Extrusion International 5-2026

16 Extrusion International 5/2026 INDUSTRY NEWS Blown Film Extrusion Business Unit Positioned for the Future Since 1 May, the Blown Film Extrusion business unit of Hosokawa Alpine AG has been under new management: Michael Heinecker has taken up the position of Senior Vice President Blown Film Extrusion at the Augsburg-based en- gineering company. In doing so, Hosokawa Alpine is focus- ing on continuity and future-proo ng, as Heinecker, an experienced blown lm expert, has an excellent network within the industry and brings a deep understanding of customer requirements. With Heinecker’s appointment, the company is setting the course for further growth and a consistent focus on its customers’ needs. “With his comprehensive technical know-how and deep understanding of our customers’ ex- pectations, Michael Heinecker is making a decisive contri- bution to our strategic objective of sustainably enhancing the customer experience by consistently prioritising and re- liably meeting customer needs,” said Michael Kuhnen, CEO of Hosokawa Alpine. At the same time, Heinecker’s exper- tise strengthens market penetration in existing markets and supports the development of new business areas. In line with the guiding principle “Focusing all our efforts on the future”, the Blown Film Extrusion business unit will in future place even greater emphasis on partnership-based collaboration, innovative approaches and digital solutions in order to offer customers comprehensive, cutting-edge solutions and empower them to create sustainable value. Developer of the Alpine die head series X Michael Heinecker joined the company in 1998 and ini- tially worked in development. In the following years, he rose to become Head of Development, and then, in 2018, Technical Director of the Blown Film Extrusion business unit. After a brief hiatus, he is now returning to Hosokawa Alpine as Senior Vice President Blown Film Extrusion and will take over as Head of the Blown Film Extrusion business unit. Heinecker played a key role in the development of the die head series x, which continues to set the standard today with the fastest material changeover times on the market. With his in-depth process engineering expertise, he is a highly regarded expert in the industry. Consistent further development of the Blown Film Extrusion business unit A wide range of challenges and responsibilities await Heinecker at Hosokawa Alpine – from automation solu- tions to technical innovations: “My aim is to systemati- cally develop the Blown Film Extrusion business unit in line with customer needs, whilst making targeted use of the potential offered by automation and digitalisation,” says Heinecker. “Through innovative solutions and close, collaborative partnerships, we aim to offer our custom- ers measurable added value, make their processes more ef cient and achieve sustainable growth together. The key lies in combining technological progress with a clear customer focus.” Hosokawa Alpine’s recently extensively modernised blown lm test centre also contributes to this, where customers can work with Alpine experts to develop their optimal lm formulation. With Michael Heinecker as the new head of the Blown Film Extrusion Business Unit, Hosokawa Alpine is underlining its commitment to con- sistently combining innovation, customer focus and a forward-looking approach, and is further strengthening its position as a reliable partner in a dynamic market en- vironment. Michael Heinecker, Senior Vice President Blown Film Extrusion at Hosokawa Alpine Integration Process Continues Hosokawa Alpine AG, headquartered in Augsburg/Ger- many, is continuing its ongoing transformation process. In response to changing market requirements and the com- pany’s strategic development, the German Hosokawa Sol- ids Solutions GmbH will be integrated into the parent com- pany effective October 1, 2026. The aim is to further deepen collaboration within the group and provide customers with even more compre- hensive and integrated solutions in the eld of mechani - cal process engineering by combining expertise and re- sources. At the same time, this step will strengthen the economic foundation for the company’s sustainable de- velopment. As a result, the Augsburg headquarters will gain further importance. In the future, the sales and service expertise of Hosokawa Solids Solutions GmbH will also be consolidated and further developed there. This will enable the group to create the conditions necessary to implement projects more quickly and offer customers turnkey systems with in- tegrated solutions from a single source. As a result, Hoso- kawa Alpine AG’s grinding, classi cation and compaction technologies will be brought together under one roof with