Thomas Straub takes over management of SCHLEGEL USA

Long-time purchasing and supply chain expert from Mercedes-Benz takes over the management of our subsidiary

Thomas Straub is the new managing director of SCHLEGEL USA. The 49 year old Straub changed employers from Mercedes-Benz to the US subsidiary of our Upper Swabian company. Located in Tuscaloosa/Alabama, he is in charge of the US business since the beginning of October.

Straub originates from the Böblingen region and has studied technical business administration at the University of Stuttgart. After graduation, he started to work for Mercedes-Benz in Sindelfingen. His recent posting was as management of purchasing and supply at the US plant of Mercedes in Vance/Alabama.

"With Thomas Straub, we have gained an experienced professional who knows the US market and has good connections there," mentions SCHLEGEL managing director Christoph Schlegel. Especially Straub´s experience with purchasing is a great benefit as he knows the expectations of customers from their perspective, thinks Schlegel.

Parallels

"I´m really looking forward to this new challenge," says Thomas Straub. What appeals especially to him are the creative possibilities of his new task. Straub sees some parallels between his old and new employer: "In regards to pushbuttons & switches, SCHLEGEL stands for the same that I already know from the automotive industry: Quality, design and innovative strength. We want to convince the American customers with this."

Straub has some clear goals for his new task: "My goal is to bring SCHLEGEL´s strengths closer to the customer, with high availability of the products and short delivery times. To achieve this, I plan to build a US team and strengthen the cooperation between the sales and partner network. I predict the chances are great to visibly expand our presence in this market."

Straub will take the place of Krostewitz who was heading SCHLEGEL USA for four years and now will return to Germany due to family related reasons. "Our thanks goes to Mr Krostewitz who has built up and improved the company duiring those four years," Christoph Schlegel emphasises.

SCHLEGEL has been present in the USA since 1980 and supplied their pushbuttons & switches, enclosures and emergency-stops via commercial partners and distributors. In 2022, an own subsidiary was founded to better supply customers from various branches and to better respond to the requirements of the US market. Since then, SCHLEGEL has grown significantly and gained new customers and sales partners.

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