February 18, 2026 12:50

German injection molding machine manufacturer Arburg has announced management changes at two of its European sales subsidiaries.

At its Belgian subsidiary in Molenstede, Ben Mechelmans (pictured left) assumed the role of Managing Director at the start of the year, succeeding Gerrit Hazeleger, who since 2019 had held the dual position of Managing Director for both the Dutch and Belgian operations. Hazeleger will now focus exclusively on Arburg BV in the Netherlands.
A mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Leuven, Mechelmans joined Arburg Belgium in internal sales before moving into external sales, where he developed strong market expertise and delivered solid commercial results, paving the way for his appointment as Managing Director.

The second change concerns the British subsidiary in Warwick, which covers the UK and Ireland. Steve Thomson (pictured right) has succeeded Colin Tirel following his retirement.
This appointment was also made internally: Thomson had served as Sales Manager at the UK business since September 2024. He brings extensive experience in the plastics industry, including 27 years in injection molding and tooling technology.
Thomson began his career in 1991 as an apprentice plastics engineer at a household appliance manufacturer. After studying at Burton Technical College, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Polymer Science from Coventry University. He subsequently held various roles in the automotive, medical and peripheral equipment sectors.

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