Mapal Group mourns the passing of Dr Dieter Kress

After almost five decades at the helm of the Mapal Group, Dr Dieter Kress sadly passed away on 27^th December 2023 at the age of 81 after a long illness.

Dr Kress shaped the once small company into an international 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 at this sad time.

Dr Dieter Kress joined Mapal Dr Kress KG in 1969 after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering and business administration. His father, Dr Georg Kress, founded the company in 1950.

While working at the company, Dr Kress completed his doctorate on the subject of reaming, which was the foundation for Mapal’s ongoing success – developing special, high-performance tools that took standard reamer products to the next level and beyond. 

With vision and personal commitment, Dr Dieter Kress managed the company for 49 years as president. The product portfolio was continuously expanded under his leadership and Mapal established itself in the marketplace 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 Mapal's meteoric growth. For Dr Kress, it was important to respect and preserve the respective cultures of the acquired companies. In his 49 years at the helm, he transformed a regionally active manufacturer of taps into an international, broadly positioned company group.

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

The training of young people was a subject close to Dr Kress’ heart and he invested heavily in ensuring the right infrastructure was in place to train and nurture staff at Mapal to realise their true potential.

Today, there are as many as 300 apprentices at Mapal worldwide, with around 130 learning different professions at Mapal in Aalen – from cutting machine operators to warehouse logistics and IT specialists.

Dr Kress also supported research and education at Aalen University. He was active on various 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.

He 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. In recognition of his achievements, Aalen University appointed him Honorary Senator.

Mapal
www.mapal.com