Successful succession and new impulses

Handshake Gerhard von Kulmiz (left) and Armin Paulus (right), Holger Kerkow (center) © Innomax
Handshake Gerhard von Kulmiz (left) and Armin Paulus (right), Holger Kerkow (center) © Innomax

At a time when the market appears to be undergoing a reorganization on the part of suppliers of waterjet cutting solutions, Innomax AG from Mönchengladbach, Germany, is continuing to take off with a new manager at its helm.

Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard von Kulmiz has been the majority shareholder and new CEO of Innomax AG since the middle of the year. The experienced shareholder and managing director of medium-sized companies had only recently sold his shares in Imperia GmbH, which he and his partner had managed for many years, and was thus able to enthuse about a new challenge.

Holger Kerkow, founder of the company, is retiring from the front row due to his age. However, he and in particular Armin Paulus (Chief Sales Officer) will remain associated with the company as board members and contacts in the future and will continue to guarantee customers, employees, and suppliers the continuity known and appreciated by Innomax. Gerhard von Kulmiz has been a fully authorized member of the management team at Innomax AG since October of last year and has thus been able to get to know customers, employees, suppliers as well as partners, products and business models very well.

The entire workforce has already placed its trust in the new owner. They welcome the successful change of baton and look forward positively to a common future with further growth.

“You don’t just read from the balance sheets how a company that has been in existence for more than 20 years is positioned,” says Gerhard von Kulmiz. “Capturing all of its facets and expertise and understanding day-to-day operations – takes more!”

“That was already a tight program: on the one hand, the daily routines, cooperation with machine customers, service business and application consulting; and on the other hand, planning and implementation of the company succession with everything that goes with it – business valuation and financing, contract design and bank discussions,” says Gerhard von Kulmiz. “But it was fun from the start and the effort was worth it in the end. Otherwise, you wouldn’t voluntarily put yourself through this stress. When you decide to take over a company, or the majority of a company, you have to burn for it!”

Innomax AG

Innomax AG, headquartered in Mönchengladbach, has been in existence for 20 years and is one of the top addresses for professional waterjet cutting solutions in Germany. As the exclusive partner of Omax Corporation, the world’s leading supplier of abrasive waterjet cutting systems (world market share > 40 percent), Innomax AG is responsible for marketing and servicing Omax cutting systems in German-speaking countries (D, A, CH). At Innomax AG, the waterjet cutting systems are adapted for the local market and additionally completed with further modules and components. Innomax AG operates an extensive competence and cutting center to support sales.

The main business of Innomax AG is the exclusive trade with Omax waterjet cutting systems, followed by the after-sales business (service, spare and wear parts). In addition, Innomax AG offers services for sophisticated job order and contract manufacturing in its competence and cutting center.

The company, which has been established in the market for decades, is well positioned and has therefore come through the recent years, which have been characterized by uncertainties, without suffering any damage. With annual sales of around € 10 million and regularly positive results, the company presents itself as more than healthy and growth-oriented.

Web:
www.innomaxag.de