— Executive Search · Machinery & Industrial Technology · DACH
The right leader for your machinery & industrial engineering.
We fill C-level and senior leadership positions in manufacturing companies — with deep sector insight, a far-reaching candidate network and an average time-to-hire of 7 weeks.
— Industry-specific challenges
Why executive search in machinery is uniquely demanding
Leaders in machinery and plant engineering combine deep technical know-how with entrepreneurial thinking — a rare profile that generalist recruiters without sector access regularly miss.
Experienced COOs, plant managers and sales directors in special machinery are rarely active on the market. They must be approached proactively, discreetly and with sector credibility.
A pure sales profile fails on production decisions. We understand the technical depth your company demands — and test it explicitly in the assessment.
Corporate candidates often fail in family businesses. Cultural fit is not a checkbox for us, but a core requirement of every search.
Every unfilled key position costs operationally and strategically. Our structured process gives you planning certainty — from the first briefing to the signature.
Kempkens × Kohler stands out through excellent service, a fast, well-structured process and high-calibre candidates.
— Mandate scope
Which positions we fill
From managing directors to senior management — in manufacturing companies across the DACH region, from 50 to 50,000 employees.
— Our approach
Partner-led. Structured. Bespoke.
We don’t run database queries. Every search is led personally by Oliver Kempkens or Sebastian Kohler — from the briefing session to onboarding.
Together we define the search profile, your culture and the success criteria. We understand your business, ownership structure and strategic situation.
Systematic mapping of 200+ profiles in the relevant market — including candidates with no active job profile who are invisible to classic channels.
First profiles serve as the basis for jointly fine-tuning the search profile. We adjust parameters precisely to your feedback before going deep.
In-depth interviews, personality diagnostics and an explicit culture-fit check. You receive 3–5 excellent candidates — no long lists.
Contract negotiation, stakeholder alignment and active support through the first 90 days. We are only done once your leader is successfully on board.
Why our approach works differently
Entrepreneurial thinking
We understand roles in the context of growth, responsibility and strategic impact.
Partner-led, not delegated
Every mandate is led personally by the founding partners — no opaque research process.
Access to the hidden market
We identify leaders on competency and potential — including talent beyond the open candidate market.
Precision over volume
A clearly calibrated shortlist instead of long candidate lists.
— Client references & projects
Executive search in machinery: what you should know
German machinery and plant engineering is the backbone of the export economy — and faces a profound leadership transition. Digitalisation, automation and a demographic skills shortage make the search for experienced C-level leaders harder than ever. Mid-sized machinery firms with 100 to 5,000 employees compete for a candidate field that is simply too small.
Kempkens & Kohler has specialised experience filling key positions in manufacturing companies — from special-machinery builders in Bavaria to plant engineers in the Ruhr region, Austria and Switzerland. Our network spans active and passive candidates unreachable via classic job portals.
As a FOCUS Top Executive Search Firm 2026 we are one of the few boutique providers in Germany with a proven track record supporting both family-owned Mittelstand and PE-backed industrial companies — partner-led, discreet and with a 95 percent placement rate.
— Free initial consultation
Let’s talk about your open position.
Tell us briefly about your search profile — we’ll get back to you personally within 24 hours. No form overhead, no obligation, full confidentiality.
For companies with a hiring need. We work exclusively on a retained basis for companies looking to fill a leadership position. We are unable to consider unsolicited applications via this form.