First step taken in Management Buy-out process

WILA B.V. employs 350 people, has two factories in the Netherlands, subsidiaries in the United States and China, and has developed into a leading player in the sector of tooling systems for sheet metals. Many productivity-improving innovations have materialised in Lochem and are being used as standard industrial components by modern machine constructors and users of such machines. For instance, mechanical crowning, the Safety-Click in New Standard Tooling, hydraulic or pneumatic clamps, robot-based tool changes or “smart” Tool data management.

This means WILA B.V. is a strategic partner that focuses on long-term relationships and partnerships; a position that is based on knowledge, stability, transparency and trust. Also a position that leads to considerable growth each year and requires major investment. And because of this position, stakeholders are confident that the future has been taken into account and that the continuity of the company and its clients is given the attention it deserves. That is why owner Hans Willemsen has decided to gradually transfer leadership and ownership to the current board which, on the one hand, knows the company inside out after working on it for many years and, on the other hand, is young and fresh enough to introduce new ideas. 

Messrs Ir. F.W. Rouweler (Director of Manufacturing and R&D), Mr. M.D. Wensing (Director of Sales & Marketing) and Drs. B.G.T. Kempers RA (Director of Finance) have been co-shareholders of WILA B.V. and its subsidiaries since January 2022.

As majority shareholder and Managing Director, Hans Willemsen will continue to play his role in the coming years, and will be fully dedicated to completing the phased handover. We are confident that everyone on the board will continue to cooperate effectively, and promise our stakeholders that we will continue to work relentlessly to further improve productivity in the press brake process. This is something that will benefit the continuity of our relationships with employees and customers. WE LIVE PRESS BRAKE PRODUCTIVITY!