The Wittur Group is well-known as a global supplier of components, modules, and systems for the elevator industry. It is one of the largest independent suppliers in the world with an extensive global manufacturing footprint and sales network and a broad portfolio of products, ranging from elevator doors or car and counterweight frames, to complete elevator packages. The group has around 3,300 employees working in 10 production plants and 20 sales companies across the world. Installation of elevators and maintenance services are not part of Wittur’s business.
Dr Walter Rohregger has been leading the Wittur Group as CEO and Chairman of the Executive Management Team since February 2012. He has a PhD in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy. Following the completion of his doctorate, he worked for the leading global British automotive and aerospace components company GKN, which is based close to Birmingham. During his 25-year tenure there, he was able to gain significant international and professional experience.
I have moved around the world quite a bit, actually. I moved to Asia in the mid-90s, first to Japan, and then I lived in China for three years, after that in Singapore for seven, and then back to China, Walter says. I then relocated to the GKN headquarters in the UK, where besides heading one of GKNs divisions, I was part of the GKN groups executive team. In 2007, I ended up moving to Warwick with my family. I like the culture, the sense for history, the countrys green landscape and the temperature in the United Kingdom. I’m not a guy who likes the 24/7 heat I experienced in Singapore, but frankly speaking, I wouldn’t mind less rain in the UK. So that’s how this Italian guy ended up living and working in the United Kingdom.
While at GKN, Walter was responsible for expanding the business in the Asia-Pacific region, driving it forward through organic growth, acquisitions, and joint ventures. He was in charge of the automotive division first, then the construction, mining, and agriculture segments, which included the functional areas of manufacturing, technical development, and sales. In 2012, he started a new professional chapter and took up the top position at Wittur Group. I met the chairman of Wittur, who was the previous CEO at KONE Elevators one thing led to another, and here I am, Walter says.
Walter’s aim for Wittur Group is to be the leading global strategic partner for eco-efficient solutions for components, modules, and systems in the elevator industry. He intends to position the company as leader in quality and technology with its customers. Headquartered in Wiedenzhausen, Germany, the Wittur Group is already achieving these goals today. The Wittur brand is established all over the world; the company has subsidiaries across Europe, Eurasia, Asia, and Latin America; and it is a place where people are happy to work.
We are the number-one independent elevator components supplier in the world, Walter states. Just to give you an idea, last year we generated a turnover of around €520 million. The second independent elevator components supplier (a player in our market segment with the same product portfolio) has a turnover of less than half this amount. There are only two players with a turnover of around €150 – €200 million and then the next one is below €50 million. As you can see, we are the largest, most global supplier in the elevator industry.
