Gerhard Metz (entrepreneur)

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Gerhard Metz (born May 17, 1935 - November 11, 2014 ) was a German entrepreneur.

Life

In his home town of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Metz first did an apprenticeship as a locksmith, then completed three engineering courses from 1953 and was one of the first GDR engineers for aircraft jet engines. When the GDR canceled its own aircraft construction program in early 1961, for Metz and his wife moving to the West was not just a professional question. The escape to West Berlin shortly before the Wall was built finally led the family to Nürtingen, where Gerhard Metz found work as an engine test rig engineer.

The next station was a job at the Hildebrand company in Oberboihingen in 1966, where he rose first as assistant to the management, then as construction manager and deputy managing director. It was there that Metz developed the first systems for drying surface coatings using ultraviolet light . These systems were so successful that initially under the direction of Hildebrand and their partner Werner & Pfleiderer, STG was founded, which Gerhard Metz took over when Hildebrand went bankrupt in 1982. In the following years sales and employee numbers increased.

Metz is described by the "Journal für Oberflächentechnik" as a pioneer in the UV industry who played a key role in establishing the technology. Today the IST Metz Group employs over 550 people in 16 global companies.

Awards

  • In 2000, Gerhard Metz was awarded the Business Medal in recognition of his services to the economy of the state of Baden-Württemberg.
  • In 2001 he was recognized for his life's work and was appointed honorary chairman of the Association of German Mechanical and Plant Engineering (VDMA), surface technology department.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Report of death in the journal for surface technology
  2. ↑ Company press release on death
  3. ↑ a b Report of death from the Impuls Foundation
  4. ↑ Death report in Label & Narrow Web Magazine
personal data
SURNAME Metz, Gerhard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH May 17, 1935
DATE OF DEATH November 11, 2014