Austrian packaging manufacturer Alpla (Hard; www.alpla.com) is expanding its board of management from 1 July 2018. Klaus Allgäuer will become the new chief technology officer (CTO), while Walter Ritzer will become chief operations officer (COO).

These changes are “proactive steps” the company is taking with regard to the generational shift at the top level. Until now, Alpla board had only three members – CEO Günther Lehner, CCO Nicolas Lehner and CFO Georg Früh. “We are also establishing an appropriate management and organisational structure in order to remain well positioned in the highly dynamic market in the future and ensure the growth of our company,” explains Lehner.

In his new role as CTO, Allgäuer will be managing product development, technical centres as well as the Research, Development and Innovation unit. Earlier, he was responsible for product and technology development as director of corporate technics from 2003 to June 2018.

Ritzer will be responsible for overall operational activities of the packaging group, including logistics, quality assurance and operational excellence. He has been with the company since 1997 and most recently served as the head of Alpla’s extrusion blow-moulding unit.