Krones took €4.22 billion in orders in the first nine months of 2026, up 2.9% from a year earlier. Reported sales were broadly flat at €4.10 billion. Sales rose 0.8% after adjusting for exchange rates.

The order backlog reached €4.31 billion at the end of September, up 3% from December. Krones said the backlog includes work expected to turn into revenue late in 2027 or later. The backlog shows work already booked. It does not tell beverage manufacturers when a new line would arrive.

For procurement teams comparing German packaging equipment suppliers, the practical questions are when a line can be installed and how long commissioning will take. A planned format change or range launch may depend on securing those dates before committing to packaging volumes.

Krones said machine and line prices were broadly stable over the period. It reported an EBITDA margin of 11.1%, up from 10.5% a year earlier. Excluding the earnings benefit of US tariff refunds, the margin was 10.8%.

When planning changes to retail packaging, buyers should separate the cost of the line from the cost of trials and changeovers. The update did not give lead times for individual machine types or sites.

Krones reiterated the 1% to 2% currency-adjusted sales growth guidance it announced on 22 October. The fourth quarter will show how much of the backlog converts into sales this year.

Editor’s Note: Based on Krones’ 6 November 2026 results. The order and margin figures cover nine months, and the full-year sales guidance was first revised in October.