As a primal Palatinate, he is pleased to celebrate the anniversary of the shoe industry association in the Palatinate “and to celebrate 75 years of successful association work together,” said HDS/L chairman Carl-August Seibel. Incidentally, the re-elected chairman, because after eight years at the head of the association, Carl-August Seibel was elected to the office for another two years at the general meeting of the association. He was grateful, according to Seibel, that he was able to make a small contribution to the success of the HDS/L for eight years. “Today I can say that despite all the challenges and personal concerns, I learned to appreciate the association work. I experience a very committed association that actively, pragmatically and innovatively represents the interests of our industry.” He is happy to be available to the association as chairman for another two years and look forward to exciting new tasks. The change in the management – Manfred Junkert will retire at the end of the year and Torben Schütz follows him as the managing director – wool Seibel still accompanied.
The HDS/L, founded in Stuttgart in 1950, has always campaigned for the interests of the shoe industry. A lot has been moved over the years. “One milestone after the other,” said Carl-August Seibel. You are already “dynamic, already in terms of the product. With our season we have to reinvent ourselves almost twice a year,” said Seibel. That is not always easy. The association is now also involved in the area of training and further education. There is the PFI with connected ISC and branch in Hong Kong. With the ECC in which the HDS/L is involved, the industry is convinced that Seibel is convinced that a platform for complete digital data exchange between industry and trade. “We have to further expand this in order not only to work faster in the future, but above all more efficiently.” It is also due to the trade to use this instrument.
For the future, it is important to force the continuous development of the association structures to protect its relevance. The members appreciate innovative strength, efficiency and the ability of the HDS/L to find solutions. The association is “Hands On”, the exchange of short distances.
And the future? If the HDS/L becomes 100 years old, the challenges as well as today will be diverse, the chairman is convinced that the association has set all the necessary course in order to continue to have a strong voice in the future. More than ever, it will be about further expanding the much conjured partnership between industry and trade and pulling together with the composite groups.
On Seibel’s personal agenda for the next two years, the expansion of international partnerships, the promotion of the circular economy and the rejuvenation of the board.
HDS/L Festival: The Association Chair Carl-August Seibel with moderator Nicole Köster (Photo: Editor)
Carl August Seibel and Dr. Alexander Weiser, Senior Vice President Performance Materials Europe BASF SE (Photo: Editor)
Alexander Schweitzer, Prime Minister of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate (Photo: Editor)
The HDS/L Chairman Carl-August Seibel, the Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Alexander Schweitzer and the HDS/L general manager Manfred Junkert (Photo: Editor)
Spoke about AI and the behavior of consumers in the future: Dr. Sophie Florian, Google Germany GmbH (Photo: Editor)
The audience in the BASF SE social center: Around 200 guests came to Ludwigshafen at the invitation of the HDS/L. (Photo: Editor)
Successful in sports and business: Manfred Junkert and moderator Nicole Köster with the ex-football players Michael Rummenigge and Steffi Jones (photo: editor)
