Mapal mourns the loss of former president

Mapal has announced that Dr. Dieter Kress passed away on December 27, 2023 at the age of 81 after a long illness.

Kress was at the helm of the MAPAL Group for almost five decades. He shaped the once small company into an international company group. He retired from active management in 2018 but continued to take a lively interest in the company's developments.

"Mapal is my baby and that's why I will never let it out of my sight completely," he once said. The entire workforce joins the Kress family in mourning the passing of Dr. Dieter Kress.

Kress joined Mapal Dr Kress KG in 1969 after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering and business administration. His father, Dr Georg Kress, had founded the company in 1950. While working at the company, he completed his doctorate on the subject of reaming, which was the basis for the success story of the company as he developed high-performance special tools from the standard reamer product.

Kress managed the company for 49 years as president. The product portfolio was continuously expanded under his leadership and the company established itself on the market as a full-range supplier. Tools for drilling, countersinking, milling, hard turning, and boring were added to the reaming range. Chucks and devices for setting, measuring and dispensing as well as numerous tool-related services further expanded the portfolio.

In addition, company acquisitions and foundations were responsible for the company's enormous growth. Kress followed his very own strategy. For him, it was important to respect and preserve the respective culture of the acquired companies. In his 49 years at the helm, he transformed a regionally active manufacturer of taps into an internationally active, broadly positioned company group.

Today, Mapal is represented in 44 countries and employs around 5,000 people worldwide, including around 1,700 at the headquarters in Aalen. In 2018, Dr Dieter Kress handed over responsibility to his son Dr. Jochen Kress, who is now the third generation to run the precision tool manufacturer.

In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Kress was also involved in a number of honorary positions. The region and the training of young people were particularly close to his heart. He attached great importance to training junior staff directly at Mapal and invested in the corresponding infrastructure.

Kress also supported research and education at Aalen University - among other things by setting up an endowed chair in cooperation with other companies and as a member of the university council. He was active in committees, initiatives and associations, including as Chairman of the VDMA Precision Tools Association and as a founding member of the P.E.G.A.S.U.S. association, which supports company founders.

Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his services, including the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Golden Staufer Medal of the State of Baden-Württemberg. He was also one of the first recipients of the German Mechanical Engineering Prize. Aalen University confer him the dignity of Honorary Senator.

The Mapal Group and its employees owe a great deal to Kress. He has shaped, developed, and promoted the company and its employees as the driving force and motor.