Kurz, champion of hot stamping film... and cold stamping film!

The managers of the German company, which has been family-owned since 1899 (now in its fifth generation!) and specializes in the manufacture of hot stamping films and cold transfer films, among other things, can be satisfied with the year 2025 that has just ended, despite difficult economic conditions. The main lesson to be learned from the past few months is the development of sheet-to-sheet cold transfer in direct response to new regulations (PPWR) concerning packaging, with brands favoring single-material packaging that is easier to recycle rather than film-coated solutions. Performance, ecology, design: cold marking opens up new perspectives for the world of high-end packaging. It should be noted that France remains the group’s leading subsidiary in the packaging sector. We take stock with Franck Lopez, Managing Director of Kurz France.

This is undoubtedly yet another example of the consistency and longevity that often characterize German industry. Over the past few decades, Kurz has become the undisputed world leader in the production of hot and now cold stamping foils. The group has factories in Germany, Switzerland, the United States, China, Malaysia, and Vietnam (since 2024), employing more than 5,800 people at over 50 sites worldwide. It is renowned for manufacturing cutting-edge products in the fields of surface finishing, packaging, labeling, and high security to combat counterfeiting. With its various production plants on different continents, as well as its sales network, subsidiaries, and processing sites also located around the world, the German company’s goal has always been to be close to its customers, to support them, and to deliver to them wherever demand exists. “Of course,” emphasizes Franck Lopez, "this comes at a cost, but we remain convinced that speed of delivery, availability, and the quality of products and service take precedence over price alone. The North and South American markets, as well as Asia and India, are high-potential markets that we will continue to serve by further strengthening our presence in new countries in the near future. Europe is not lagging behind. We recently invested several million euros in our site in Sulzbach-Rosenberg in Bavaria, a fully automated logistics center."

The last two financial years, 2024 and 2025, were particularly successful for KURZ in the various regions of the world and in all the sectors in which the Group is represented. The first six months of 2025 followed the same pattern, although the summer period was a little quieter. Business for the last quarter remained solid, despite international developments. In addition to the automotive sector, which is undergoing a period of restructuring, as everyone knows, the graphics industry remains particularly strong in France, despite a very short-term outlook and the risks associated with products intended for export. “As for the increase in customs duties,” says Franck Lopez, "it would be wrong to say that we are not affected. However, thanks to our various production sites located in both the euro zone and the dollar zone, we are able to adapt. Our locations in Germany, Switzerland, the United States, China, Malaysia, and Vietnam give us the flexibility we need to cope with these sometimes unpredictable changes."

The strong growth of cold transfer!

A notable development for the Group over the last three years has been the gradual rise of cold transfer, driven by new PPWR-type packaging directives and marking a shift in demand for finishes. “Brands are favoring single-material packaging, which is easier to recycle, rather than laminated solutions,” emphasizes Franck Lopez. "Our product ranges meet this demand." This shift in demand for cold transfer finishes has led to a significant increase in investment by printers in sheet-fed cold transfer modules on offset presses.

The environment: a major focus!

Taking into account these developments in cold transfer and respect for the environment—a key issue for the group—the reduction in the thickness of the PET substrate was a crucial innovation in 2025: the company reduced this substrate from 10 to 12 microns for hot stamping films and up to 6 microns for cold transfer films, thereby significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the process.

In this context, it should not be forgotten that the PET transfer substrates used for hot stamping or cold transfer are not transferred to the packaging, but rewound at the customers’ industrial sites. “With our technologies,” insists Franck Lopez, "there is no plastic film on the packaging, which is crucial for the subsequent recycling of the products. As mentioned, thanks to SLIM technology, we also offer a reduction in the thickness of the PET substrate to 6µ, in combination with the decorative layers. It is very important for us to have brought this reduction to the market, also bringing technical advantages in terms of the optical result and the process."

At the same time, the group has been working on “what remains at the printer’s” by setting up PET substrate recycling in a brand new factory built for this purpose. This factory started operating at the end of 2024 and represented an investment of €10 million.
“We offer a RECOSYS® waste recovery program at our historic site in Fürth in Middle Franconia (northern Bavaria).” The group states that it is continuing to work on improving the process and the carbon footprint of its products and its customers’ processes. Managers believe that there is still considerable room for improvement in this area.

Innovation as a driving force!

As a strategic pillar of the Group’s development, innovation plays a central role in its industrial and creative approach. “We strive to always present innovations in hot stamping and cold transfer,” explains Franck Lopez. "Whether it’s our LUMAFIN range (semi-transparent colors), SILVERLINE (achromatic holographic effects), LUXOR (standard metallized references), we are always adding new optical shades. In 2025, we introduced new shades with our ‘boxes’ created by our designers. We also focus on digital finishing, which meets the demand for limited series of new products, increased short runs and customization. For cardboard and label substrates, we offer not only transfer products but also digital machine equipment (patented 2D and 3D technologies), the MAXLINER® series for packaging and UNILINER® for labels."