Handover within the company News | News | People | 03.11.2025

Continuity and fresh impetus for the industry

A significant milestone in the corporate history of S+P Samson GmbH, based in Kissing, is approaching: after more than 35 years with the company – including 16 pioneering years as Managing Director – Mr Karl Tochtermann will be taking his well-deserved retirement on 31 December 2025. Under his strategic leadership, the company has continued to develop successfully and set a clear course for the future. Whether in steelworks, the automotive sector or the chemical industry, Karl Tochtermann has played a key role in establishing our robust identification solutions as a fixture on the global market.

To ensure this successful course continues seamlessly and to further drive the digital transformation of industrial marking, preparations for the transition have been underway for some time. The Management will officially be handed over to Dr Christof M. Stotko on 1 November 2025.

International leadership expertise for demanding markets

In Dr Christof M. Stotko, the company is gaining an accomplished expert in industrial sales and strategic management. A graduate in industrial engineering, he has more than 20 years’ international management experience in technology-oriented medium-sized enterprises. Thanks to his in-depth qualifications at the interface between business and technology, he has a precise understanding of the profound challenges faced by our customers in harsh production environments.

With this expertise, Dr Stotko will continue the successful development and provide fresh impetus. A key focus of his future work will be on further expanding the portfolio of innovative labelling solutions – such as our heat-resistant GRAPHIPLAST^® labels and future-proof RFID technologies – on an international scale, and establishing new digital services for the smart factory of tomorrow.

A heartfelt thank you and a look ahead

With over 45 years’ experience in industrial labelling, we know that stable growth is based on trusting relationships and consistent quality work. The entire workforce and the shareholders would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Mr Karl Tochtermann for his long-standing, formative commitment and his decisive role in the history of our company. He leaves behind a highly innovative company that is ideally equipped to meet the challenges ahead.

At the same time, we warmly welcome Dr Stotko to the team and look forward to our shared future. We are convinced that, with his experience, he will provide new and valuable impetus for both our customers and our partners at home and abroad, enabling us to deliver first-class marking technology for the most extreme industrial conditions.

Find out more about our entire S+P Samson team.