Schröder Group continues its third generation of leadership

Next generation takes on business responsibilities

Wessobrunn-Forst (Germany), June 29, 2026 – Franz and Gerlinde Schröder have handed over the Schröder Group—comprising Hans Schröder Maschinenbau GmbH, SCHRÖDER-FASTI Technologie GmbH, SCHRÖDER-FASTI Scandinavia A/S, and SMU GmbH—to their daughter Sabrina and their son-in-law Markus Hibler. As a result, the internationally successful group of companies remains family-owned. Markus Hibler has been a member of the executive board at Hans Schröder Maschinenbau since October 2020. Franz Schröder had increasingly stepped back from day-to-day operations in recent years. He will continue to serve the executive board in an advisory capacity.

„I am happy to have found a succession plan that will ensure the company my father founded—and my own life’s work—continues with a high degree of continuity. This provides security for our teams and business partners as well as for our customers. The handover of the company marked the formal conclusion of this positive development,” explains Franz Schröder. “I wish Sabrina and Markus all the best and continued success.“

Continuity for Strong Brands

In the plumbing industry and the sheet metal processing industry alike, Schröder and SCHRÖDER-FASTI are synonymous with reliable solutions, precision, and repeatability in the folding, cutting, flanging, and slip bending of sheet metal. “We have made a name for ourselves through precision and innovation—both in craft machinery and in highly automated industrial solutions. The Schröder Group has always taken a close look at the challenges sheet metal processing professionals face and how we can make their day-to-day work easier. Offering high-quality solutions to these challenges will continue to be our business model,” says Markus Hibler.