Dätwyler rejig to tighten focus on sealing business

Altdorf, Switzerland – Dätwyler Holding Inc is launching a restructuring programme as part of its recently announced strategy to focus on “fast-growing, high-margin” sealing business.

To kick off in February, the reorganisation will combine the company’s market and production activities to form two business areas: Health Care Solutions and Industrial Solutions.

The business areas will be supported by the newly formed service units of ‘technology & innovation’ and ‘finance & shared services’, Dätwyler announced 7 Jan.

The move will also see the company’s previous ‘holding functions’ and the functions of its Sealing Solutions division merge. 

“With the new organisation, we will retain our previous synergies and enhance our innovation while optimising our cost structure,” said Dirk Lambrecht, CEO of the Dätwyler Group.

The restructuring follows a decision late last year to divest the company’s Distrelec and Nedis distribution companies to German investment firm Aurelius. 

Launched with the aim to drive innovation and increase the group’s agility, the restructuring move will also see a management reshuffle at the Swiss parts manufacturer.

Dätwyler said it was internally promoting three managers to form a new executive management team at the company.

As part of the reshuffle, Walter Scherz will succeed Reto Welte as chief financial officer and leaded of the new ‘finance & shared services’ unit. 

The Health Care Solutions business unit will be managed by Dirk Borghs, who was previously in charge of all production locations in the company’s Sealing Solutions division. 

Dr Frank Schön will take over the management of the newly formed ‘technology & innovation’ service unit. 

Schön was previously responsible for R&D in the Sealing Solutions division and helped set-up a global R&D unit, focusing on digital knowledge management. 

The Industrial Solutions business unit will be led by Torsten Maschke, who has been serving as the chief operating officer at the Sealing Solutions division since late 2016.

With the completion of the sale of Distrelec and Nedis in the first quarter of the year, Neil Harrison will step down from the executive management team, Dätwyler also noted.