Roland Wallner and Ronald Tichelaar will lead the regions from April 2025
Packaging and recycling specialist Alpla is restructuring its leadership in its two Western Europe (WEEU) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions. Roland Wallner (Managing Director APAC since 2021) will take over as Managing Director Western Europe (WEEU) on 1 April 2025. Ronald Tichelaar, General Manager China until then, will succeed him as Managing Director APAC at that time.
Roland Wallner will be the new Managing Director Western Europe (WEEU) at Alpla from 1 April 2025. With over 27 years of international management experience in Europe, the US, Middle East and Asia, and 14 years at the company, he was most recently Managing Director Asia-Pacific (APAC). During his successful time in Asia, driving significant top- and bottom-line growth, Wallner built up and expanded the company’s presence in several Asian countries and oversaw multiple major greenfield projects. He established the new technical centre for product development in Shanghai and introduced services such as the StudioA design centre and mould manufacturing. In recent years, Wallner successfully merged the former North-East Asia and South-East Asia regions into the new APAC region, based in Singapore.
‘Roland Wallner knows Alpla, our customers’ needs and the business. With his strategic and prudent leadership style as well as his commitment to excellence, he will strengthen our position in Western Europe and drive future growth opportunities,’ says CEO Philipp Lehner with conviction. The WEEU region comprises 31 base plants and 17 in-house plants in ten countries. There are about 5,700 people employed in Alpla’s largest region. Roland Wallner will be based at the headquarters in Hard initially and report directly to the CEO.
Ronald Tichelaar takes over APAC region
The new Managing Director APAC is Ronald Tichelaar. Tichelaar has 14 years of international management experience at Alpla, including as Head of Operations in North Asia and Plant Manager in Spain. As General Manager China, he led six plants, the technical centre and StudioA in Shanghai as well as the mould shop and Future Corner training centre. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Tichelaar revitalised business growth, achieved first-class operational excellence and set benchmarks in quality and efficiency.
‘His commitment to continuous improvement, modernisation and growth, as well as his great understanding of all of Alpla’s business areas, make Ronald Tichelaar the ideal candidate. With this internal solution, we are ensuring a seamless transition and continuity,’ explains Lehner. The APAC region brings together 12 locations with 2,650 employees in four countries. At the beginning of 2025, Alpla opened its second plant and headquarters for Thailand in Chachoengsao.
