Hygiene solutions manufacturer WEPA cooperates with other Mittelstand companies in Maschinenraum

Arnsberg / Berlin

WEPA Group, a leading supplier of innovative and sustainable hygiene paper products, joins the shared innovation ecosystem Maschinenraum. More than 20 German Mittelstand and family-owned companies are forming an alliance to work together on the opportunities and challenges of the digital transformation. 

As the European market leader in the production of hygiene paper from recycled fibers, the company demonstrates foresight: sustainability is at the heart of everything it does – and will be for generations to come. The appointment of Andreas Krengel, a representative of the third generation of the entrepreneurial family, to the Management Board at the beginning of the year is a signal for the future.

Association out of conviction

Since 2019, WEPA Group has been in the process of implementing its "Perform & Transform" strategy program – a process that involves more than 4,000 employees at 13 locations in Europe. The aim is to perform under changing market conditions and transform the company at the same time. In this way, the company wants to position itself successfully for the future. With regard to digitalization, WEPA Group has established a digital unit, WEPA Ventures, through which capital and know-how are invested in young startups. WEPA Group is now taking the next step by joining Maschinenraum, a shared innovation ecosystem from Mittelstand for Mittelstand: in association with other companies, experiences are exchanged there across companies and industries and new solutions are developed.

"We are convinced that we can achieve more together. This is also reflected in the purpose of WEPA Group 'Together for a better life'. We joined Maschinenraum to share our own experiences, to benefit from the experiences of others and to initiate joint cooperations in order to boldly shape the future," says Andreas Krengel, member of the WEPA Group Management Board.

"WEPA Group is setting an example when it comes to digital transformation. At the same time, there is an awareness within the company that many challenges can be better mastered through cooperation with other Mittelstand companies and institutions. These are the ideal conditions for leveraging further potential as part of Maschinenraum, for example in terms of new work and recruiting. This is where people of conviction meet like-minded people," says Tobias Rappers, Managing Director of Maschinenraum.

About Maschinenraum:

Maschinenraum is a shared innovation ecosystem, bringing together German Mittelstand and family-owned businesses in order to jointly develop new realities and drive their digital transformation. Already more than 20 family businesses – including Viessmann, Fiege Logistik, Dussmann Service and Paracelsus Kliniken – have joined Maschinenraum to jointly drive the digital transformation.

About WEPA:

The WEPA Group is a forward-looking family-owned company offering sustainable and innovative hygiene solutions that provide a safe hygiene experience and contribute to the well-being of millions of people across Europe every day. With 4,000 employees, the WEPA Group produces hygiene products such as toilet paper, towel paper and napkins at 13 production sites in Europe. WEPA is one of the three largest European manufacturers and the market leader in the production of hygiene paper from recycled fibers. Annual sales are around 1.3 billion euros. In the Consumer business unit, WEPA is the specialist for the private labels of European retailers. The Professional business unit, with its BlackSatino and Satino by WEPA brands, stands for sustainable and professional hygiene solutions used, for example, in public washrooms, industry, offices and healthcare. The WEPA Group is headquartered in Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia.