Generational handover complete
Family business passes on the baton
- Selina Schumacher appointed new CEO of SCHUMACHER GmbH
- Next generation continues process of integration in the family business
- Expanded management team with new expert functions
- Focus on innovation for the future, digitalization and Industry 4.0
Eichelhardt, 30 September 2020
GROUP SCHUMACHER has a new management board: as part of the generational handover in the family business, Selina Schumacher took charge of operational management at the newly founded SCHUMACHER GmbH on 1 September 2020. The group comprises two long-established companies – Gebr. Schumacher GmbH and EWM Eichelhardter Werkzeug- & Maschinenbau GmbH – as well as the sales arm SCHUMACHER.plus GmbH.
In accordance with company philosophy, the CEOs Fred and Heinz-Günter Schumacher are taking a back seat, but they will be available to the new management team as a sounding board, putting their many years of experience at the disposal of the incoming team. Selina Schumacher: “With the integration of our long-established companies and highly reputable brand names, we intend to consolidate our global reputation in cutting and binding technology for combine harvesters, cutter bars and big balers. As our family-run business moves into the third generation, we are reaffirming our commitment to our regional ties and to the Eichelhardt site as the headquarters for GROUP SCHUMACHER’s worldwide activities.”
Further investments in the optimization of process quality and the modernization of production technologies are planned for the coming years. Selina Schumacher: “We have to adapt to the ever faster changing environment in our industry and react instantly to volatile trading conditions. We are therefore broadening our portfolio and intensifying the development of innovative and digital components. Together with our customers, we are pushing ahead with new development projects in order to further leverage and optimize the potential of agriculture and farming technology in general.”
Headed for sustainable and long-term growth
Selina Schumacher (34) already gained experience at national and international level in a variety of roles within the companies that make up GROUP SCHUMACHER. Most recently, she led the restructuring of Schumacher Company LC and the realignment of operations for North America at the Durant site in Iowa.
Selina Schumacher: “At GROUP SCHUMACHER, we are focused on sustainable, long-term growth and independence. Consequently, we are realistic and conservative in setting objectives. Even as a global player with subsidiaries in the USA, Brazil, Russia and China, it is very important for us to emphasize the SME character of our company and the ongoing support of the Schumacher family in communicating with our own staff as well as with our customers and partners. Nowadays, a more collaborative form of leadership is called for. We continue to develop our policies and new ideas on the strong basis of our experienced teams working in partnership with experts. This ensures that our customers and the end users of our harvesting technology will continue to benefit from our products and services in the future.”
Expanded management team
The merger of the two long-established companies – Gebr. Schumacher GmbH and EWM Eichelhardter Werkzeug- & Maschinenbau GmbH – as well as the sales arm SCHUMACHER.plus GmbH to form the newly founded SCHUMACHER GmbH requires us to redefine the organizational leadership culture and expand the management team. Frank Schmidt, who has many years of experience in the management of complex development projects in the automotive sector, came on board as the new Head of R&D at the beginning of this year. In Jürgen Laverenz, GROUP SCHUMACHER recruited an experienced Head of Production & Logistics who will contribute his expertise to the ongoing change process, especially in organizational transformation and process optimization. In addition, Jens Schumacher, a longstanding internal sales expert, takes over as Head of International Operations & Sales.
Reframing the company future
The next step will bring Rasspe Systemtechnik GmbH in Wermelskirchen into the organizational and process optimizing program that covers all our company sites. The focus of the overall change process is on reframing the Group and its future by ensuring ongoing innovation, digitalization and the framing and implementation of Industry 4.0.
GROUP SCHUMACHER is based in Eichelhardt und Wermelskirchen, Germany and employs more than 500 people in seven offices and factories in Germany, USA, Brazil, Russia and China. With a focus on components for harvesters, combines in particular, headers and big balers, the owner-managed group designs, manufactures and markets systems and components under the SCH, EWM, rasspe and Radura brands. This multi-brand strategy is the cornerstone of the group’s growth strategy on all continents and in all global harvest regions.