W&H appoints chief technology officer

The CTO role is a newly-created position on the machinery manufacturer’s management board, effective from April 1, 2019.

Paepenmüller assumes responsibility for the three business units namely extrusion, printing and converting. He has held various management positions at W&H since 2007. Currently he is the head of the extrusion business unit.

As of April, members of the W&H management board will include: Dr Jürgen Vutz, chairman of the management board; Peter Steinbeck, chief sales and service officer; and Dr Falco Paepenmüller, CTO.

Vutz said: ‘The addition of a chief technology officer emphasizes our focus on innovation. With faster innovation cycles and more connected processes, a separate management board position has become more important for the expansion of technology leadership.’

Paepenmüller’s successor as head of the extrusion business unit will be Dr Torsten Schmitz. He has been working for W&H since 2008 and is currently responsible for the cast film division. 

‘With Dr Paepenmüller and Dr Schmitz, we have been able to recruit outstanding technical experts for the positions that are also known and valued as leaders in the company. Both are very important to us as a family business,’ said Vutz.

Chief financial officer, Theodor Determann, was transferred from W&H to Germany-based E-Mobility specialist e.GO Mobile at the beginning of the year. The position of chief financial officer will be filled in the course of this calendar year.