Former Engel chief technology officer joins Yizumi

Hans Wobbe

Guangdong Yizumi Precision Machinery is making big moves in 2016, starting with appointing a former Engel chief technology officer as its chief strategy officer.

In his successful career in the plastics processing equipment industry, Hans Wobbe held key positions in a number of companies, including head of development at Werner & Pfleiderer and managing director-technology at Munich-based KraussMaffei Kunststofftechnik.

In 2004, he was appointed CTO at Schwertberg, Austria-based Engel Holding GmbH, responsible for development for all plants in Asia, Europe and North America since 2004, including the establishment of Engel’s Shanghai plant, according to Yizumi.

Wobbe had left Engel in 2010 for personal reasons, according to an Engel news release. More recently he has been with the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at the RWTH University Aachen in Germany.

Wobbe will help Yizumi formulate marketing and product strategies to achieve the company’s goal of internationalizing itself. He will lead the development of innovative products and processes, upgrade product quality, and establish technical centers in China and Germany.

Wobbe defines Yizumi’s mission as to be on par with top firms in the industry on technology, cost control, quality and [machine] stability. He believes Yizumi is capable of becoming an influential company in the world, according to the Yizumi statement.

In addition to bringing a strategic executive on board, Yizumi is also implementing module-based production. Yizumi CEO Richard Yan said it will work with suppliers to improve components quality.

Yizumi started trial modular production for its die-casting machines and rubber processing machines last year.

The company aims to launch its injection moulding machine assembly line in June 2017.

Facing China’s economic new normal, Yan said 2016 will be a difficult year, but the company is prepared to build its future of a world-class company.

Yizumi is among a handful of Chinese injection press makers that have made a significant push into Western markets, including the United States. Most significantly, Yizumi acquired Mount Gilead, Ohio-based HPM’s intellectual property in 2011 and has been expanding its North America presence.

Curiously, the company also has previously highlighted a special relationship with Engel. In 2014, it disclosed that Engel CEO Peter Neumann and Chief Technology Officer Stefan Engleder had paid a visit to Yizumi’s headquarters in Shunde and its factory in Wusha, exchanging ideas on a host of topics including production management, technological innovation, and talent management.