Printing ink specialist Siegwerk has appointed Dr Nicolas Wiedmann as the company’s new CEO.

Dr Wiedmann joins Siegwerk from automotive supplier Hella, where he most recently served as general manager, Special Applications, and was a member of the company’s executive board.

He will join Siegwerk on 1 January, 2021, and will take over full responsibility by the end of March, following a transition period and when current CEO Herbert Forker is to retire.

‘I am excited about the opportunity to join Siegwerk at such an important time in its long history as we prepare the company, and our employees, our ‘Siegwerkers’, for the future,’ commented Dr Wiedmann. ‘I plan on continuing this transformation process which Herbert Forker has led and to seize new opportunities in the dynamic packaging industry. I am also looking forward to meeting our more than 5000 Siegwerkers around the world soon and getting to know my new leadership team.’

Mr Forker has held the position of CEO for more than 21 years. Under his leadership, Siegwerk has transitioned and strategically positioned itself to meet the rapidly changing market for packaging inks. This has seen the family-owned company more than quadruple both sales and profitability. In 2016, Mr Forker and Siegwerk owner Alfred Keller were named ‘Entrepreneurs of the Year’ by Ernst & Young.

‘It has been my honour to serve the Siegwerk family for more than two decades,’ said Mr Forker. ‘I am proud of what we all have achieved as a company. Successfully implementing our current strategy to be a circular and digital packaging solutions provider is an important step in remaining globally competitive. I wish Nicolas Wiedmann and the Siegwerk team all the best and will support him any way I can to ensure a smooth leadership transition and uninterrupted business continuity.’