Vollherbst’s next chapter

German converter Vollherbst was established by Franz Anton Vollherbst, who in 1921 expanded the book bindery founded by his father and grandfather. In 1950, Franz Vollherbst became the family’s second generation to lead the printing business, transforming it into a successful medium-sized company.

Dr Franz-Josef Vollherbst, the third generation, took over in 1984. His vision was to expand the business by bridging marketing, design and printing. In 2011 he brought his son Stefan and in 2014 Matthias, on board to manage the company, and in 2020, he handed over the reins to Matthias. The fourth generation is committed to pursuing holistic, sustainable excellence as their corporate goal.

Today, the company’s creative experts collaborate with clients to develop authentic, strong brands with labels to match, working on thousands of projects across various industries worldwide.

Their work has received numerous accolades. The company was included in the list of the 100 most innovative medium-sized businesses in Germany in the 2021 Top 100 competition and was named the winner in the sustainability category of the 2020 Printer of the Year competition.

‘Our ultimate goal is to elevate our clients’ brand values,’ notes Matthias Vollherbst. ‘This is not a one-size-fits-all exercise. It requires listening to the people involved in brand building closely, understanding their goals and strategies, and finding ways to support them. Being their partners-in-crime, developing customized solutions for them, and excellently executing them, while meeting their budget targets, too. Our strategy is to hold this philosophy and these values high, in an ever-changing world that pushes for less complexity, lower costs, and higher standardization.’

Strategic support from innovation partners

One of the secrets to success in the labeling industry is being at the forefront. The company recognizes the power of strong partnerships in achieving success.

More than two decades after Vollherbst made its first investment in a Gallus TCS 250 in 2001, followed by a second and third TCS 250 in 2005 and 2008, the company has chosen Gallus once again and recently invested in the Gallus RCS 430, impressed with its capabilities.

The Gallus RCS 430 is proving to be the perfect match for Vollherbst’s expertise, particularly in the production of highly decorated labels for the wine, spirits, gourmet and creative sectors. From vibrant, color-intensive labels to intricate and sophisticated designs, the RCS 430 enables Vollherbst to meet and exceed its customers’ diverse requirements with precision and finesse.

‘One of our machines has passed its zenith and needed to be replaced. A one-for-one replacement did not make sense for us, as the machine no longer fitted in with our strategy and positioning,’ says Matthias Vollherbst. ‘Our company stands for cutting-edge quality in print and finishing. We realized that we did not want to compromise on quality. Productivity and automation were also top priorities. Furthermore, we wanted a machine that fits into our existing production and supplier environment. Gallus RCS turned out to be the perfect match that ticked all our boxes.’

The new RCS rounded off Vollherbst’s machine park in terms of volume in the upper print run range. The company equipped the machine to achieve the quality of highly refined jobs without making any compromises.

‘Gallus has been by our side for decades and through all the times we have always had strategic discussions about technologies, innovation, and the right interface between the Gallus and the Vollherbst world,’ adds Matthias Vollherbst. ‘With Ferdinand Ruesch still as the representative and Dario Urbinati as its CEO, the company has authentic, experienced and consistent personalities that match well with the people and philosophy at Vollherbst.

‘We have been using Gallus TCS equipment since we started printing PSL labels many decades ago and have discussed investing in an RCS with Gallus for the last 10 years at least,’ he continues. ‘When we came up with the project at the beginning of 2024, we did not need to test or challenge Gallus. We had mature, very constructive and deep talks with the management and sales team. They listened to us and came up with customized technology for us. No exhausting politics, no comprehensive sales pitches. Just solutions to our challenges.’

‘I’m proud to say that Gallus and Vollherbst share the same core values, based on trust, reliability and partnership – and are equally committed to delivering nothing but the highest quality. These kinds of synergies form the ideal basis for a fruitful and productive partnership,’ adds Dario Urbinati.

‘From a Gallus perspective, providing solid, tailored advice and counsel to our partners is always a top priority. We discuss and evaluate, in-depth, what each business might need – today and tomorrow – and provide suggestions based on transparent metrics. These considerations will always involve the actual hardware needs and service requests, but also elements of the business model that might factor into the investment decision. In our experience, having such open and honest discussions is the most productive way of finding the best possible solutions for our customers that will work for their business in the longer term.’

Its modern machine park helps Vollherbst to print four hundred million labels annually for around 20,000 different brands annually, but Matthias Vollherbst is convinced that it’s his team making a difference, his people are the core of the company’s strategy. ‘Technology is there to help us do that job properly,’ he says.

Innovation doesn’t end 

Storytelling is key to consumers continuing to follow a brand. Now Vollherbst Labels has taken the storytelling element a step further: by incorporating tactile or aromatic elements from nature into the labels.

The company’s craftLABEL allows producers to incorporate actual raw materials, like a particular vineyard’s soil or the fynbos aromas of the South African Western Cape.

‘The ideas and possibilities are as limitless as the stories found in a brand’s history,’ says Matthias Vollherbst. ‘The storytelling element is a crucial part of an individual’s purchase decision, and materials or aromas are incorporated into labels for a truly transcendent customer experience. We have incorporated volcanic stone from the Kaiserstuhl region into a label for vines that grow on that exact stones and also printed slate onto a label for a wine maker who has chosen slate as a core brand element for his wines.’

Each craftLABEL project requires extensive testing to determine the best mixing ratio, as ingredients must be visible and perceptible to the consumer. The production of craftLABEL has been developed based on conventional printing methods and can be combined with almost all types of paper and color combinations.

‘craftLABEL is maybe the most traditional and non-digital of our label innovations of the last years. It is so simple, yet so smart and serves all needs a premium brand must achieve in today’s world: unique, authentic, sustainable, and affordable. We have just won another German sustainability award for this innovation.’

The company is busy innovating the traditional capsules for wines and sparkling wines by developing a pure paper-based technology that the team wants to print on its label printing presses.

‘It is a fascinating project that has gained a lot of interest and has massive potential,’ remarks Matthias Vollherbst. ‘Projects
like this one are great, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. Underneath lies a gathering of initiatives and measures that are optimizing our operations, making us more sustainable every day by reducing water usage, raising awareness, training our people how to save energy while cooling down their workspaces in summer, working on more efficient transport routes by optimizing production planning with the support of technology - in our sustainability strategy, too.’

Giving talent space to grow

Matthias Vollherbst used to be heavily involved in Finat’s Young Professionals Network focusing on developing young talents and promoting successful career paths in the printing industry. However, shortly before the pandemic hit the world, he took over the shares in the business and understandably his focus has shifted slightly.

‘Being a senior leader in the industry now, I can only motivate the next generation to disrupt and innovate our industry. It desperately needs to surpass old traditions and stand for more dynamic, innovative solutions.

‘Attracting new talent is, for me, a question of corporate
culture and leadership. You can run sexy campaigns, name things fancy and give your employees free drinks. In the end, you need a management that is appreciative, supportive and willing to let their staff, particularly youngsters, grow,’ states Matthias Vollherbst. ‘Personally, I have always been somebody who hands over a lot of responsibility to my team - even if it means that I must step aside in a project or on a whole area of the business.

“We will be an international hidden champion expanding its global footprint. Most of all, we will be remembering our roots and staying down to earth. Same as today, but different”

‘I am proud that the first talent I recruited at Vollherbst, Theresa, has joined our management board this year. These are important signs to other young talents in a company: you get the chance, and we will allow you to grow. I have seen a lot of talents coming to the industry, but many of them left because they did not get the space to grow.’

So, what does the next chapter look like for Vollherbst? Matthias’ vision is to be the leading label printing company for ambitious and demanding brand owners, constantly innovating printing processes and label finishes. Just as important: reaching this as an owner-managed company with a focus on people and values.

‘We will continue empowering some of the most successful brands with customized #wowlabels. We will be running the most productive production site in our niche. We will be an international hidden champion expanding its global footprint. Most of all we will be remembering our roots, staying down to earth. Same as today, but different.’