Florian Heßler becomes Acting Partner
To mark its 30th anniversary, URT Umwelt- und Recyclingtechnik GmbH is taking a decisive step into the future: Florian Heßler has assumed the shares of co-founder Thomas Gundersdorf, becoming Managing Partner in addition to his existing role as CEO. Together with his father Peter Heßler, who continues as Managing Director, Florian Heßler will lead the company as part of a second-generation family ownership.
URT Umwelt- und Recyclingtechnik GmbH, based in Karlstadt/Germany, develops recycling systems for the safe and efficient recovery of valuable raw materials from waste electrical and electronic equipment and lithium-ion batteries. The medium-sized family business implements projects for industrial customers, plant operators and waste disposal companies worldwide – from planning and production to commissioning and subsequent support. With approximately 80 employees and an export share of over 95 %, the company is today regarded as a globally recognised solution provider in the field of high-efficiency resource recovery and depollution.
Thomas Gundersdorf, who co-founded URT in 1995 alongside Peter Heßler, was primarily responsible for the company‘s commercial management throughout the past three decades. Under his guidance, URT evolved from a niche distributor of shredders into an internationally active plant engineering company with its own process expertise and full project responsibility. Through sound financial management and long-term strategic foresight, he laid the foundation for URT‘s global growth and long-standing financial stability. The handover to Florian Heßler has been carefully planned and takes place from a position of strength.
“We are in an excellent position, both operationally and structurally – and ready to take the next step in our development,” says Florian Heßler. “Our customers expect solutions that are technologically advanced and economically sound. That is exactly what we are committed to – with engineering excellence, strategic clarity and a dedicated team that takes ownership.”
As part of the transition, the executive leadership remains unchanged: Franziska Kühl, who has been part of the company‘s commercial management for several years, assumes the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), with responsibility for operations, marketing and human resources. Jochen Bayer continues in his role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), overseeing finance and controlling and Rainer Hock, as CTO, is responsible for the technical strategic orientation and development of the company.
When asked what distinguishes URT‘s plant technology, Peter Heßler points to several factors. In addition to the process engineering itself, he particularly emphasizes the practical implementation, which includes, among other features, easily accessible maintenance areas and a well-thought-out fire protection concept. Peter Heßler adds that the selection, dimensioning and integration of the individual components play a central role.
