Florian Butzmann new COO of Sumitomo (SHI) Cyclo Drive Germany GmbH

Management strategically expanded, according to global growth plans

Following a strategic decision to flank latest investments in new markets by an adapted organizational setup, Florian Butzmann, who had previously been responsible for Sales and Marketing (CSO), was appointed new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Sumitomo (SHI) Cyclo Drive Germany GmbH, SCG for short, as of August 1, 2019.

The graduate engineer will keep his current CSO function and, in his new role as COO, will additionally chair the company’s EMEIA management team. As new COO, Florian Butzmann leads SCG Group’s entire operational business and reports directly to the Vice President of the Group (Sumitomo Heavy Industries-SHI) and CEO of SCG, Shaun Dean.

Florian Butzmann is committed to continuing an expansion approach and to take SCG Group's Power Transmission Control (PTC) EMEIA to the next level. Especially in Europe, the organization of Sumitomo Drive Technologies will grow continuously through strategic projects, in order to further expand the range of drive technology components and systems in its portfolio.

Florian Butzmann sees a further focal point of his new, extensive field of activity in leading the organization responsibly through its forthcoming structural change. With a decline in demand in China, and with automotive industry's switch to electro mobility, two major challenges have already been defined. Apart from that, Florian Butzmann will analyze methods to increase productivity through digitalization and new, alternative materials and processes and plans to consistently implement those effectively. Last, but not least, one top priority, however, will always be to secure sustainable future for all relevant stakeholders: employees, customers, business partners and shareholders.

In recent years, Sumitomo (SHI) Cyclo Drive Germany GmbH has also grown strongly due to strategic acquisition of industrial gear unit pioneer Hansen Industrial Transmission International (HIT) and the Spanish service and industrial gear unit expert Sociedad Industrial de Transmisiones SA (SIT). With over 600 employees, SCG Group has now consolidated its position in the market but continues to invest organically - e.g. in the construction of a new development center in Markt Indersdorf- for future-proof partnerships, both with customers and suppliers.

In 2018, SHI Group also acquired Lafert Group. The Italian company is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of customer-specific solutions in the field of electric motors and drives for industrial applications. It is also one of the market leaders in industrial automation and - with a turnover of approx. 170 million euros and 1,000 employees - a real heavyweight within SHI Group. Together with a management team, which includes both Hansen (HIT) and SCG employees, Florian Butzmann will further develop solutions and strategies to stringently integrate new business fields into Sumitomo´s world of industrial drive solutions.

In September 2019, Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI) also announced the acquisition of Invertek, a world leader in frequency converters (VFD). The motor control industry is becoming increasingly important, as general demand for IoT, automation, labor productivity and energy-saving technologies and applications is constantly increasing. With Invertek's technology and manufacturing capabilities, SHI can significantly expand its product portfolio.