Christian Lorenz
Press Officer
Telephone 0221 / 390 11 90
E-mail lorenzc(at)hgk.de
Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG
Press Office
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50735 Cologne
Simon Lucas strengthens the management team at the “Royal” company, Wijgula
Duisburg / Druten (NL). The inland shipping company “Royal” Wijnhoff & Van Gulpen & Larsen B.V. (Wijgula), is broadening its management team. Simon Lucas (44) will become the third managing director of the HGK Shipping subsidiary alongside Norbert Meixner and Egbert Schelhaas with effect from 1 September 2023. Mr Lucas’ area of responsibility will particularly include the company’s strategic and operational orientation as well as its further development with an eye to meeting the future requirements of the chemical industry.
Simon Lucas has already held management positions at several chemical companies and logistics firms during his professional career, most recently at the Tessenderlo Group – a diversified industrial group that specialises in agricultural products, processing organic waste and making available industrial solutions. In line with that company’s long-term vision and investment strategy to introduce a modal shift, he planned the transfer of products to three inland waterway vessels as well as the acquisition and integration of an inland waterway fuel terminal and managed its implementation, among other things.
Simon Lucas has completed a bachelor’s degree in transport and logistics as well as further training in management as well as production and stock management. He is also a long-term member of relevant platforms such as “Cefic” (European Chemical Industry Council) and the “Vlaamse Waterwegen”.
“Our company has been able to attract Simon Lucas, an acknowledged expert in chemicals, who has a high level of operational and strategic understanding. He’ll help us manage our business in the chemical sector in the best possible way during these challenging times,” says Norbert Meixner, the managing director of the “Royal” Wijgula company, who is also the Business Unit Director of Liquid Chemicals at HGK Shipping.
“Flows of goods are undergoing change. Economic challenges, the transformation of cargo groups and the issue of hydrogen are making long-lasting changes to the chemical industry’s supply chains. Simon Lucas will support us as we complete this transformation in conjunction with our customers.”
Simon Lucas comments, “The ‘Royal’ Wijgula company has a history that goes back more than one hundred years. This tradition is coupled with innovative capability within the HGK Shipping Group. It’s therefore the perfect starting point to establish future supply chains on inland waterways as a partner of the industry. I’m looking forward to being part of shaping this process.”
