HOMAG Group AG is driving the expansion of its solid wood segment and has now appointed Dr Daniel Schmitt as a Board of Management member, responsible specifically for this business. From 1 July 2021, Dr Schmitt will manage the Solid Wood Processing business unit, with which HOMAG aims to establish itself as a leading technology partner for sustainable building using solid wood.
HOMAG’s solid wood business includes its subsidiary WEINMANN as well as the two recently acquired Danish companies System TM and Kallesoe. With the solid wood business unit, HOMAG mainly supplies manufacturers of building components for sustainable timber houses. It aims to substantially increase its market share in this fast-growing sector from its current level of 10%. This year, sales in the solid wood segment are expected to significantly exceed €100 million.
“We want to become the leading systems supplier for timber construction and develop the solid wood segment into a second mainstay, alongside our activities with the furniture industry. Strengthening our management team shows how important this new field is for us,” stressed Chief Executive Officer Ralf W. Dieter.
Gerhard Federer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HOMAG Group AG, states: “There is strong momentum at the HOMAG Group, and it is necessary to expand the Board of Management in order to handle the diverse range of strategic and operational issues in a sustainable manner. In Dr Daniel Schmitt, we have acquired a renowned expert with outstanding system and technology expertise. He is an excellent team player and has demonstrated that he can combine strengths and expand new fields of business.”
Dr Schmitt will manage the solid wood business together with the management teams of WEINMANN, System TM, and Kallesoe. In addition, on the Board of Management he will take over responsibility for the CNC Processing business unit and for quality management. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering and comes from HOMAG’s parent company Dürr. At Dürr, he has been in charge of the Clean Technology Systems division since 2017 and was responsible for, among other things, the acquisition and complex integration of US company Megtec/Universal. Prior to this, he had spent many years in various management positions at the Freudenberg Group in Weinheim.
“The trend toward sustainability is leading to an ever-growing number of buildings being made from timber,” explained Dr Schmitt. “Thanks to WEINMANN’s strong position and the recent acquisitions, HOMAG is well placed to enjoy vigorous growth in the solid wood sector. It is my goal to showcase the strength of the newly formed Solid Wood Processing business unit while maintaining the flexibility and customer proximity of the companies operating within this segment.”
