VDMA General Air Technology Association elects new Executive Board
At the General Assembly 2025 of the VDMA General Ventilation Technology Association, the association's Executive Board was newly elected. Dr. Urs Herding, previously Deputy Chairman of the Association, was elected as the new Chairman of the Board.
The VDMA General Air Technology Association elected a new Executive Board as scheduled at its General Assembly in Berlin on April 11, 2025. Dr. Urs Herding, CEO of Herding Filtertechnik and previously Deputy Chairman of the Association, is the new Chairman of the Board of the VDMA General Air Technology Association, succeeding Udo Jung, CEO of the Trox Group, who has successfully led the Association since 2021.
New chairman of the VDMA General Air Technology Association
Udo Jung was a long-standing member of the association's Executive Board before being elected Deputy Chairman in 2015 and Chairman of the Executive Board in 2021. During his time as Deputy Chairman, he played a central role in the further development of the fire protection and smoke extraction working group. Under his leadership, the Responsible Fire and Smoke Protection Association (VVBR) joined the working group in 2016 and was fully integrated into it. The board for the new term of office from 2025 to 2029 of the VDMA General Ventilation Technology Association is made up of the current board members Dr. Nabil Abou Lebdi (Ventilatorenfabrik Oelde), Dr. Henrik Badt (Kalthoff Luftfilter und Filtermedien), Michael Freiherr (Güntner), Dr. Urs Herding (Herding), Udo Jung (Trox), Thomas Rippert (Rippert), Prof. Dr. Tomas Smetana (EBM-Papst), Thomas Strotkötter (GEA Refrigeration Germany), Andreas von Thun (BerlinerLuft. Technik), Ralf Wagner (LTG) and Monika Witt (TH. WITT Kältemaschinenfabrik).
Board of Directors wants to promote the reduction of bureaucracy
Robert Hild, Managing Director of the General Air Technology Association, praised the new set-up and thanked Dr. Herding's predecessor: "In these economically challenging times, companies need planning security and reliable framework conditions. With Dr. Urs Herding at the helm of the Executive Board, I look forward to continuing to drive forward the industry's pressing issues. Many thanks to our previous Chairman Udo Jung, who has achieved a great deal for the industry with his strong commitment." The new Executive Board sees bureaucracy and reporting obligations as key tasks. "What counts most in international competition is speed in innovation. Companies also need the freedom to assert themselves globally - not paralyzing structures. When it comes to competitiveness, many are calling for state subsidies, but what really helps us move forward is the reduction of bureaucracy," emphasized Dr. Herding.