ultralights by voestalpine
At this online event, experts from the automotive industry and voestalpine will provide insights into the future of the steel industry. Today is already tomorrow, and the demands on steel and possible applications are constantly evolving. Being one step ahead is our principle claim. Discuss hot topics with us and our guests and look forward to an inspiring afternoon with a series of interesting sessions. The Automotive Dialog will be held in English.
Host: Peter Heinzl, Sales Director Automotive Industry, voestalpine
Peter Heinzl joined voestalpine in 2006 and has been leading the automotive segment since 2014. His responsibility includes global sales to the automotive industry through OEMs or Tiers. In his previous jobs Peter was responsible for several Key Accounts and headed the sales office of voestalpine Eurostahl in London for four years. He serves in advisory boards of sales offices and production companies in voestalpine. Since last year Peter Heinzl is co-heading Sales2030, a project aiming to digitalize sales activities in the Steel Division.
Gerald Killmann, Senior Vice President Purchasing and R&D, Toyota Motor Europe
Mr Killmann joined Toyota Motor Europe in 1992 as Engine Engineer and became member of the Diesel Engine Development Division at Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan in 1996. In 1998, Mr Killmann returned to Toyota Motor Europe as Department Manager and later General Manager Powertrain Engineering. He assumed the position of General Manager Powertrain Design at Toyota Motor Europe in 2008. In 2009, Mr Killmann was appointed Director Powertrain. In October 2012 Mr Killmann changed to vehicle development in the position as Project Director. In January 2014, Gerald Killmann was appointed Vice President R&D2, focused on system development and since January 2019 Vice President R&D1, focused on vehicle development, at Toyota’s R&D centre in Belgium. January 2022, he was promoted to Senior Vice President Research & Development and Purchasing.
Matthias Medger, Technical Sales E-Mobility Solutions and Head of Bertrandt Inspired Technologies
Matthias Medger studied electrical engineering and has been at Bertrandt since 2007. He has held various (management) positions in the development of electromobility components and systems at several different locations, including Munich, Nuremberg and Ehningen. in 2019, he became Head of Technical Sales and Solutions eMobility. He has also been responsible since 2021 for the preliminary and further development of products and services (Betrandt Inspired Technology) along the entire performance spectrum.
Thomas Hebesberger, Head of Materials Development Cold Rolled Products, Research & Development, voestalpine
Thomas Hebesberger was born in Steyr, Upper Austria, in 1974. After finishing secondary school, he studied material science in Leoben. He then studied at the Erich Schmid Institute for Solid State Physics in Leoben from 1998 to 2001 and wrote his doctoral thesis on the evolution of the microstructure of face-centered cubic metals during high deformation. Mr. Hebesberger has been working since 2001 in research and development at voestalpine Stahl in Linz. Since 2014 he has been the head of the material development department for cold-rolled and electrical steel products.
Florian Otto, Director Communications and Public Affairs Europe, NIO GmbH
Harald Traxler, Member of the Management Board, Head of the voestalpine Automotive Components Business Unit
Harald Traxler joined voestalpine in 2003 after working for several years in a law firm focused on M&A, contract law and restructuring. He became a managing director responsible for the automotive sector in 2009 and became Chairman of the Management Board of the AC Cold Stamping Group in 2012. In 2019 he became a member of the Management Board in the Metal Forming Division and Head of the Automotive Components business unit.
Sandra Traint, Head of Quality Management, Business Unit Coil, voestalpine
Sandra Traint began her professional career at voestalpine in 2002 as an employee in Research and Development. After four years of material development, she moved from research into production at Hot-dip Galvanizing Line 2 and played a leading role in 2008 in the initial supply of exposed panels to Toyota. From 2008 to 2018, Ms. Traint was a member of the quality management team and group leader for cold-rolled and hot-dip galvanized steel strip. Since April 2018, she has been responsible for quality control in the voestalpine Coil Business Unit.
Henrik Fisker, CEO Fisker Inc.
Kurt Bachmaier, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Magna Steyr
Kurt Bachmaier joined Magna in 1991 and held several management positions in engineering and production planning including abroad assignments in North America. From 2006 to 2009 he took over the role as Executive Director Operations & Manufacturing Engineering in Detroit, followed by the position as Vice President Operations for Hybrid & Electric Vehicles for Magna E-Car Systems North America from 2009-2012. Bachmaier was General Manager for Magna Car Top Systems North America, before he became General Manager for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class within Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, in 2012. Kurt Bachmaier was appointed Vice President of Sales & Marketing Magna Steyr in 2018.
