The Bobst Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of equipment for substrate processing, printing, and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton, and corrugated board industries. Their success is proven as they hold the number 1 or 2 position in each segment. With more than 5,600 employees and 19 production facilities in 11 countries, they are a force in the packaging industry and known and respected by converters and their brand customers alike.

The Bobst Group was founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, and while it is publicly traded, it has been primarily led by the family ever since. In 2009, Jean-Pascal Bobst was appointed as CEO and has led the company through innovations, acquisitions, and significant growth. The headquarters is located on bucolic farmland in Mex, Switzerland, just outside of Lausanne.

I recently had an opportunity to speak with Jean-Pascal and discuss the business in light of the pandemic, market changes, and the future. According to Jean-Pascal, regarding the pandemic effect, it’s surely not the same normal, but he has a wide-eyed, but focused view of where they are and where they need to go. At Bobst, they believe value creation is based on three pillars. The first one is people, the second is innovation and technology, and the third one is financials.