My carrier history
This is the text area for this paragraph. To change it, simply click and start typing.
My training as a mechanic
I trained as a mechanic at the Maschinenfabrik Heinrich Georg in Kreuztal, my home town
My studies
I studied mechanical engineering, specializing in factory planning, technical English, and environmental technology.
Design of cold rolling mills at the SMS Group
During my first few years, I designed various rolling mill products—such as an uncoiler, a coil preparation station, and an inter-stand cooling system. After three years, I was offered a position with significant responsibility in our Flat Rolling Mills Lead Department (EPCM, turn key)
Head of construction / Hanbo, Korea
As Head of Construction, I was responsible for planning the entire infrastructure for two large-scale turnkey projects, including cranes, steel structure, foundations, piping, and material flow systems. The project was valued at over
EUR 500,000
Since PRINCE2 and PMI methodologies had only gained limited traction in our industry at the time, we developed many approaches ourselves—such as optimal project organizational charts, MS Project scheduling, and effective claims management—that are considered standard practice today.
In addition, an approach was adopted for the first time to treat internal departments like external suppliers—essentially acting as internal consortium members. The "leadership team," to which I belonged acted as the consortium leader in dealings with the customer (similar to EPC contracts).
Following a one-year stint in the USA dedicated to knowledge transfer for the world's first two-stand reversing mill and a coupled pickling-tandem mill, my responsibilities expanded to include rolling mill upgrades and modernization projects. Even then, I was leading teams of up to eight engineers, primarily from the design department.
I managed three rolling mill modernizatons, creating highly detailed installation schedules for each. I also demonstrated my ability to confidently lead installation and commissioning teams under high-pressure conditions. During this period, I was also sent to India for a project, where I guided a 16-member engineering team for several months.
I then worked in the concrete block industry for three years before moving to the sales department at Danieli Fröhling. There, I offered modernization services and complete rolling stands to our customers. However, I subsequently received an offer from SMS Concast in Zurich. The role involved managing continuous casting projects, but with the added opportunity to handle the commercial aspects as well—something that aligned with my interests. During that time, I managed two plant contracts: one in Thailand (€46 million) and one in China (€21 million). The process began with a risk assessment—evaluating the financial risks involved in the contract and determining what measures were needed to minimize them.
Specific responsibilities included:
Active and accountable leadership of the project team—comprising internal central and business units, international subsidiaries, and participating consortium members/partners—from contract commencement through to successful system acceptance
• Monitoring project progress against qualitative and quantitative targets and ensuring fulfillment of contractual technical obligations
Cost and schedule planning and monitoring (controlling)
Conducting regular variance analyses, proposing solutions, and reporting to management
Managing claims involving customers and suppliers
Leading negotiations with the customer and participating partners, both domestically and internationally
Managing the customer relationship
This experience provided an excellent foundation for a sales role at the hpl-group. There, I spent six years (2010–2016) responsible for establishing the company’s presence across the entire Asian market.
My responsibilities included:
• marketing
• building a network of sales representatives
• representing the company at trade fairs and conferences
• developing technical concepts in collaboration with customers
• preparing quotations and cost calculations
• conducting technical and commercial negotiations through to contract award and final acceptance
In 2015, I founded Maconas Ltd. in Thailand. Initially, I worked only part-time as a marketing and sales engineer for LAP Laser in Lüneburg. Later, after leaving hpl in 2016, I began working with the company then known as hmp, providing sales consultancy and conducting my own sales activities—primarily in Thailand and Vietnam. Through this work, I succeeded in securing a major order for a heavy-duty bulkhead shear for Tung Ho Vietnam, as well as an order with hmp for a small rolling stand for the Chinese customer Benxi Tools.
In the spring of 2018, I received an offer from Danieli Far East for the position of Head of After-Sales Service for hot and cold rolling mills and slab continuous casting plants. The service department offers spare and replacement parts, repairs and overhauls, solutions for design-related issues, and condition monitoring services. Additional services include the re-measurement and overhaul of entire rolling stands. This interim role was designed to optimize the 16-member team, improve team cohesion, and streamline workflows.
In 2019, I moved to ald Vacuum Technologies Thailand as Director of Service. There, leading a team of five, I was responsible for the entire Southeast Asian sales region. We repaired and upgraded existing melting and heat-treatment furnaces, handled the installation and commissioning of powder metallurgy systems, and provided consulting services to customers regarding the repair and operation of their equipment. This was a 70% position. Additionally, I was involved in the sales of heat-treatment furnaces. In this capacity, I oversaw the relocation of a steel plant, assuming full responsibility for the project—including on-site supervision during the construction and commissioning phases. I was able to advise the client on plant layout and planning, specifically regarding utilities, cranes, piping, cable routing, and foundations.
In 2020, I liquidated Maconas and founded a new company in Switzerland. Obtaining a work permit was extremely difficult with Maconas Co. Ltd, as it was a Thailand-based entity; establishing a Swiss company allowed me to circumvent this issue.
Subsequently, I secured contracts in 2021, 2022, and 2023
• Siam Poongsan (Thailand): Modernization of a slab rolling mill line, involving the installation of hydraulic cylinders with integrated position-sensing systems for slab centering, complete with a user-friendly stroke pre-selection feature at the main control station. This project was challenging because the entire technical design was created using CAD—despite the absence of existing drawings for the original equipment—and the mechanical components were manufactured in Thailand.
• Belimed (Switzerland): Due to the travel restrictions caused by COVID-19 in 2022, I took the opportunity to work for several months in the life sciences sector at Belimed in Eastern Switzerland. Belimed manufactures sterilizers and disinfection systems for regulated environments (GMP). • Weidat, Malaysia: Installation of a packaging system for wire coils, comprising a coil compactor, through-the-eye strapping, and subsequent stretch-wrapping.
• Bluescope, Thailand: Installation of a fully automatic coil strapping system at the reversing mill.
I secured the contracts in Thailand myself through my new Swiss company, as well as the subsequent contracts in Europe.
In 2024, I left Thailand to focus on two crane projects.
May to November 2024: Project Manager (Cranes and Logistics) for the new converter (CRH) at Aurubis Hamburg
Specification of an overhead crane and an auxiliary crane, taking the process to the contract-award stage.
Coordination of interfaces.
Quality monitoring at supplier sites.
Project Manager for a 350 (650)to steelworks crane at ArcelorMittal in Eisenhüttenstadt (3-month assignment)
My most recent project, for which I was appointed as Site Manager (running until January 2026), was at the waste to energy plant in Darmstadt. Extensive decoupling and relocation work had already been carried out there; my task involved the cable trays and piping, as well as the boiler insulation.
Sine then I decided to go back to to my original qualification
Sales of Modernizations for Rolling Mills and Casting plants
