Andrew Fetherman · President & CEO · Müller Martini · PRINTING Industry 2025

At Printing United 2025 in Orlando, Morten B. Reitoft from INKISH meets Andy Fetherman at the Hunkeler and Müller Martini booth — now united under a single brand and logo for the first time. The conversation reflects both the strategic and personal dimensions of this major transition.

Andy notes that while change is constant, the company has spent the past fifteen months preparing for this moment. “We’ve invested millions in people, equipment, spare parts, and even built a full training center with Hunkeler systems,” he says. “We’re as ready as we can be — maybe we’ll stub a toe or two, but we’re proud of how far we’ve come.”

He explains that the Gen8 EVO represents a true co-development between the two engineering teams. “We’ve integrated the Müller Martini control platform into the Gen8 EVO, taking the best of Hunkeler’s mechanical innovation and merging it with our intuitive control interface,” he says. “It’s the evolution of both companies’ strengths.”

Andy, who has been with Müller Martini for more than 31 years, describes the acquisition as part of a broader pattern of strategic growth. “This isn’t our first integration,” he explains. “In 2015, we acquired Heidelberg’s finishing portfolio, then Kolbus in 2018. Hunkeler is different because it’s complementary technology that opens entirely new market segments — transactional print, direct mail — while staying close to our core competencies in folding and cutting paper.”

He emphasizes that the North American operation has been built with service quality in mind. “By early 2026, we expect 80–85% of Hunkeler spare parts to be stocked in Allentown,” he says. “We could have started selling parts earlier, but we didn’t want to risk our reputation by not delivering at the standard our customers expect. January 1st is when that light switch really flips.”

Discussing market reaction, Andy admits that some customers were initially surprised by the merger. “It’s like finding out your next-door neighbors just moved in together,” he laughs. “But the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The trust in both brands is strong — Müller Martini’s reputation for service, and Hunkeler’s for innovation.”

He adds that the company’s deep digital experience gives them confidence moving forward. “Digital has been in our DNA for 25 years. Two-thirds of our North American revenue already comes from digital. So, this isn’t new territory — it’s the next level.”

As always, the conversation ends on a friendly note, with Morten joking about bloopers and Andy smiling: “We’ll make sure to have some fun too.”