automatic robotic sleeve change with direct access to a storage of up to 140 sleeves.

Goebel became an independent enterprise again, as the Dutch part of the company group disappeared, after a serious impact of the world financial crisis on the printing industry.

Drent Goebel pioneered “variable sleeve offset printing” (VSOP) using light-weight sleeves to realize unlimited size variability in web-fed offset printing and very quick job change capability at minimum waste. The VSOP technology is a “revolution in web-fed printing”.

Drent Goebel delivered the most productive web-fed Banknote production line in the world to Hôtel des Monnaies de la Banque d'Algérie, capable to produce up to 2 billion banknotes per year.

Drent, a Dutch competitor, acquired the printing machines part of Goebel and merged both companies into the Drent Goebel Group, with Etiénne D’Hauwe as owner, a well-known Belgium printing industry entrepreneur.

At Drupa 2000 Goebel launched the fastest and most productive UV offset printing machine, the “Goebel Novaprint" for high performance offset printing.

The “Goebel Optiforma” offset press became a Benchmark in the business forms printing industry. Several thousands of printing units have been built and sold over the following decades.

The first Goebel web-fed Banknote Printing Machine has been delivered to Bank of England, and several countries followed the way of web-fed banknote printing, e.g. Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France, and Algeria.

Dr. Wilhelm Köhler has been employed by his friend Wilhelm Goebel, who took over a prosperous company from his father "Jean" Goebel. Dr. Köhler became known by his outstanding social and commercial engagement. He started as apprentice and became the proprietor of Goebel. Later his daughter, Dr. Lotte Köhler, became major shareholder and she was in charge of Goebel for many years.

The first web-fed postage stamp printing machine has been developed for the German State Printing Works. Many more postage stamp printing presses followed and nearly all state printing works worldwide have Goebel postage stamp printing machines until today.

Johann Peter Michael ("Jean") Goebel followed his fathers's footsteps. He established a new business unit: The Goebel slitter rewinder division for the paper industry. His lifetime achievement as innovator, engineer and business man was honored by the title "Council of Commerce".

Peter Gandenberger was the founder of the company, while Johann Georg Goebel provided the company name, when he became son-in-law. He developed the first railway ticket press, which was the beginning of the security printing activities.