Arburg names new managing directors in 2 European markets
Arburg has named Steve Thomson as managing director of its subsidiary in the United Kingdom, and Ben Mechelmans as managing director in Belgium.
Thomson, who had been sales manager for Arburg Ltd. since September 2024, took over Dec. 1 following the retirement of longtime managing director Colin Tirel.
Thomson began his career in 1991 as an apprentice plastics engineer at a household appliance manufacturer, and has worked in the automotive, medical and peripheral equipment sectors. He has 33 years of industry experience, 27 of those in plastic injection molding and tooling technology.
Mechelmans takes the helm of Arburg N.V. from Gerrit Hazeleger, who had been managing director for both the Dutch and Belgian subsidiaries since 2019. Hazeleger will now focus exclusively on Arburg BV in the Netherlands.
Mechelmans has been with Arburg Belgium since July 2023, first in internal sales and then external sales. He has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and experience in marketing and digital communication.
Arburg, headquartered in Lossburg, Germany, manufactures injection molding machines, robotic systems, turnkey solutions and digital products and services. Its U.S. operation is based in Rocky Hill, Conn.