TIV Continues Its Professionalisation Drive
27 November 2024. After engaging in ten years of purely voluntary work, the European Trailer Industry Association (TIV) is taking further steps to professionalise its operations by appointing Karlheinz Spägele as its first full-time Chief Representative. An acknowledged industry expert, Spägele previously served as Vice President of Sales Commercial at AL-KO Vehicle Technology. He will assume his new role at TIV on 1 January 2025.
Michael Jursch, Chairman of the TIV Board and Managing Director of STEMA Metallleichtbau GmbH, commented as follows on this: “In Karlheinz Spägele, we’ve secured a recognised advocate for our now 33 member companies across ten European countries. A state-certified mechanical engineer and certified technical business administrator (IHK), he comes directly from the field. Karlheinz Spägele also understands our industry from the perspective of managing a globally active supplier. He knows what we do and what we require. As the newly elected TIV Board, in agreement with our predecessors, we unanimously decided to appoint him as Chief Representative for TIV."
Karlheinz Spägele (58 years old) is enthusiastic about his new responsibilities. “I am delighted at the trust placed in me by the members and the executive board. As Chief Representative of the Trailer Industry Association, I have the opportunity to strengthen the work of this leading European advocacy group both for its members and in its dealings with legislators. Key industry issues must continue to be advanced, and I’ll be able to build on the excellent work of the Board and all the other dedicated contributors at TIV. The things that have been achieved here through our voluntary commitment deserve the utmost respect."
The Trailer Industry Association (TIV) is the leading organisation representing the European trailer industry and its suppliers, with its own headquarters in Berlin. The TIV plans to expand its activities to Brussels, reflecting its growing international scope in order to enhance participation in planned legislative changes. Given the approximately 11,000 employees represented by its member companies across Europe, it is vital to further strengthen advocacy for this industrial sector with European policymakers and officials.
Karlheinz Spägele outlines the challenges: “The interests and issues facing the Trailer Industry Association are broad yet highly specialised. The main goal is to draw greater attention from policymakers and legislators to the concerns and needs of this highly specialised industrial segment."