Hanwag Restructures Leadership: Production and Purchasing Split into Independent Departments

German mountain and trekking shoe manufacturer Hanwag is officially reorganizing its internal management structure, decoupling its production and purchasing operations to drive future growth. Previously managed as a joint entity, these two critical functions will now operate as independent departments based out of the company's headquarters in Vierkirchen.

Internal Promotions for Key Roles

Hanwag has leveraged its internal talent pipeline to fill both new leadership positions, appointing long-term employees who have steadily climbed the company ranks:

• Head of Production: Kai Ziegler will take the helm of Hanwag's manufacturing operations. Ziegler, who joined the company in 2016, originally began his career on the factory floor as a trained shoe technician before progressively taking on wider operational responsibilities.

• Head of Purchasing and Sourcing: Thomas Dirlenbach assumes control of the newly independent purchasing division. Dirlenbach started his tenure at Hanwag as an apprentice industrial clerk and has since served in inside sales and as a purchase manager. His expanded executive portfolio now includes strategic procurement, cost management, supply chain logistics, quality assurance, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and risk management.

Shifts in Sales, Repair, and Customer Support

Beyond manufacturing and procurement, Hanwag is simultaneously streamlining its back-office and aftermarket operations to improve client relations:

• Key Account Management: A newly created key account management role has been established to consolidate customer support and coordinate internal workflows more efficiently.

• Repair Department Integration: Hanwag’s highly active repair division—which processes approximately 18,400 shoe resoling operations annually at the Vierkirchen facility—is being organizationally absorbed into the sales department. International Sales Director Sanela Krisat will lead the unit's structural integration, while Florian Kern will retain full technical responsibility for the physical repair operations.

Strategic Outlook

CEO Thomas Gröger indicated that the corporate overhaul is a direct response to the brand's ongoing market development and operational needs. "With the reorganization, we are creating the conditions to preserve our established strengths and at the same time to drive Hanwag forward in a future-oriented manner," Gröger stated, viewing the new structure as a vital step into the company's future.

By separating production from procurement, Hanwag aims to better navigate modern supply chain complexities while ensuring that manufacturing quality and sustainable sourcing get dedicated, specialized oversight.