New Senior Leadership at Wheelabrator
Surface tech veteran to head up global wheelblast business
We have strengthened our global leadership team with the recent appointment of Magdalene Höltke (Magda) as Senior Vice President Global Wheel. Magda will, as part of a planned succession process, take over from Heinrich Dropmann. Heinrich, with his more than 30 years of service at Wheelabrator, will continue with the company but will focus on sales and business development, putting his extensive knowledge and experience to the service of Wheelabrator’s global customer base.
Magda holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry, as well as an MBA, and has spent most of her career working across surface technology and automotive coatings, with nearly 15 years at BASF Coatings, in strategic leadership, R&D and technical roles.
She joins Wheelabrator from PETER/LACKE Group where she was Technology Director with European responsibility.
Based at the global wheelblast technology center in Metelen, Germany, Magda will oversee the entire global wheelblast business from innovation strategy and technology development to sales and business growth.
Lars Priess, President of Wheelabrator, comments: “Magda is joining Wheelabrator at a crucial time in its over a 100-year history. Wheelblasting plays a key role in the making of so many things, from cast iron cookware to crucial components for infrastructure and automotive. Since the beginning of this century, new demands on the blast process have emerged: increasing automation, improved sustainability, radical efficiency."
“Shot blasting takes me even closer to the surface than my previous roles. It’s an endlessly fascinating process for which Wheelabrator has incredibly strong technology. It’s my ambition to take this technology to a completely new level.”
Magda Höltke , Senior Vice President Global Wheel at Wheelabrator