Dr Volker Nilles is new CEO of Arburg

On 12 January 2026, Dr Volker Nilles took up the position as Chief Executive Officer of Arburg. The appointment of the new CEO brings the top-level management team of the globally active Lossburg-based machine manufacturer to six people. In addition to Nilles, the other members of the Arburg management team are Managing Partners Juliane Hehl (Global Marketing and Business Development) and Michael Hehl (Premises Development) as well as Managing Directors Tobias Baur (Sales, After Sales), Guido Frohnhaus (Technology & Engineering) and Steffen Kroner (Finance, Controlling, IT, Global HR). 

Dr Volker Nilles brings with him more than 30 years of leadership experience in mechanical and automotive engineering. His career is characterised by international management positions with specific experience in the USA, China and India as well as generally a clear focus on transformation, growth and sustainable organisational development.

Dr Volker Nilles, CEO, Arburg

Extensive management and industry experience

After studying mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University and completing a PhD in business administration at the Technical University of Munich, Nilles began his professional career in machine tool engineering at ThyssenKrupp, where he was responsible for purchasing, logistics and production for a total of eleven plants worldwide. This was followed by senior positions in plant management at Bosch Rexroth as well as a ten-year tenure as CEO of Kleemann GmbH, where he significantly advanced the international focus of the crushing and screening plant manufacturer.

Dr Nilles acquired extensive experience in plastics processing at KraussMaffei Kunststofftechnik, where he was ultimately responsible for global new machine business as Executive Vice President New Machines and a member of the extended board. Before taking up the position at Arburg, he was CEO of Humbaur GmbH, Europe’s largest manufacturer of car trailers.

Clear signals for growth and safeguarding the future

“We are pleased to welcome on board Dr Nilles, an internationally experienced expert with a broad portfolio”, reports Managing Partner Michael Hehl. His sister Juliane Hehl is confident that Dr Nilles’ appointment will bring further dynamism to the strengthening of Arburg as a world-renowned brand and the further expansion of Arburg’s global market presence.