Back to his old domain: on January 1, 2024, Tobias Wetzel will become the new managerial head of Sales and Service at KHS. This has now been confirmed by the company’s supervisory board. The 50-year-old switches from the Mannesmann Stainless Tubes group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of seamless stainless steel and nickel-based alloy tubes and pipes, to the systems provider. Between 2011 and 2020 Wetzel already held various managerial positions at KHS, most recently as head of the Service Division. He joins Kai Acker (CEO), Martin Resch (CFO Finance, Procurement and IT) and Beate Schäfer (CHRO) to complete the KHS Executive Management Board.

After finishing his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in general management at what is now the Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen, Wetzel gained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from FOM International University for economy and management. His studies complete, he then started his career at Coca-Cola where he remained for over three years, amassing extensive experience in the beverage industry.

Prior to his starting in his new post, Wetzel held a number of managerial positions for the Dortmund systems provider over a period of ten years, first as head of RC Service Sales Support, then as executive vice-president of Corporate Controlling and finally as head of the Service Division until his departure. Between April 2015 and August 2019 he also assumed the management of the production site in Hamburg, then active under the name of KHS Corpoplast GmbH (now KHS GmbH). Before his time with the turnkey supplier, the graduate business economist spent around ten years in various functions at and companies of Mannesmannröhren-Werke – and has thus been working for Salzgitter AG, to which both companies belong, for over 20 years.

The government’s Resources and Waste Strategy has been unveiled, setting out how ministers aim to change the way consumers deal with waste from the home to the workplace.

It includes the introduction of a deposit return scheme in 2023, subject to consultation early next year.

Gavin Partington, Director General at British Soft Drinks Association, said:

“The soft drinks industry supports the introduction of a GB-wide full deposit return scheme for all plastic and can beverage containers. We believe this is the best way to increase recycling levels and tackle litter.

“Reform of the current producer responsibility system is also necessary to create greater transparency and increased investment in UK recycling infrastructure.”