Starting February 1, 2020, Thomas Hartkämper is the new CEO of Kautex Maschinenbau. He is taking over from Dr. Olaf Weiland, who has had significant influence on the development of the company since 2005. Going forward, Hartkämper is responsible for the areas of operations, research & development, and digitalization. Weiland, who is also a shareholder in Kautex Maschinenbau, is joining the advisory board, which is the controlling body of the company.
Weiland brought Thomas Hartkämper into the company in October 2019 as the preferred candidate to be his successor and initially entrusted him with responsibility for operations. The former CEO had put a succession plan into place four years ago, working in consultation with all members of management. His 50-year-old successor is an expert in change management and organizational development. Hartkämper champions a forward-looking approach to business operations, to ensure they are consistently aligned with customer requirements. Prior to joining Kautex, he had an active role for many years in managing various companies that operate internationally in mechanical engineering and plant engineering. He also has extensive experience in the plastics industry.
Weiland himself is retiring from day-to-day operational business, for reasons of age. As a member of the advisory board, he will continue supporting the development of the company that he has guided for more than 15 years. Kautex Maschinenbau has seen massive sales growth under his leadership. With his keen sense of future market developments and his strategic skill, Weiland was able to drive forward the internationalization of the company and its transition from an automotive to a packaging-focused company at an early stage.