Elopak Board of Directors announces that CEO, Thomas Körmendi has decided to step down from his position due to personal reasons driven by his planned relocation to Denmark.
The Board has initiated the process of finding a new CEO. Körmendi will continue in his role until a successor is in place, to ensure a smooth transition and continuity in the implementation of the strategy “Repackaging tomorrow”. The strategic direction and priorities remain unchanged.
Chair of the Board, Dag Mejdell, comments: “Under Thomas Körmendi’s leadership, Elopak has positioned itself as the sustainability leader in the industry and materially strengthened its market positions. After the IPO in 2021, Elopak has grown to be an end-to-end solution provider in fresh, aseptic and non-food segments. The company has increased its global market presence through successful acquisitions – expanding the company into MENA and Asia. More recently, the establishment of the state-of-the-art production plant in the United States showcases substantial progress in the company’s growth journey. This is evident in the financials with top line growth and profitability having improved significantly.
The Board wants to thank Körmendi for his significant contribution to the success of the company during his tenure.”
CEO Thomas Körmendi comments: “It has been a privilege and a pleasure to lead Elopak over this exciting and eventful period. This is a personal decision driven by a new job opportunity and a desire to relocate home to Denmark. Elopak is a fantastic company with highly competent people on a mission to offer more sustainable packaging alternatives to plastics. I have great confidence in the continued success of the company thanks to the strong leadership team in place. I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth transition.”
Dr. Manfred Bracher, Member of RKW’s Executive Management Board, will resign from his position, effective June 30, 2019, to pursue new professional opportunities. The Supervisory Board has accepted Dr. Bracher’s request for early termination. In the past years, Dr. Manfred Bracher has made a significant contribution to the growth of RKW’s international business and its Sites.
Manfred Bracher started his professional career as a project leader at the Austrian Lenzing Group, followed by twelve years at the Finnish packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki in various positions, latest as General Manager Films. From 2008 until 2013, he served as Managing Director at Clopay Europe GmbH.
Dr. Bracher has been a Member of the RKW SE Board since January 2014 and leads the Division Hygiene & Industrial. In addition to that, he is also responsible for the Group Functions Operational Excellence and Purchasing.
Following Dr. Bracher’s resignation, RKW CEO Harald Biederbick will take over these responsibilities until further notice.
On behalf of the company, Dr. Rudolf Wehrli, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, expresses his gratitude to Dr. Bracher for his valuable services as Member of RKW’s Executive Board and wishes him all the best for his future.
The RKW Group
The RKW Group is an independent, family-owned company headquartered in Frankenthal, Germany and one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of excellent film solutions. RKW is the market leader in the areas of hygiene and agricultural films, films for the beverage industry and packaging for powdery goods. In addition, the company makes films and nonwovens for medical applications, for the chemical and converting industries as well as for the construction sector. RKW’s sustainable films enable its customers to improve the daily life of consumers all over the world.
In the fiscal year 2018, RKW generated total sales of EUR 878 million. About 3,000 employees process 367,000 tonnes of plastic materials at 20 locations around the world. True to the corporate slogan “When excellence matters”, the company, which was founded in 1957, offers outstanding performance in terms of quality and service. Respect and reliability are the core values of RKW and form the basis of the company’s success.
