Press Information
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BITZER Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH
Eschenbrünnlestraße 15
71065 Sindelfingen | Germany
Tel +49 7031 9320
Fax +49 7031 932 147
[email protected] // www.bitzer.de
Unser Zeichen // Our Ref.
Abs. // Sender
Abt. // Dept.
Tel.-Dw. // Ext.
Fax-Dw. // Ext.
Email
Patrick Koops
Public Relations
+49 7031 9324 327
+49 7031 9325 4327
[email protected]
Datum // Date
18/08/2015
CEO and owner of long-standing BITZER Group reached the age of 74
Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler passed away unexpectedly
Sindelfingen, 18.08.2015. The entire BITZER Group, THE SCHAUFLER FOUNDATION and the
SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen are mourning the loss of Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler, who passed away
unexpectedly in Salzburg at the age of 74. As the CEO and company owner, Senator h. c. Peter
Schaufler managed BITZER with endless dedication for 36 years and turned the long-standing
company into the world’s largest independent manufacturer of refrigeration compressors.
When Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler took charge of BITZER in 1979, he systematically gave the
company an international focus. He turned the Swabian company into a global player and a driver of
innovation for the entire refrigeration and air conditioning sector. BITZER now counts on 3,400
employees in more than 90 countries and turnover of 657 million euros, making it 50 times the size it
was when Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler took the helm. His decisions demonstrated entrepreneurial
courage at all times. For example, he founded a joint venture with a Chinese company in Beijing back
in 1994. The Peter Schaufler era was characterized by values such as hard work, ingenuity and
quality, which are now firmly rooted in the BITZER corporate culture. His forward-looking business
policy and his willingness to rise to challenges allowed him to conquer new markets, and to
Geschäftsführer //ManagingDirectors:
Peter Schaufler, Senator h.c.
Christiane Schaufler-Münch
Rainer Große-Kracht
Frank Hartmann
Gianbattista Parlanti
Christian Wehrle
Sitz der Gesellschaft //RegisteredOffice:Sindelfingen
Amtsgericht //LocalCourt:Stuttgart,HRB240845
Deutsche Bank AG, Stuttgart
IBAN: DE08600700700051438000
BIC/Swift code: DEUTDESSXXX
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg
IBAN: DE63600501010001365555
BIC/Swift code: SOLADEST600
USt.-Id. Nr. // VAT ID No.: DE 812 161 588
Press Information
successfully introduce compressor technologies to the market, such as screw compressors in 1983
and scroll compressors in 2002.
Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler was highly committed to the common good throughout his life. The aim
of THE SCHAUFLER FOUNDATION founded in 2005 was to bring together entrepreneurship, science,
research and art. THE SCHAUFLER FOUNDATION is the main sponsor of the Karlsruhe University of
Applied Sciences’ Valerius Füner Prize, which recognises the outstanding achievements of mechanical
engineering students in the areas of refrigeration, air conditioning and environmental technology.
THE SCHAUFLER FOUNDATION also supports dedicated students at the University of Dresden, the
University of Stuttgart and the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences via the German government’s
Deutschlandstipendium (Germany Scholarship). Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler was also keen to see
the advancement of scientific research in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning technology. He
therefore created the BITZER Chair of Refrigeration, Cryogenics and Compressor Technology at the
TU Dresden in 2007.
Senator h. c. Schaufler and his wife Christiane Schaufler-Münch also made generous donations to
welfare institutions and gave the public access to their extensive art collection comprising more than
3,000 pieces at the SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen from 2010 on. Since then, the museum has earned
itself a reputation, both locally and internationally, for putting on top-calibre exhibitions. The
SCHAUWERK Sindelfingen will continue to serve as a place where contemporary art is discussed, as
Peter Schaufler would have wished.
2010 also marked the year in which Senator h. c. Schaufler was awarded the Cross of the Order of
Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his contributions to the fields of culture and science.
He received many awards for his business successes and services to society, including the 2014
Gründerpreis Baden-Württemberg for company founders, in recognition of his life’s work, which was
presented by the region’s Minister for Economic Affairs Dr Nils Schmid.
The family held a quiet funeral.
■
Geschäftsführer //ManagingDirectors:
Peter Schaufler, Senator h.c.
Christiane Schaufler-Münch
Rainer Große-Kracht
Frank Hartmann
Gianbattista Parlanti
Christian Wehrle
Sitz der Gesellschaft //RegisteredOffice:Sindelfingen
Amtsgericht //LocalCourt:Stuttgart,HRB240845
Deutsche Bank AG, Stuttgart
IBAN: DE08600700700051438000
BIC/Swift code: DEUTDESSXXX
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg
IBAN: DE63600501010001365555
BIC/Swift code: SOLADEST600
USt.-Id. Nr. // VAT ID No.: DE 812 161 588
Press Information
The BITZER Group is the world’s largest independent manufacturer of refrigeration compressors with sales
companies and production sites for reciprocating, screw, and scroll compressors as well as pressure vessels all
over the globe. In 2014, 3,400 employees generated sales of €657 million.
Overview of images
Images may only be used for editorial purposes. This usage is free of charge if "Photo: BITZER" is given as the
source and a complimentary copy is forwarded to us. Changes to the images – apart from cropping to the main
motif – are not permitted.
Image: Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler
Geschäftsführer //ManagingDirectors:
Peter Schaufler, Senator h.c.
Christiane Schaufler-Münch
Rainer Große-Kracht
Frank Hartmann
Gianbattista Parlanti
Christian Wehrle
Sitz der Gesellschaft //RegisteredOffice:Sindelfingen
Amtsgericht //LocalCourt:Stuttgart,HRB240845
Deutsche Bank AG, Stuttgart
IBAN: DE08600700700051438000
BIC/Swift code: DEUTDESSXXX
Landesbank Baden-Württemberg
IBAN: DE63600501010001365555
BIC/Swift code: SOLADEST600
USt.-Id. Nr. // VAT ID No.: DE 812 161 588