DARMSTADT, Germany – The long-established company GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH, part of the Italian IMS Deltamatic Group, has appointed its new Management Board. As of January 14th, 2016, three Managing Directors will conduct the business of one of the world's leading providers of slitter rewinders and winding machines. Former Managing Director Andreas Hollmann has consensually left the company. 

Roberta Ghilardi, who began leading the company as Managing Director in 2014, is now responsible for, amongst others, Administration and Finance. Dr Hans-Peter Bauer, Head of Mechanical Engineering at GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH since 1997, has become Managing Director Operations (Engineering and Production). Harald Knechtel, since 2011 Head of Sales, has been appointed Managing Director for the company's worldwide sales and marketing activities. 

“We are delighted that we have been able to appoint the Management Board with Mrs Ghilardi, Dr Bauer and Mr Knechtel. Having been with the company for many years, they are extremely familiar with our company and the markets. Together, in line with our company's future-oriented corporate governance, we will be able to secure the success and competitiveness of GOEBEL IMS in the long term and continue to inspire our customers,” says Daniele Vaglietti, CEO of IMS Deltamatic S.p.A. 

GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH and IMS, a brand of the Italy-based IMS Deltamatic Group, merged their business activities in March 2015. The first step following this fusion was to expand the international sales channels, customer service and the product portfolio for customers worldwide. The new trio at the top will continue this success story.  

Optimizing the brand's position in the core markets and tapping new sales markets is the top priority for Harald Knechtel. The new Managing Director for Sales and Marketing at GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH has already successfully expanded new markets in his role as Head of Sales from 2011 to 2015. Collaborating closely with Product Development, Harald Knechtel was able to achieve numerous synergistic effects and successes, including the largest single order in the company's history. His many years of experience in steering international sales channels have provided Harald Knechtel with extensive expertise in the products and in-depth knowledge of the core industries.

The new Managing Director Operations (Engineering and Production) is Dr Hans-Peter Bauer, who has worked for GOEBEL since 1989 and in leading management positions for many years. As Head of Mechanical Construction, he played a vital role in further expanding the product range. The company developed numerous new machines under his leadership, including the largest slitter rewinder MONOSLIT GIANT. Dr Bauer intends to expand the product portfolio through product developments such as new, contemporary machine constructions and control systems that meet customer needs and create long-term value. In close cooperation with the parent company IMS Deltamatic, the Darmstadt based company will be able to achieve numerous synergy effects.

For Roberta Ghilardi, responsible for Administration, Finance and other functional units, her top priority is to secure and strengthen the company's competitive position. Since GOEBEL was taken over by the machine group IMS Deltamatic S.p.A., she was responsible for the strategic direction of the Darmstadt based company. “By restructuring, we have laid the groundwork for a successful future, even in difficult market and competition conditions. We will therefore continue to optimize business processes and maintain a consistent customer focus.” 

Born in Bergamo, Italy, in 1975, Roberta Ghilardi is an Engineer by degree and has been with the IMS Deltamatic Group since 2000. Following the completion of her degree in Engineering in Italy, Spain and Mexico, Ghilardi became Head of Business Process Reengineering in 2002, initially responsible for the integration of  new companies into the Italian mechanical engineering group. This included the incorporation of the American Kasper Machine Company in 2005, the Italian companies Rotomac in 2008, Deltamoulds in 2009 and Turra in 2010, as well as the merger with GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH in 2013. In addition, Roberta Ghilardi took over responsibility for quality optimization in 2003 and as Head of Industrial Accounting and Process Optimization in 2007. She has been responsible for Controlling at the IMS Deltamatic Group since 2013 and already served as Managing Director of GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH in 2014. Roberta Ghilardi has been Managing Director Administration and Finances at GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH since January 2016. 

Born in Emden, Germany, in 1965, Harald Knechtel is a Certified Mechanical Technician for engineering and has been with GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH since 2009. Prior to this, he worked as a Technical Assistant at the University of Technology Hamburg Harburg (TUHH) from 1993 to 1995, and at superior technician at the French research institute Laue-Langevin (ILL), the largest international neutron research centre from 1996. In 1999, Harald Knechtel changed to LPKF Laser & Electronics AG in Garbsen, Germany, where he held various positions, most recently that of Sales Director for the Hong Kong subsidiary. At GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH, Harald Knechtel was Area Sales Manager from 2009, responsible for sales activities in Asia, before being assigned Head of Sales with commercial power of attorney in 2011, assuming control of the international sales channels and playing a significant role in tapping new sales markets. Harald Knechtel has been Managing Director Sales and Marketing at GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH since January 2016. 

Born in Fürth, Germany, in 1957, Dr. Hans-Peter Bauer holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and has held management positions at GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH for many years. After completing high school, Dr. Bauer took a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the technical university Darmstadt from 1977 to 1983. He then remained at the university as a research assistant in the Mechanical Engineering and Machine Elements faculty, later completing his PhD there. In 1989, Dr. Bauer joined the machine factory GOEBEL GmbH, later GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH. In 1997 he became Head of Mechanical Engineering, responsible for product development, and was given commercial power of attorney in 2009. Dr. Bauer has been Managing Director Operations (Engineering and Production) at GOEBEL Schneid- und Wickelsysteme GmbH since January 2016.