Sandra Füllsack takes over as chair of the association. Ulrich Reifenhäuser and Rainer Zimmermann retire after decades of service.

At the board meeting of the Fachverband Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen (Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association) in Osterburken, Baden-Württemberg, at the beginning of March, there was a generational change. Two influential figures, Ulrich Reifenhäuser, former CSO of Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG, and Rainer Zimmermann, CEO of AZO GmbH & Co. KG, stepped down from the board. Reifenhäuser was a member of the board for a total of 32 years, 18 of which he served as chairman. In addition to his work in the association, he was also president of the K trade fair, the leading international trade fair for the plastics industry. His commitment strengthened the trade association, especially in times of geopolitical and economic challenges, emphasised Thorsten Kühmann, managing director of the trade association. Kühmann thanked Reifenhäuser and Zimmermann for their decades of good and constructive cooperation with the words: "Ulrich Reifenhäuser and Rainer Zimmermann have been and continue to be committed companions who have influenced and helped shape the work of the trade association with their commitment and ideas. With courage and foresight, they have accompanied our projects in the trade association and set the agenda. Good association work needs this strong impetus from the industry in voluntary positions."
 
In addition to the new Chairwoman of the Board, Sandra Füllsack (left in the photo), Managing Director of Motan Holding GmbH, Bernd Reifenhäuser (right in the photo), CEO and Managing Partner of Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG Maschinenfabrik, and Lukas Zimmermann, Managing Partner of AZO Holding, were also elected to the Board.
 
Sources:

• Press release VDMA Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen (6.3.2026)
• Photo: © Motan/Reifenhäuser