Vetaphone The first 100 days!
When Michael Behrens was appointed chief executive at Vetaphone A/S at the end of 2024 it marked a significant milestone in the company’s long and illustrious history.
E
stablished in the early 1950s when plastic packaging was growing in popularity after the Second World War, Vetaphone was the brainchild of Verner Eisby, who is universally acknowledged as the inventor of what we have come to know as ‘corona surface treatment’. Management of Vetaphone subsequently passed to Verner’s two sons, Frank and Jan, and the company, which remains in family ownership, has grown to become a global market leader in industry sectors from extrusion to printing and converting. Throughout its history the company has continued to pioneer surface treatment technology and as it looks to expand its capabilities and product portfolio into the 21st century, it has made a signifi cant management change at the top with an outside appointment.
Converter spoke with the new chief executive Michael Behrens after his fi rst 100 days in offi ce to fi nd out what his plans are for the future.
CONVERTER: WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE JOB OF CEO AT VETAPHONE? MICHAEL BEHRENS: Vetaphone is a technical
company that has a full value chain, from engineering to 24/7/365 support, and is exporting its technology and expertise all over the world. That was important to me because my experience comes from this kind of company. I also liked the fact that it is a family-owned business, and continues to be so, with the short decision times that this structure allows.
Background research showed me that the company has consistently grown and has a professional Board of Directors already in place, so I knew that I was looking at an ambitious enterprise with a commercial mindset and great values. Finally, I learned very quickly that Vetaphone is a premium brand within the Corona and Plasma surface treatment markets, and I found that very appealing.
CONVERTER: WHAT WERE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF VETAPHONE BEFORE YOU JOINED? MB: My fi rst impression was of the company’s HQ. It’s a very striking building that is well-known in the city of Kolding, and says much about the quality of the company and its products. I was born and raised
here, and still live in Kolding, so the name Vetaphone has been around for as long as I can remember. Over the years I have seen how the company has added more offi ce and production space and began to hear more about the its growth and development through my professional network. But I never knew exactly what they were producing, nor did I know the Eisby brothers before I came for interview.
CONVERTER: HAS THIS CHANGED AFTER 100 DAYS IN THE JOB? MB: Obviously, I now know what the company does, which is a big help! But seriously, the Eisby brothers were very transparent and honest during their thorough recruiting process, and these are values that I truly appreciate.
The picture they painted of Vetaphone is very much what I have experienced in my fi rst 100 days. We seem to share the same values, and ‘take’ on people, and have a management style that is well aligned. It makes discussions easy to the point that we were communicating on the same frequency from the fi rst day. You could say it was pretty much a perfect start.
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May 2025
www.convertermag.com
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