Austrian wood processor Holzindustrie Schweighofer has appointed Thomas Schiefer as Country Manager for Romania.

The position is new, as the group’s operations in Romania have been coordinated so far by the Austrian group’s owner Gerald Schweighofer.

Schiefer will coordinate the company’s five plants in Romania.

The Austrian group has 3,000 employees in three local sawmills, a plant of solid wood glued panels, and a panel factory, said Schiefer.

He has had several management positions within the company Rehau, and has worked in Germany, UK, South Africa, and Singapore. He is born in Romania, but grew up in Germany.

Last year, Romania’s Minister of Environment, Water and Forests notified the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court about irregularities found during an inspection at Holzindustrie Schweighofer. The inspectors found that the group worked with several companies that supplied timber from illegal logging. The group denied any such actions.

editor@romania-insider.com