Riedel hires Oliver Zimmermann as director of manufacturing

Oliver Zimmermann has been appointed to serve as director of manufacturing for Riedel Communications. A physicist, supply chain expert and change management specialist with more than a decade of experience in the manufacturing business, most recently in data and telecommunications, Zimmermann will focus on Riedel’s supply chain and production processes to enable even greater efficiency and agility.

“Oliver has always recognised the human being as the source of all improvement, considering every employee and every team an integral part of the overall organisation,” said Thomas Riedel, CEO at Riedel Communications. “This mindset makes him just the right person to guide the Riedel manufacturing division through continuous development as a learning organisation — an approach we believe to be vital in a volatile world undergoing an exponential pace of change.”

Zimmermann earned a doctorate in physics from Ruhr University Bochum and since then has leveraged his knowledge of models and processes to analyse systems, derive meaningful measures and refine internal structures to help manufacturing organisations become more efficient. He applies state-of-the-art management models and optimisation tools, such as digitisation and artificial intelligence, to drive improvement.

He most recently served as director of operations for Telegärtner Karl Gärtner, with process responsibility for the supply chain of purchasing, logistics, warehousing, production, work scheduling and industrial engineering. Zimmermann implemented agile and lean management methods and digitised and optimised the production and supply chain with tools such as SAP S/4HANA. In earlier management roles with Poligrat and Steinert Elektromagnetbau, Zimmermann likewise led digitisation and process optimisation initiatives to transform sales, production and administration.

“Through a holistic end-to-end approach, I strive to build highly integrative, collaborative supply chain networks with the capacity to enhance both adaptability and learning capabilities,” said Zimmermann. “As an organisation, Riedel has always managed to complete major projects successfully despite constantly changing circumstances and inevitable challenges. This is a credit to the enormous motivation of individual Riedel employees, who are used to working in a very goal-oriented manner and with a high level of problem-solving competence. Going forward, we can build on these strengths by improving the interweaving of processes and people, as well as by gleaning more targeted lessons from each project we undertake. I look forward to the challenge.”