Management changes at the family-owned company WIKUS

Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann switches from the Management  to the Supervisory Board.

Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann switches from the Management to the Supervisory Board

In mid-May, Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann will move from the management of WIKUS Sägenfabrik Wilhelm H. Kullmann GmbH & Co. KG to the Supervisory Board of the family-owned company. Dr. Kullmann thanked the employees of Europe's largest saw blade manufacturer with a celebration and now steps into the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board. The son of the company founder has shaped the successful development of the company for over 34 years.

Spangenberg, May 15, 2024: —  After more than 34 years in management at WIKUS Sägenfabrik, Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann moved from his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the Management Board to the Supervisory Board in May 2024, shortly after his 65th birthday.
To ensure a smooth transition, he prepared the Management Board for this handover process over the long term.

“I have initiated a transformation process in the management structure of the WIKUS Group. My step into the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board, which in the future will consist of three shareholders and three non-family members, is part of this change. In close cooperation with the interdisciplinary management team, we will constantly monitor and influence the strategic direction of our family business. We will set the necessary framework conditions to keep the WIKUS Group on course for future generations,” says Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann.
Since 2018, the management team has been gradually expanded into a quartet, which will now become an interdisciplinary trio. Karsten Gutke will take over full management of the Technology & Production division from Dr. Kullmann. Alongside him, Michael Möller will be responsible for Sales and Affiliated Subsidiaries, and Jörg Utech for Finance and Resources on the Management Board.

“I summarized my change of position with a quote from Marcus Tullius Cicero: 'Never start to stop - never stop starting!' I think this motto describes my future role quite well.”

“I have initiated a transformation process in the management structure of the WIKUS Group.  My step into the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board, which in the future will consist of three shareholders and three non-family members, is part of this change. In close cooperation with the interdisciplinary management team, we will constantly monitor and influence the strategic direction of our family business. We will set the necessary framework conditions to keep the WIKUS Group on course for future generations,” says Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann.

Since 2018, the management team has been gradually expanded into a quartet, which will now become an interdisciplinary trio. Karsten Gutke will take over full management of the Technology & Production division from Dr. Kullmann. Alongside him, Michael Möller will be responsible for Sales and Affiliated Subsidiaries, and Jörg Utech for Finance and Resources on the Management Board.

“I summarized my change of position with a quote from Marcus Tullius Cicero: 'Never start to stop - never stop starting!' I think this motto describes my future role quite well.”

The Kullmann family will play an even greater role on the company's Supervisory Board in the future. Kullmann's niece Julia Kullmann will also become a member of the Supervisory Board from May 2024. She will strengthen the third generation, which has already been represented on the Supervisory Board by her sister Carolin Holst since 2020. The appointment of the shareholders to the Supervisory Board was decided by mutual agreement at the shareholders' meeting.

The heart beats for the saw industry

As the son of company founder Wilhelm H. Kullmann, Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann's heart has been beating for the saw industry since he was a child. He has held a leading position in the company since 1990. As a mechanical engineer with a doctorate in materials science, he began his career at WIKUS as a limited partner. After the change of name to WIKUS Sägenfabrik Wilhelm H. Kullmann GmbH & Co. KG in 1998, the brothers Rolf Kullmann as commercial managing director and Dr. Jörg Kullmann as technical managing director jointly managed the family business. After the sudden death of his brother in 2006, Dr. Kullmann led the company as Chief Executive Officer with sole responsibility. From 2018, he began systematically restructuring the company into a non-family management team by taking on longstanding employees.

“Success is rarely based on individual performance. Success is the result of selfless togetherness as well as close and interdisciplinary cooperation,” Dr. Kullmann says.

Dr. Kullmann has had a decisive influence on the development of band saw blade technology and the various processes for manufacturing band saw blades. His entrepreneurial and visionary actions were characterized by foresight. “There's no such thing as impossible” is his constant motto when it comes to necessary adjustments or flexibility. Nevertheless, he never lost sight of preserving traditions and values.

“Loyalty and truthfulness, honesty and diligence, appreciation and mutual respect are the bricks and mortar for a house of shared success. I am grateful to have spent my time on the bridge of the WIKUS mother ship on the basis of these values and the strong sense of cooperation with the employees in our family business,” notes Dr. Kullmann.
 

The milestones of his personal entrepreneurial activity include:

• The introduction of certified quality management as the first European company in the sawing industry.
• The introduction of certified energy management and the start of the establishment of certified environmental management.
• The establishment of a research and development department with an adjoining sawing center.
• The development and establishment of what is currently the largest production facility for carbide-tipped band saw blades and the development of pioneering patented products (e.g. FUTURA^®, ARION^®, ECODUR^®, DUROSET^®, TAURUS^®.)
• The development and introduction of an in-house technology for wear-reducing hard coatings on bimetal and carbide-tipped band saw blades.
• The continuous further development and introduction of new bimetal products (PROFLEX^®, SKALAR^®, SELEKTA^®, PRIMAR^®) and the introduction of the powder-metallurgically produced high-speed steel X3000^®.
• The process and market launch of DIAGRIT^® and CUBOGRIT^® (diamond and CBN-coated band saw blades).
• The development and construction of the production of precision circular saw blades.
• The technological transformation of workshop production from bimetal band saw blades and carrier bands to fully integrated in-line production, for which WIKUS was awarded the Hessian Innovation Prize in 2018.
• Numerous construction projects to expand the Spangenberg site.
• The construction of the new headquarters “WI.com”, which started with New Work and the “business club concept” even before mobile working was en vogue. He was instrumental in shaping the project with his goal of implementing “openness in mind and space”.
• The international growth of WIKUS: under his leadership and initiative, the Spangenberg-based family business has developed into an international group of companies with numerous subsidiaries worldwide.

Taking responsibility consciously

The slogan he introduced, “Precision at the cutting point”, remains at the heart of the company's philosophy, and an overriding awareness of quality, performance and excellence has always been at the center of Kullmann's thoughts and actions. One of Kullmann's central goals was and is the development of the WIKUS Group into a ME²TA company. ME²TA stands for “Most Effective & Efficient in Technology and Administration”. As a member of the WIKUS Supervisory Board, he will continue to put his heart and soul into driving these core topics forward.

In addition, social commitment remains an important issue for Kullmann: “I see our company as part of society and, as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, I see myself as sharing responsibility for WIKUSians and for our region.” 

Under the motto “WIforyou”, the company finances and supports numerous initiatives and associations in which WIKUS employees are active. WIKUS also covers the annual energy costs of the Spangenberg swimming pool. 

Another important project close to Dr. Kullmann's heart is the realignment of the WIKUS employer values. These were presented for the first time in mid-May under the motto “Sharing connects” at the event to bid farewell to Dr. Jörg H. Kullmann as Managing Director and welcome him as Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

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