Krber Expects Slower Revenue Growth in 2026 as Order Backlog Hits Record

Körber braces for a more moderate 2026 after years of double-digit growth

Körber, the Hamburg-based technology group, said it expects materially weaker revenue growth in 2026 compared with recent years. In an interview with the German Press Agency (dpa-afx), CEO Stephan Seifert said the company is forecasting organic revenue growth of 4 to 6 percent for the year, implying sales of roughly €3.23.3 billion.

Seifert attributed the more cautious outlook to a volatile and tense global environment. Markets are generally okay for us, he said, but because of the many uncertainties we are planning more moderately this year though we will see where we end up by the end of the year. The companys more conservative guidance marks a step back from the double-digit annual expansion it recorded over the past six to seven years, when organic growth regularly ranged between 10 and 20 percent.

Record order backlog and strategic repositioning

Despite the tempered revenue outlook, Körber is reporting a record order backlog. The groups backlog stands at €3.3 billion the highest level in its history with strong investment appetite particularly visible in the United States and Asia, Seifert said. That geographic mix helps explain why Körbers new-business momentum remains robust even as it plans for a more cautious year ahead in parts of Europe.

Körbers origins date back to 1946, when it served the tobacco industry as a mechanical engineering supplier. Over decades the business diversified into paper, grinding technologies and other industrial segments. Under Seiferts leadership, which began reorganizing the group after plans announced in 2016, Körber has sold off several traditional businesses and reinvested in software and technology-driven areas.

Today the group is organized around three core segments Pharma, Supply Chain and Technologies providing a mix of machines, equipment and software. Körber employs about 13,000 people across more than 100 locations worldwide. According to Seifert, last years organic revenue was around €3.1 billion on a preliminary basis, with approximately half of sales generated in Europe (22 percent in Germany) and the United States the single largest market at roughly 32 percent of revenue.

The company continues to produce cigarette and filter-making machinery and machines that make components for heated-tobacco systems, although the importance of tobacco-related business has steadily declined and now accounts for about one quarter of group sales.

Looking ahead, Körber is pursuing growth through targeted acquisitions and minority investments. The group has set a long-term ambition of reaching €10 billion in revenue by 2035, focusing dealmaking on technologies it considers future-critical and on strengthening its footprint in US and Asian markets where population and revenue potential are higher than in Europe.

Seifert emphasized the strategic rationale for the geographic push: Europe comprises less than 10 percent of the world population, and end-customer spending which often drives demand for Körbers solutions tends to be population-driven. With a historically high order book and selective M&A on the agenda, Körber aims to balance a more cautious 2026 with durable, longer-term growth targets.

In short, Körber is planning for a more muted near-term performance while positioning the group for continued expansion through technology-focused investments and international market penetration.