On 12 January 2026, Dr Volker Nilles took up the position as Chief Executive Officer of Arburg. The appointment of the new CEO expands the top-level management of the globally active machine manufacturer based in Lossburg to six people. In addition to Dr Nilles, the Arburg management team consists of Managing Partners Juliane Hehl, responsible for global marketing and business development, and Michael Hehl, responsible for premises development, as well as Managing Directors Tobias Baur, responsible for sales and after sales, Guido Frohnhaus, responsible for technology and engineering, and Steffen Kroner, responsible for finance, controlling, IT and global human resources. The new management structure is intended to strengthen the company’s position on international markets and ensure the continued organisational development.
Management experience in mechanical and automotive engineering
Dr Volker Nilles brings to Arburg more than 30 years of management experience in the machinery sector and the automotive industry. His career includes international management positions, with experience in the United States, China and India, combined with a clear focus on transformation, growth and sustainable organisational development. After studying mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University and obtaining a PhD in business administration at the Technical University of Munich, Dr Nilles began his professional career in the field of machine tools at ThyssenKrupp. There he was responsible for purchasing, logistics and production for a total of eleven plants worldwide, which enabled him to gain broad experience in managing global supply chains and production processes.
He subsequently held senior positions in plant management at Bosch Rexroth. For ten years he was also CEO of Kleemann GmbH, a manufacturer of mobile crushing and screening plants, where he significantly supported the strengthening and development of the company’s international focus. This period involved intensifying activities on foreign markets and expanding the global presence of the company in the segment of crushing and screening machinery.
Expertise in plastics processing and machinery markets
An important part of Dr Nilles’ professional background is his work in the field of plastics processing. At KraussMaffei Kunststofftechnik he was ultimately responsible for the global new machine business as Executive Vice President New Machines and a member of the extended board. This role included responsibility for the development and sale of new machines in various markets, which enabled him to gain in-depth insight into the specifics of the global machinery market for plastics processing.
Immediately before taking up his position at Arburg, Dr Nilles served as CEO of Humbaur GmbH, Europe’s largest manufacturer of car trailers. This position involved managing a company operating in the transport equipment sector, with a strong production and engineering component, which complements his management profile with additional experience in the automotive and machinery industries.
Strengthening Arburg’s position and a growth-oriented signal
The appointment of Dr Volker Nilles as CEO is interpreted at Arburg as a clear signal oriented towards growth and safeguarding the company’s future. Managing Partner Michael Hehl emphasises the importance of the new CEO’s experience.
"We are pleased to welcome on board Dr Nilles, an internationally experienced expert with a broad portfolio", reports Michael Hehl. His sister, Managing Partner Juliane Hehl, is confident that the appointment of the new CEO will contribute to strengthening the company’s global position. In her view, the presence of Dr Nilles in the management team will bring additional momentum to activities aimed at consolidating Arburg as a world-renowned brand and further expanding the company’s global market presence.
On 12 January 2026, Dr Volker Nilles took up the position as Chief Executive Officer of Arburg.
