Packaging and recycling specialist Alpla is reorganising the management in the two regions Western Europe (WEEU) and Asia-Pacific (APAC). Roland Wallner (Managing Director APAC since 2021) takes over as Managing Director Western Europe on 1 April.
Roland Wallner is the new Managing Director Western Europe (WEEU) at Alpla from 1 April 2025. With more than 27 years of international management experience in Europe, the USA, the Middle East and Asia, and 14 years with the company, he was most recently Managing Director Asia-Pacific (APAC). During his successful time in Asia - with significant sales and profit growth Wallner built up the company's presence in several Asian countries and further and was responsible for numerous large greenfield projects. He set up the new Technical Center for product development in Shanghai and introduced services such as the STUDIOa design centre and mould making. In recent years, Wallner has successfully merged the former North East Asia and South East Asia regions into the new APAC region based in Singapore.
The WEEU region comprises 31 base plants and 17 in-house plants in ten countries. Around 5,700 people are employed in Alpla's largest region. Roland Wallner will initially work at the headquarters in Hard and report directly to the CEO.
Ronald Tichelaar takes over APAC region
The new Managing Director APAC is Ronald Tichelaar. Tichelaar brings 14 years of international management experience to Alpla - including as Head of Operations in North Asia and Plant Manager in Spain. As General Manager China, he managed six plants, technical centres and STUDIOa in Shanghai, as well as toolmaking and the Future Corner training centre. Despite the challenges during the pandemic, Tichelaar fuelled business growth, achieved first-class operational performance and set standards in quality and efficiency.
The APAC region bundles 12 locations with 2,650 employees in four countries. Alpla opened its second plant and new headquarters for Thailand in Chachoengsao at the beginning of 2025.
Source: Alpla
