After 30 years at the helm of the company, at the turn of 2022/2023 Progroup founder and CEO Jürgen Heindl will be handing over the role of CEO to his son Maximilian Heindl, previously his deputy. Jürgen Heindl will be moving to the Supervisory Board and in the future will run JH Holding GmbH. His successor’s clear aim is to continue to lead the family company with vision and expand it to secure its future.
Progroup celebrated this significant milestone with a ceremonial event in Leipzig on 5 November. It was almost 30 years to the day since the company’s first corrugated sheetfeeder plant started operating in Offenbach an der Queich.
Inspirational past delivers developments for the future
“Exploiting the power of innovations has always been a key component of our success,” stressed Jürgen Heindl in his speech. Ever since it was founded, Progroup has relied on efficiency and high-tech, maximum networking of the machines and optimised workflows. The company has consistently embraced the principle of a circular economy with its corrugated board product: Progroup uses 100 per cent recovered paper as raw material in its production of containerboard. The corrugated board end product is fully recyclable and is returned to the loop in this way.
You only have to look at developments today to see how prescient this business model was at the time. “To save our planet from a climate catastrophe, it is more vital than ever to preserve the environment and resources, recycle and reuse things. Just like we have always done at Progroup,” explained Jürgen Heindl.
Continuing a successful model with real vision
His son Maximilian Heindl will continue with this approach. “Energy efficiency has always been and still is a major issue for us: with our highly modern and highly efficient machines we play a decisive role in helping to reduce emissions.”
The company’s CHP plant at its Eisenhüttenstadt site means it has no dependence at all on fossil fuels. At its paper factory in Sandersdorf-Brehna, the circulating water treatment plant provides it with biogas which already covers 10% of the energy demand there. “We will continue with this approach: reducing emissions, manufacturing products sustainably and with vision – as a leader on technology,” says the industrial engineer and father of two children. “I am confident that we will continue to lead the way in the industry in the future – and thus be a reliable partner to our customers and employees.”
His brother Vinzenz Heindl will also be bringing his skills to the industry in the future. As the managing director of the Professionals Academy, the trained psychologist offers a platform for engaging on issues specific to the industry and family-run companies. The Professionals Academy is also part of JH Holding GmbH.
Politicians praise importance for Germany as a place to do business
As well as employees and their partners, the 2,300 guests who were invited also included customers and business partners.
Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Dr. Volker Wissing, the Premier of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, and the Premier of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, Dr. Reiner Haseloff, conveyed their congratulations in video messages. They emphasised the importance of Progroup for Germany as an industrial and business location. They also praised Jürgen Heindl’s work and spirit of innovation.
In the Minister for Economic Affairs Sven Schulze (Saxony-Anhalt), a distinguished representative of the state government attended the celebrations personally. He highlighted the significance of Progroup as an internationally operating business for his state.
Growth story continues
The fact that Progroup is well equipped for the future is demonstrated by the company’s ambitious national and international growth plans. The company’s twelfth corrugated sheetboard production facility was recently constructed in Stryków, Poland. With its production capacity of 825 million square metres per annum, Stryków is one of the biggest corrugated board production sites anywhere in the world.
In the town of Petersberg in Rhineland-Palatinate, Progroup is investing more than 90 million euros in a new corrugated sheetfeeder plant that will be part of a sustainable packaging park. Production of corrugated board is set to begin here in 2023. In addition, further growth projects in France and Italy are in the final planning stage.
About Progroup
Progroup AG, located in Landau, Germany, is one of the leading manufacturers of containerboard and corrugated board in Europe. Since it was founded in 1991 in Offenbach/Queich, the company has been pursuing a consistent growth strategy which, in addition to technological leadership, is also based on the use of innovative and environmentally friendly production technologies. Progroup operates production sites in six countries in Central Europe. These currently include three paper factories, twelve corrugated sheetfeeder plants, a logistics company and a CHP plant. With 1,554 employees, the company generated sales of around 1.3 billion euros in 2021.