“There is some melancholy”, admits Peter Neumann as he announced his withdrawal from operational business, “but also optimism because Engel is well established and continuity in management has been secured”. Effective November 30, 2016, Peter Neumann, long-term chairman of the executive board of the Engel group of companies, withdraws from operational business after 35 years.

“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”, explains Neumann the background for this change. Indeed, 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 R&D, engineering and production for more than 3 years and Christoph Steger for sales and marketing for more than 2 years.

Now, the final step will be set by Stefan Engleder, great-grand-son of Engel’s founder Ludwig Engel, taking over the position as chairman of the executive board effective December 1, 2016. The executive board will continue to consist of 4 persons: besides Stefan Engleder as new chairman also responsible for R&D, the board will be constituted of Christoph Steger (also a family member and responsible for sales, marketing und in future CSD), Dipl.-Oec. Klaus Siegmund (responsible for Finance, Personnel and IT) as well as DI Joachim Metzmacher (so far division manager production large-tonnage machines) for global production.

“It is a great honor and also a challenge taking over the chairmanship from Neumann”, emphasizes Stefan Engleder. “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”. And he adds: “Together with my colleagues in the executive board, we aim on continuing the business in Neumann’s sense and following up from where we are today”.

Birgitte Engleder, chairwoman of the supervisory board, takes the same line: “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. Due to good planning and preparation this step has been executed very professionally and farsighted. 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”.