News Potatoes
Management change at Weuthen Group
Weuthen Group, the well-known German potato trading company from Schwalmtal, introduces two new faces within the company's management team. The current directors Ferdi Buffen and Karl-Josef Dammer will eventually say goodbye. Succession comes from within.
Potato company Weuthen is preparing in time for the retirement of both directors and therefore expands the management team. Karl-Josef Dammer will retire at the end of 2025 and will be succeeded by Maria Kerres-Halcour. She has been working as Dammer's right-hand woman at Weuthen for some time and will join the management team, gradually taking over Dammer's responsibilities.
Buffen for another 5 years
Ferdi Buffen, the figurehead of the company and also a prominent figure in the European potato sector, will remain involved with Weuthen for approximately another five years. This way, he can support the new management team, which can gain further experience with his guidance. Starting from January 1st next year, Otto Winkelhag will join the management. He is currently responsible for the IT department of the RWZ group, holds a degree in business economics, and has an agricultural background.
'Big plans'
"With this change, we hope to continue the success story of Weuthen in the future," says RWZ CEO Christoph Kempkes. "The amiable duo will become a colorful quartet with the addition of Kerres-Halcour and Winkelhag. The ample transition period allows Dammer and Buffen time to pass on their knowledge, as together we have big plans."
Buffen is also pleased with his management colleagues, as he says: "They have the right attitude, and this step shows that Weuthen has a solid long-term strategy. This is important for our partners in the sector and for our employees."
Almost 140 years
Wilhelm Weuthen GmbH & Co. was founded in 1885 in Schwalmtal, located just a stone's throw from the Dutch border. From this strategic location, the company operates in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The potato company focuses on trading in fry potatoes, table potatoes, and onions. Additionally, it trades onions. Under the Weuthen umbrella are also Strahmann Potato, Kartoffel Centrum Bayern, and Raiffeisen Agrarhandel Pfalz. In the Netherlands, it has a partnership with the Zeeland-based Select Potato.
