Ralf Nießen retires after an impressive Thetford career. Matthias Baumgärtner announced as new General Manager Thetford GmbH.

Thetford announce that, with effect from the 1st of august 2024, Matthias Baumgärtner will take up the position of General Manager of Thetford GmbH. Matthias Baumgärtner has held a number of management positions at Felix Schoeller GmbH & Co. KG. He will replace Ralf Nießen who will be enjoying his well-deserved retirement.

Matthias Baumgärtner: “From the first interview, I felt at home within the Thetford organisation. I am very much looking forward to further develop the position of Thetford GmbH with my team, by strengthening our service and relationships at all levels of the business.” In this role Matthias Baumgärtner will report to Marie Boulanger, Thetford’s European Sales & Marketing Director. Matthias Baumgärtner will manage the German Thetford team and become part of the European Sales & Marketing Management team.

Marie Boulanger, Sales & Marketing Director Thetford Europe: “Ralf Nießen has been one of Thetford’s most iconic figures for about 30 years. His dedication, professionalism, and unique customer- focused approach to the RV industry have led to great success. Ralf leaves behind a legacy within Thetford that he can be proud of; therefore, finding a suitable replacement for his position has been a challenging task. I had an immediate click with Matthias and am convinced that he is a perfect fit for Thetford, as he carries the same values and has substantial professional experience in General Management positions. We are confident that Matthias will bring new vision and knowledge to our business.”

Impressive Thetford career

Ralf Nießen joined Thetford in April 1995, nearly 30 years ago. Starting as Sales Manager Germany, Ralf Nießen worked his way up to General Sales Manager Europe, Director Sales Marine International and Sales & Marketing Director Europe. However, as his heart was primarily in the German RV market, Ralf Nießen returned to the position of General Manager Thetford GmbH.

Customer relationship

In his various roles, Ralf Nießen has been a major contributor to Thetford’s success, guarding its strong market leadership in sanitation, growing position in cooking appliances and achieving market leadership in RV refrigerators. Ralf Nießen: “Close customer relationship is still the biggest success factor of Thetford. I’ve always enjoyed creating success together with our customers and with the Thetford team. It feels like I have spent almost 30 years with business friends rather than with customers and colleagues. Thetford is truly my second family.”

Caravan Salon Düsseldorf

Now Ralf Nießen is retiring, he is transferring a very experienced Thetford GmbH team to Matthias Baumgärtner. During the coming Caravan Salon Düsseldorf he will finish handing over his customers. So, will this be the last visit of Ralf Nießen to the Caravan Salon? Ralf Nießen: “I love this market and I enjoy RV-ing in my leisure time just as much as our customers do. I’ve over 25 years of experience with great motorhome trips. I will probably visit every Düsseldorf show in the coming years, but this time as an end-user!”