Stephan Sielaff Takes the Helm of the Schill+Seilacher Group
“Highlighting the Strengths of Specialty Chemicals”
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Stephan Sielaff took over as Chief Executive Officer of the Schill+Seilacher Group on October 1. A chemical engineer, he has approximately 30 years of experience in specialty chemicals and related industries. His career has included stints at Unilever, Lenzing AG, and most recently, SSI Schäfer Plastics. At the Schill+Seilacher Group, Sielaff now aims to shape the next phase of development for these internationally active specialty chemicals experts.
With nearly 30 years of experience in transformation, internationalization, and operational leadership, new CEO Stephan Sielaff aims to bring the specialty chemicals group closer to its customers and markets
Schill+Seilacher
He is taking on this role during a challenging period for the European chemical industry. International competitive pressure, rising costs, and a weak industrial economy are posing challenges for many companies. Sielaff does not see cost reductions alone as the solution. He emphasizes that proximity to customers, operational excellence, international collaboration, and the ability to successfully bring innovations to market are crucial.
“The European specialty chemicals sector continues to have excellent prospects for the future. But we need to move faster, work more closely with our customers, and better leverage our strengths on the international stage,” explains Sielaff. “A good product alone is no longer enough today. What matters is the added value we create for our customers.”
For the Schill+Seilacher Group, Sielaff articulates a clear vision based on this: “We have an international presence. Now we want to leverage our Group’s strengths even more effectively—think globally, act together, and be closer to our customers.” When locations and business units bring together knowledge, technologies, and market experience more effectively, this not only creates more efficient structures but also opens up new opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and customer value.
Sielaff’s career began at Unilever, where he held various roles ranging from operations to innovation and product development, eventually becoming Director of Innovation and Engineering in the Home and Personal Care Europe division. After holding positions at Symrise, he served as Chief Operating Officer at the Swiss specialty chemicals company Archroma. He subsequently led the Austrian company Lenzing AG as CEO. Most recently, he served as CEO of SSI SCHÄFER Plastics.
Dr. Peter Dürolf, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Schill+Seilacher Group, says: “The world isn’t waiting for us. In our markets, speed, international reach, and the ability to actually turn good ideas into business are becoming increasingly important. In Stephan Sielaff, we have gained a CEO who has already successfully mastered precisely these kinds of challenges and driven companies forward in demanding international markets. Together, we want to continue developing the Group—with entrepreneurial courage, financial discipline, and a clear focus on our customers.”
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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