Dieter Kress announced during his 75th birthday celebrations that he planned to gradually withdraw from the day-to-day running of the German tooling company Mapal (www.mapal.com).

After 49 years as head of the company, Dr Kress withdrew from the executive board at the start of the year, appointing his son Jochen Kress as president of the Mapal Group (thereby ensuring that the company remains a family-owned concern).

Born in 1975, Jochen Kress studied machine engineering at the TU Dresden, later taking an MBA at the Leipzig Commercial College, followed by his doctorate in 2007.

He has extensive international experience, particularly in the USA and Asia, and he has been a member of the Mapal executive board since 2008.

Dr Kress said: “It was not easy for me to completely give up the responsibility for Mapal that I have borne for so long, but I know that the company is in good hands with my son.

“He has taken over more and more responsibilities in the last few years and has proved to be very capable as my successor.”

Jochen Kress said: “With Mapal, my father is handing over to me his life’s work. I am very grateful for the faith he is placing in me, and I will continue to manage the company in my father’s spirit.”

During Dr Kress’s years of management, the company grew from a small regional producer of tap drills with 100 employees into an international group with more than 5,000 employees world-wide — including about 1,800 in Aalen.

Last year, Mapal generated consolidated sales of more than 600 million euros.