Heinrich Fischer, CEO of Saurer since March 1996, informed the Saurer Board of Directors in November 2005 of his intention to step down on the occasion of the General Meeting 2007. Besides being Group CEO, Heinrich Fischer was also head of the textile segment. The Saurer Board of Directors has decided to appoint Carsten Voigtländer as head of the textile segment as from January 2007.

Carsten Voigtländer, who holds a doctor’s degree in mechanical engineering, joined Neumag in 1994 and has been its Manging Director since 1998. Over the last few years, he has very successfully expanded Neumag’s business and has made a decisive contribution to the development of the non-woven sector.

The Senior Management of Oerlikon welcomes the appointment of Carsten Voigtländer as Head of Saurer Textile Solutions. Thomas Limberger said: „We are having talks with the Saurer management team with regard to preparing for integration. We are convinced that Dr. Voigtländer is the right person to shape Saurer’s future within the framework of the larger Oerlikon industrial conglomerate”.