![[Translate to Englisch:] Reinhard Kuge. Hauptgesellschafter von Faubel](/fileadmin/_processed_/e/e/csm_2022-04_FAUBEL_40._Jahre_Reinhard_Kuge_3ab0cc52a8.jpg)
Under Reinhard Kuge’s management, Faubel & Co. Nachfolger GmbH grew into a global specialist in product labeling. As the principal partner, Kuge still holds a key position in the company today.
Thrown in at the deep end
On April 1, 1982, Reinhard Kuge entered the half-timbered house at Schwarzenberger Weg 45 in Melsungen for the first time. Little did the then 33-year-old master printer know that he would be steering Faubel's fortunes on his own only two months after joining the company. When partner Kurt Giesler passed away, Faubel employed 21 people in total, including Reinhard Kuge and his wife Renate, who mainly produced folding cartons and package inserts
Kuge's focus changed to the production of self-adhesive labels on web presses. In 1986, he had a factory hall specifically built for that purpose. It was the first of eight structural expansions. During the 1990s, Faubel attracted more and more customers from the pharmaceutical industry. It was primarily for this industry that Reinhard Kuge and Frank Ludwig developed the Faubel-Compact® label, which was patented in 1996. This 24-page thick label made it possible to label drugs in several languages. As Frank Ludwig, Head of Production at that time and Managing Director for Technology since 2012, recalls: "We owe our long-term success to this development. I am very pleased that the many hours of lively discussions and ongoing trial-and-error efforts have finally paid off. The Compact Label is still our bestseller."
Reinhard Kuge retired from business operations in 2014. With 160 employees, Kuge generated 19 million euros in revenue in his last year as managing director. As the principal partner, he continues to advise his three successors, Frank Ludwig, Frank Jäger, and his son Martin Kuge. "Faubel is like a fourth child to me," explains Kuge, father of three sons. In addition to Martin Kuge, responsible for HR and finances on the management board, his youngest son, Robert Kuge, coordinates the Smart Labels division. These labels incorporate RFID and e-paper technology and look like electronic books
Regional commitment
To show his commitment to the region, Reinhard Kuge established the Kuge Foundation in 2019, Kuge-Stiftung primarily funded from profits generated by the Faubel Group. Kuge strongly believes that "last year's group sales record of 49 million euros will significantly contribute to children's and youth welfare alongside arts, culture and sports projects in the region."
The great journey through time – in this short video Reinhard Kuge tells the story of Faubel.