Thomas Hartkämper has officially taken over from Dr Olaf Weiland as chief executive of Kautex Maschinenbau, with the latter joining the company’s advisory board.

Weiland, who has occupied the role since 2005, brought 50-year-old Hartkämper into the company last October as the preferred candidate to be his successor. He had also put a succession plan into place some four years ago, working in consultation with all members of management.

Prior to joining the German machinery manufacturer, Hartkämper occupied a number of management roles in the areas of mechanical and plant engineering, and he also has extensive experience in the plastics industry.

A shareholder in the company, Weiland spearheaded Kautex’s transition from an automotive to a packaging-focused company and the company now has production sites in Germany and China manufacturing extrusion blow moulding machines.

Managing partner Andreas Lichtenauer, said: “The fact that we ended the private equity phase two years ago and now belong to a majority shareholder, who invests in Kautex as a family business in the long term, is largely thanks to Olaf Weiland. He also took an active part in arranging his own successor for Kautex with the company’s best interests at heart.”