HANZA makes Germany a separate entity to leverage growth potential

HANZA Holding AB (publ), a marketing strategist listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, is dividing its Central European manufacturing cluster into two units to increase focus on the German market. In parallell with this, the company is decentralizing certain group functions.

In July 2019, HANZA acquired the German manufacturer RITTER Elektronik with production facilities in Germany and the Czech Republic. The German unit provided HANZA with an important entrance to Europe's largest economy, while the unit in the Czech Republic reinforced HANZA's existing Central European offering with cable harnesses and complex assembly. The production units in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic have organisationally belonged to HANZA’s manufacturing cluster in Central Europe, which is now to be divided:

• The German operations with a separate production facility will focus on customers in the so-called DACH area (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and carry on the introduction of the  company's unique advisory services in this market.

• The factories in Poland and the Czech Republic will make up HANZA’s cluster Central Europe, where customers from both the Nordic and DACH region will be offered complete manufacturing, according to HANZA's concept.

Willibald Berger, who currently manages all production units in the region, will continue as head of HANZA Germany. Pawel Filarowksi, former country manager of HANZA Poland, will lead the new Central European cluster. Following the split, HANZA will have six clusters: Sweden, Finland, Germany, the Baltic region, Central Europe and China. The division will be effective as of April 1, 2020, with no appreciable costs for the group.

As part of the reorganization, the group functions Global Strategic Sourcing and Strategic HR will be decentralized and transferred to HANZA's manufacturing cluster. The sales function, recently strengthened through recruitment on cluster level, will also be redesigned and transferred to the respective clusters. Following this change, which is expected to be implemented during the second quarter of 2020, HANZA’s group management team will consist of Erik Stenfors, CEO; Lars Åkerblom, CFO and Andreas Nordin, COO.

"Separating Germany into its own cluster allows us to better address local customers and expand our consulting services, while at the same time gaining an independent and powerful manufacturing cluster in Central Europe," says Erik Stenfors, CEO of HANZA. “Simultaneously transferring the responsibility and authority for certain group functions, shows the confidence and trust we have in our local HANZA units.”

For further information please contact: 
Erik Stenfors, CEO, Tel: +46 70 950 80 70 
email: erik.stenfors@hanza.com

Lars Åkerblom, CFO, Tel: +46 70 794 98 78
email: lars.akerblom@hanza.com
 

About HANZA: 

By gathering different manufacturing technologies locally, we create shorter lead times, more environmentally friendly processes and increased profitability for our customers. This way we contribute to a more sustainable future. To put it simply; we modernize and streamline the manufacturing industry.

Our company was founded in 2008 and today has operations in Sweden, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic and China. Among our customers are leading companies such as ABB, Epiroc, Getinge, Oerlikon, SAAB and Siemens.
For more information visit www.hanza.com

The shares in HANZA are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.