Neutraubling, June 14 - German bottling machine manufacturer Krones wants to acquire international process technology and logistics firms in a bid to expand as a full-service provider to the beverage industry.
In an interview with Reuters, the company's senior management said it remained open whether Krones would in fact conclude a deal.
"The technologies must complement each other, it's not just a matter of the price," said Chief Financial Officer Hans-Juergen Thaus.
He reaffirmed the group's forecast for revenue to rise 7 to 12 percent this year to over 2 billion euros ($2.66 billion) for the first time, while earning a pretax profit margin of 7 percent, or more than 140 million euros.
Following a record first quarter, Thaus said: "The second one will be a tick better than the first."
Krones holds a market share of about a quarter in the beverage packing industry.
The Kronseder family controls a majority stake in Krones, which competes with Germany's KHS -- soon to be acquired by German steelmaker Salzgitter -- and France's Sidel, a unit of Tetra Laval.