As the Wifag-Polytype Group announced today (8 May), Lars Sommerhäuser, who has a doctorate in mechanical engineering, and a team of 10 chemists, laboratory technicians and process engineers joined the Wifag-Polytype Group effective 1 February.

Sommerhäuser is the former CEO of Ilford Imaging Switzerland GmbH, a photo paper manufacturer that went bankrupt mid last year. And his new team are former employees from the research and development department of Ilford.

With the new team on board, the group is expected to form another competence center. "This model has already been highly successful at Wifag-Polytype with the Digital Competence Center (DCC) run by Roger Ineichen and the Automation Competence Center (ACC) run by Rolf Mani. DCC and ACC also make
their expertise available to outside companies that are developing custom printing,
coating and automation solutions", the press release states.

With this strategic move, Jörgen Karlsson, CEO of Polytype Converting AG and Wifag Maschinenfabrik AG, has taken yet another step in transforming the Wifag-Polytype Group by opening up entirely new segments outside of publishing and packaging.