ALTDORF, Switzerland—Datwyler Holding Inc. CEO Dirk Lambrecht, 62, will retire April 1, closing the book on an 18-year career within the company's executive ranks.
He has been Datwyler CEO since 2017.
During its general meeting set for March 14, the Datwyler Board of Directors is expected to approve Lambrecht's appointment to the board.
Volker Cwielong, 46, an auto industry veteran with extensive global leadership experience, has been chosen to succeed Lambrecht as Datwyler CEO.
"On behalf of both the board of directors and the employees, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dirk Lambrecht for his hard work and loyalty," Datwyler Chairman Paul Haelg said in a statement. "Over the course of the past seven years, he has left an indelible mark on Datwyler as CEO and helped the company focus on meeting a wide range of future demands."
As CEO, Lambrecht helped to streamline and redefine Datwyler's organizational structure. In 2020, after the divestment of the online distribution business, he lead the transformation of a company that previously had "two entirely different business units into a single focused company based on strong synergies," according to a Datwyler news release.
Under his leadership across all levels of the organization, Datwyler experienced both organic growth—with system-critical elastomer seals—as well as growth through acquisition.
Datwyler also has expanded its manufacturing footprint in three critical regions—the U.S., Europe and Asia—and saw the introduction of the FirstLine production standard for health care components, while adding its Food & Beverage business unit.
Looking to maintain and build on the success Lambrecht built, the board of directors is turning to Cwielong.
"Following the recent investments in our production capacities and acquisitions in the health care and connectors business, Datwyler's strategic positioning is stronger than ever before," Haelg said. "I'm certain that as CEO, Volker Cwielong has the right strategic skills and industrial experience to help Datwyler seize the profitable growth opportunities that exist in our markets."
An industrial engineer in background, Cwielong currently serves as co-CEO of the Purem division of Eberspaecher, an Esslingen, Germany-based automotive supplier specializing in clean mobility and exhaust technologies. In this role, Cwielong leads sales, production and technology, and innovation units, and has played a key role in helping the company build solutions for fuel cell and hydrogen applications.
Cwielong's global leadership experience spans international companies Hoerbiger, SaarGummi and Brose Fahrzeugteile.
And his success is certain to continue at Datwyler, Haelg said.
"In his previous positions, his entrepreneurial leadership skills have always helped him succeed in bringing the business units entrusted to him in line with market trends, gearing them toward their customers' needs as well as increasing both revenue and profits—even at difficult times," Haelg said. "Volker Cwielong has broad business experience that also includes the successful market launch of new product lines, acquisitions and reorganizations."
Lambrecht joined the Datwyler executive management team in 2005 assuming the position as Head of the Sealing Technologies division. Seven years later he was appointed to lead the newly established Sealing Solutions divisions, which formed as the company merged its Mobility and Healthcare businesses.
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