World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

Christian Wehrle named Bitzer CEO

Christian Wehrle becomes Bitzer CEO and chairman of the executive board

GERMANY: Bitzer has appointed Christian Wehrle as CEO and chairman of the executive board, the first person to take the role since the death of owner Peter Schaufler in 2015.

A long-standing member of its executive board and COO, Christian Wehrle joined the company in 2001 as plant manager, first in Sindelfingen and, as of 2003, in Rottenburg am Neckar in the international competence centre for screw compressors. In 2007 he took over the management of the Bitzer production sites worldwide as chief production officer. Since mid 2015 he has been in charge of the entire supply chain of the Group as chief operations officer.

Fellow executive board member and chief technology officer Rainer Große-Kracht has been appointed vice chairman.

The responsibilities of the company’s other executive board are Martin Büchsel as chief sales and marketing officer and Frank Hartmann as chief financial officer.

As chief technology officer Rainer Große-Kracht is responsible for research and development worldwide. The studied mechanical engineer with over two decades of experience in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry has been working for Bitzer since 1997. In 2018, he was elected chairman of the Association of European Refrigeration Component Manufacturers (ASERCOM).

Related stories:

Peter Schaufler, Bitzer CEO, dies19 August 2015
GERMANY: The air conditioning and refrigeration industry has been saddened by the news of the passing of Bitzer CEO and owner Peter Schaufler. Read more…

Latest News

20th September 2026

Europe needs access to efficient cooling

BELGIUM: EPEE has described the EU president’s state of the union address as a “rare moment” for electrification of heating and efficient cooling to be named in the same speech.
19th September 2026

Subcontractors stung by constant late payments

UK: Nearly 80% of subcontractors in the UK construction industry are paid late, and almost 75% are regularly in disputes with contractors.
19th September 2026

Engineer dies following Busan refrigerant leak

SOUTH KOREA: In an update to the report of a refrigerant leak on a Russian ship in Busan, the Russian Consulate has reported that one of the victims has since…
19th September 2026

Aquarea R290 heat pumps support senior living

GERMANY: Six Panasonic Aquarea Big M R290 air-to-water heat pumps are supplying 89 accessible apartments with heating and hot water at an old people’s residence in Leipzig.
19th September 2026

Two in cardiac arrest following refrigerant leak

SOUTH KOREA: Two people were reported to have suffered cardiac arrests in Busan on Tuesday after inhaling leaking refrigerant.
18th September 2026

Germany’s seawater heat pump begins supply

GERMANY: Germany’s first seawater heat pump supplying heat into a district heating network has been officially inaugurated after several months of trials.