Arburg, a German injection moulding machinery manufacturer, has appointed Volker Nilles as its chief executive, with the appointment taking effect on 12 January.
Nilles joins the Lossburg-based company as the sixth member of its top level management team.
Arburg said the leadership group includes managing partners Juliane Hehl, responsible for global marketing and business development, and Michael Hehl, responsible for premises development, alongside managing directors Tobias Baur for sales and aftersales, Guido Frohnhaus for technology and engineering, and Steffen Kroner for finance, controlling, IT and global HR.
Nilles brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across mechanical and automotive engineering, including international management roles in the US, China and India.
He studied mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University and later completed a doctorate in business administration at the Technical University of Munich. He began his career at ThyssenKrupp in machine tool engineering, where he was responsible for purchasing, logistics and production across 11 plants worldwide.
International expansion
Nilles later held senior plant management roles at Bosch Rexroth before spending 10 years as chief executive of Kleemann, a manufacturer of crushing and screening plants, where he led its international expansion.
He subsequently joined KraussMaffei Kunststofftechnik, gaining experience in plastics processing and becoming executive vice-president for new machines, with responsibility for global new machine business and membership of the extended board.
Before joining Arburg, Nilles was chief executive of Humbaur, a European manufacturer of car trailers.
Juliane Hehl said she was confident that Nilles’ appointment will bring “further dynamism to the strengthening of Arburg as a world-renowned brand” and the further expansion of Arburg’s global market presence.
Michael Hehl added: “We are pleased to welcome on board Dr Nilles, an internationally experienced expert with a broad portfolio.”
