Starting from 2017, Gerd Liebig new CEO

Gerd Liebig will be new CEO at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. Starting January 1, 2017 he will succeed Tetsuya Okamura who will take over a new responsible position at Sumitomo Heavy Industries. Gerd Liebig has been working in responsible positions in sales and marketing the injection moulding industry for more than 25 years. From April 2015 on he has been the CSO at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery.

Together with CSO Gerd Liebig and CTO Andreas Schramm, Tetsuya Okamura is managing the company as CEO from March 2008 until December 2016. Okamura has been developing Sumitomo (SHI) Demag into a financially strong company with a clear strategic focus on the company’s core competences in production and product portfolio. The company invested considerably in its production sites and subsidiaries; lastly a huge amount in machines for Schwaig’s production. At the time being additional means are being provided to support “eService” and to expand the subsidiaries.

“Today Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is a healthy, economically stable, innovative and prospering

company. Under Tetsuya Okamura’s management considerable sums have been invested into the company and the production efficiency has been clearly increased. The product portfolio has been consequently brought in line with the demands of the target markets thus strengthening our position”, Kazuo Hiraoka, general manager of Plastics Machinery Division

Sumitomo Heavy Industries in Chiba, Japan states.

Gerd Liebig joined Sumitomo (SHI) Demag on April 1, 2015 as CSO. From 1990 until 2005 he was already working as head of marketing with Sumitomo (SHI) Demag predecessor company Demag Pastics Group before he changed to an Austrian competitor. With Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s new subsidiaries in Hungary, Austria and Spain Gerd Liebig strengthened the company’s advisory skills as well as its problem solving competence and internationalized the customer service.

“Since he joined the company Gerd Liebig consequently set the focus on being innovative. He inspired employees and customers by being such a competent, convincing and exhilarant person. Gerd Liebig is having a considerable part in the company’s distinctive growth during the last year. The market shares in all strategic market segments increased considerably”, says Tetsuya Okamura: “I am convinced to give Sumitomo (SHI) Demag into good hands when handing over the business to the new Managing Board”.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is having a considerable potential to develop synergies in the production strategy and in sales and service. With CTO Andreas Schramm we will continue to set the company on the way to internationalism and to further incorporate our activities with Sumitomo’s Plastics Machinery Division and Headquarters in Japan”, says Gerd Liebig. “We have the vision to be the first choice as a partner for customers worldwide looking for a solution in the injection moulding process. In the long run we aspire to be the industry’s trendsetter for creating customer value and achieve and secure the position of the world market leader for all-electric machines and in the segment Packaging. We focus on non-complicated, standardized and economic solutions for injection moulding machines and applications. Our sales and service teams support our customers fast and competent - all around the globe”, says Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s new CEO.