Hermann Butting is the seventh generation family member to lead the Group and has been in charge since 2000. Born in Knesebeck, the graduate in business administration took an additional course as a trained welding engineer. Hermann Butting’s opinion is that solid skills in the relevant field, but also embodying values in real life, and one’s character are crucial for lasting success in a leadership post, and for good cooperation within the company. Under his leadership, BUTTING has developed from a purely German company to a Group that is increasingly international in its structure. The number of BUTTING employees has risen from around 900 in 2000 to today’s figure of more than 1,600. “We intend to create meaning and prosperity at our locations. This can only lead to success if we support the success of our customers.” Hermann Butting is convinced.

Dr Iris Rommerskirchen is a native of the Lower Rhine area. In 1992 she graduated from the Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf with a degree in chemistry. Then she became a scientific assistant of Professor Grabke at the Max-Planck-Institute for Iron Research in the field of high temperature corrosion. Three years later she was awarded her doctorate in the natural sciences at Dortmund University. Dr Iris Rommerskirchen began her career in private industry in the research and development department of ThyssenKrupp VDM and before her move to BUTTING she was in charge of application technology in the coils department. As the Management Board member at the Knesebeck location responsible for the “Sales”, “Supply Chain Management” and “Quality” areas, she helped to shape the growth of the BUTTING Group and its increasing presence in new markets from April 2002 until December 2011. Since the start of 2012 Dr Iris Rommerskirchen has been concentrating on strategic and market-relevant development subjects for the BUTTING holding.

Markus Bartsch was born in Swabia. In 1989 he was the top graduate of his year in engineering, specialising in production technology, at the Aalen University of Applied Sciences. Markus Bartsch began his professional career as a trainee in the graduate trainee programme of the Heidelberg Printing Machinery Group (Heidelberger Druckmaschinen) and rose to become a segment manager there in the following ten years. In 1999 he went into the automotive industry and took over operating responsibility for an engine construction plant in the VAW Group. Since May 2002, Markus Bartsch has managed our plant construction location at Schwedt on the Oder. Within the last ten years he and the other managing directors, Frank Schulze and Marko Busse, have placed the company on an economically healthy footing. Since mid-2011, Markus Bartsch has been in charge of the “Market” department in Knesebeck.

Thomas Schüller is also a native of Knesebeck. From 1984 he was trained in-house as a materials tester. Because of his outstanding service, Thomas Schüller was awarded a scholarship as part of the trainee executive programme at BUTTING, and he graduated in 1992 at the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences with a degree in engineering, specialising in materials technology. After rejoining the company in the same year, Thomas Schüller’s work focused on quality assurance and welding technology and in 1994 he took an additional training course as a European welding engineer. From 1999 Thomas Schüller was in charge of the steel plate production department. Since 1st April 2002, he has been a member of the Board of Management with responsibility for “Production”. Thanks to his technical competence and vision, the manufacturing possibilities for 12-m steel plate pipes have been expanded and the production processes have been optimised.

BUTTING - Progress by Tradition