New Management at Deutz’ Torqeedo Group

Deutz has announced the restructuring of the management team at its Torqeedo subsidiary. Going forward, Dr. Ralf Plieninger and Dr. Michael Rummel will form the new senior management team at Torqeedo, the manufacturer of marine electric drive systems and the Deutz electric power and power systems center.

Founder and CEO Dr. Christoph Ballin is moving to the advisory board where he and Dr. Frank Hiller, chief executive officer of Deutz AG, will continue to advise and support the company.

“As the founder of Torqeedo, Christoph Ballin has been a pioneer in the field of electric drive systems and played a major role in the integration of Torqeedo into the Deutz Group following the acquisition in 2017. We would like to thank him for everything he has done for Torqeedo and, consequently, for Deutz. With his expertise and the excellent team at Torqeedo, we were able to make a major leap forward in our E-Deutz strategy across the whole Deutz Group. We are delighted that he will continue to assist us in his capacity as a member of the Advisory Board,” said Hiller.

Ballin’s move to the advisory board means that he will be able to devote time to new roles outside the Deutz Group in the future. “I would like to thank everyone who has helped to make Torqeedo what it is today: the market leader for marine electric drives. I would also like to thank all the members of the Torqeedo team and all of our external partners who have helped us to achieve this success,” says Christoph Ballin. “The most exciting times for electric-powered transport lie ahead of us. As part of the Deutz Group, Torqeedo is ideally positioned for rapid growth.”

Plieninger has been at Torqeedo since 2012. His role within the new Torqeedo management team will involve taking charge of all technical matters, including research and development, procurement, quality, and production. He will also oversee Torqeedo’s operational structures and processes.

Rummel joined Torqeedo as a managing director in November 2019 and is responsible for finance, reporting, and business performance, with a focus on improving profitability. Going forward, he will also take charge of sales, service, marketing, human resources, information technology, and the international subsidiaries.

Torqeedo currently offers electric and hybrid drives with power outputs of between 0.5 and 100 kW for commercial applications and leisure use. In 2020, Torqeedo celebrated its 15th anniversary.