Engel chairman steps down

After 35 years, Peter Neumann, chairman of the executive board of the Engel Group of Companies, will withdraw from operational business on 30 November 2016

There is some melancholy“, admits Peter Neumann as he announced his withdrawal, “but also optimism because Engel is well established and continuity in management has been secured.”

Neumann explains: “This step has been long planned on the occasion of my 60th birthday and is the result of a clear mutual agreement between myself and the owning families of the Engel Group of Companies.”

The generation change within the family-run business had been initiated several years ago by introducing the 4th generation of members of the owning family step by step into the executive board.

Stefan Engleder has been responsible for research and development (R&D), engineering and production for more than 3 years and Christoph Steger for sales and sarketing for more than 2 years.

Effective December 1, Stefan Engleder, great-grand-son of Engel’s founder Ludwig Engel, will take over the position as chairman of the executive board.

Whilst chairman, Stefan Engleder will still remain responsible for R&D and will be joined by three other people on the board; Christoph Steger, a family member responsible for sales, marketing and future CSD, Klaus Siegmund, responsible for finance, personnel and IT and Joachim Metzmacher division manager, production large-tonnage machines for global production.

Stefan Engleder said: “It is a great honour and also a challenge taking over the chairmanship from Dr. Neumann. He has shaped the company for decades and played a significant part toward the success of the business.

“Thus, it has been all the more important, to prepare the transition well on a long-term basis. This we have managed very well over the last couple of years.

“Together with my colleagues in the executive board, we aim on continuing the business in Dr. Neumann’s sense and following up from where we are today.”

Birgitte Engleder, chairwoman of the supervisory board, said: “Not only as chairwoman of the supervisory board but especially as member of the owning family, I am very pleased that we have concluded the transition within the operational management from the 3rd to the 4th generation.

“I am proud to witness the next generation taking over and I am sure that Stefan Engleder as new chairman of the executive board together with Christoph Steger and the other executives will continue the success story that my grandfather started.

“At the same time, I would like to dearly thank Peter Neumann and wish him all the best for the new chapter in his life on behalf of all employees, the other members of the executive board and the owning families.

“His unconditional dedication towards Engel has been admirable and reflects his uncompromising commitment. His actions have always truly been focused on the welfare of the company, from the beginning he has fully supported the transition to the next generation and over many years has brought Engel to where we are today – among the global leaders in the field of plastics machinery.”

Together, Neumann and Engleder highlight that Peter Neumann will continue to stay connected with the company after the official handover and also in future support the executive board with his expertise in case of need.