10 Things You Didn’t Know about Stefan Seng
Dr. Stefan Seng is the CEO of the family corporate business, Zapp-AG. Headquartered in Ratingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, the company generates approximately $448.59 million in annual sales. There are about 23 companies in the Zapp AG organization with a total of 1,226 employees, all of whom answer to Seng. Let’s review ten things you didn’t know about this world leader.
1. He Is the CEO of Zapp AG
Dr. Stefan manages the corporate family business Zapp AG, a company that mainly focuses on manufacturing semi-finished stainless steel, among other products. Zapp AG produces and distributes medical alloys, wire components, wire rod profiles, and precision strips across the world. Additionally, the company mainly deals with innovative industrial segments, particularly in the medical technology, aviation, and automotive industry.
2. He Is a Noted Leader
In addition to heading the family corporate business Zapp AG, Dr. Seng is named one of Germany’s most influential leaders. This is according to the Die Deutsche Wirtschaft list called the “Who is Who of German family businesses”. This list ranks the 10,000 most important managers and leading directors of the most highly valued corporate family businesses in Germany. On it, Dr. Stefan’s Zapp AG company is number 685. Die Deutsche Wirtschaft also listed the company as one of the 3,000 companies located in Germany, with a massive growth trend in its markets.
3. The Company He Heads Was Founded in 1701
Zapp AG was established in 1701 when the father of Engelbert Zapp, Herman Zapp, launched a steel production company in the north of Runderoth in the Leppe valley. In 1852, he bought his first iron hammer and built his first puddle furnace for steel. The place later became the primary source of steel for over five generations, and Herman’s company became a world leader in the Steel production industry. However, the Great Depression caught up with Zapp’s company in 1857, resulting in financial problems and the eventual selling of the company. Over the past three centuries, Zapp AG’s participation in the progress of steel production has greatly influenced Ratingen’s economy, culture, and day-to-day life. Since 1702, the Zapp family has deeply rooted itself in facilitating the achievement of industrial developments. According to a letter by Sr. Engelbert Zapp in 1730, “On the basis of tradition, to pursue the new. The joy associated with these new developments have played a vital part in the company’s long-time philosophy.”
4. His Company Is a World Leader in the Steel Industry
The Zapp Group has been operational for over 300 years and is considered a world leader in the Steel Industry. Of all its abilities, the company is noted for its adaptability that allows it to adapt to changing product fields and markets and produce world-class materials. It is constantly making strides in the high-precision cold forming and high-performance materials industry. Additionally, Zapp is celebrated for helping customers achieve streamlined production processes by manufacturing application-specific steel products.
5. He Has Been CEO for Over 26 Years
According to his LinkedIn profile, Dr. Stefan Seng has worked as the CEO of Zapp AG since August 1995 bringing his tenure today to over 26 years. The same year he joined Zapp – 1995 – was when the company launched its first internationalization with new foreign production and service target markets for selling metal bars, profiles, wires, and stripe in high-profile countries like China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Dr. Seng has been and continues to be a crucial part of the company’s success to date.
6. He Has Overseen Many Projects for Zapp
Over his 26-year tenure as CEO, Dr. Seng has overseen many Zapp projects, including:
- In 2018: On 1 September, Dr. Stefan Seng, the CEO of Zapp Group, supervised the construction of the new conference center over the Sandvik Wire division in Schwerte, Sweden.
- In 2019: Dr. Stefan Seng pioneered the expansion and opening of the new Sandviken location in Pune, India.
- In 2020: Zapp Group, headed by Dr. Stefan, launched a new service center for special high-performance materials in Unna. Seng also supervised the expansion of the service center in Taicang and the new shipping hall at the Schwerte location.
- In 2021: Dr. Stefan Seng facilitated the relocation of the Tooling Alloys Service Center from Gurnee, Illinois, to a larger location in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, Greater Chicago, USA.
- In 2022: Zapp materials Engineering GmbH and its two production areas – Tooling Alloys and High-Performance Alloys – were merged into the Zapp Precision Metals GmbH effective from 1 January 2022.
7. He Is a Mechanical Engineer
Between the years of 1986 to 1995, Dr. Stephan Seng trained at RWTH Aachen University and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. His engineering degree and experience give him the technical know-how to manage Zapp’s numerous branches on a global level. It allows him to align his expertise to the Zapp Group’s main objective of coming up with high-precision metal solutions that have made a significant impact in terms of material technology. Moreover, he is able to oversee the company’s bid to provide a comprehensive range of innovative metallic products through effective manufacturing techniques.
8. He Heads Many Offices
As the CEO, Dr. Stephan Seng is one of the highest executives in the Zapp Group. He is currently in charge of the operations in all the company’s production, service, and consulting centers. Zapp has a number of operational locations, including some in:
- · Unna, Ratingen
- · Pforzheim
- · Schwerte
- · Ratingen in Germany
- · Sandviken (Sweden)
- · Pearland (TX)
- · Santa Fe Springs (CA)
- · Stratford (CT)
- · Dartmouth (MA)
- · Summerville (SC)
- · Gurnee (IL)
- · Taicang (China)
- · Hong Kong
- · Sheffield (Great Britain)
While he does head all these offices, Seng is stationed in the company’s headquarters in Ratingen, Germany, from where he oversees all operations.
9. He Has Helped Zapp Grow
The Zapp Group is a large steel company that has experienced a lot of growth over the years. Since he joined the company in 1995, Dr Seng has overseen and initiated many projects aimed at increasing the reach and applicability of the company’s operations. His tenure has seen the company open more locations across the world, merge with and acquire other companies, and grow into a world leader. In 2018, Dr. Stephan Seng helped Zapp Group acquire the Sandvik Stainless Wire business from Sandvik.
10. He Instituted COVID-19 for Zapp
Like many CEOs during the COVID-19 crisis, Dr Seng was quick to respond to the government-set measures by instituting them in his company. In a statement, Dr. Stefan Seng said, “In a time like this, when the whole world is battling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, reliable business partners are essential. We, the Zapp AP Group, are here for you and ready to support you with our strength and experience.” The company adopted and still maintains COVID-19 protocols in all its locations.