BAUER AG has a new Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Prof. Dr. Peter Bömelburg was elected to this position effective March 25, 2026. He succeeds Prof. Dr. Bastian Fuchs, who had held the chairmanship since late 2023 and recently stepped down from his mandate at his own request.
Prof. Dr. Peter Bömelburg. Photo: BAUER Group
Prof. Dr. Peter Bömelburg (born in 1964) studied business administration at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg and earned his doctorate in consolidated financial statements and deferred taxes. His professional career is marked by many years of international consulting experience: From 1994 to 2024, he worked for the Nuremberg-based consulting and auditing firm RÖDL, initially in a managerial role; since 1998 as a partner and auditor; and since 2005 as managing partner. Starting in 2011, as a global partner, he focused on national and international RÖDL locations as well as advising owner-managed, internationally operating corporate groups. From 2019 to 2022, his responsibilities included the restructuring of the finance and tax function. Since January 2025, Peter Bömelburg has been working as an independent auditor and tax consultant with a focus on entrepreneurial families.
“We are very pleased that Prof. Dr. Peter Bömelburg has been elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board., a proven leader and an internationally experienced finance and tax expert, as Chairman of the Supervisory Board,” says Dirk Pförtner, Member of the Executive Board of BAUER AG.
Prof. Dr. Peter Bömelburg is also looking forward to his new role: “Bauer is an internationally positioned company with strong technological expertise and a solid market position. I look forward to actively supporting the company’s strategic development together with the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board.”
BAUER AG announced that Prof. Dr. Bastian Fuchs and Klaus Pöllath are stepping down from the company’s Supervisory Board at their own request.
Dr. Martin Thormann and Dirk Pförtner, members of the Executive Board, expressed their sincere thanks to both of them for their commitment, valuable input, and the constructive cooperation in supporting the development of BAUER AG.
Following the departure of two Supervisory Board members, the Executive Board of BAUER AG has applied to the registry court to appoint Prof. Dr. Peter Bömelburg and Martin Saler as shareholder representatives on the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG. The decisive factors in the nomination of the two candidates are their sound technical expertise, many years of management experience, and their profound knowledge of the industry. This combination will optimally complement the Supervisory Board.
Prof. Dr. Peter Bömelburg, born in 1964, studied business administration at Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg and earned his doctorate (magna cum laude) in consolidated financial statements and deferred taxes. From 1994 to 2024, he worked at Rödl & Partner, becoming a partner and auditor in 1998, managing partner in 2005, and global partner in 2011 with responsibility for international locations and owner-managed companies. From 2019 to 2022, he led the restructuring of the finance and tax department, among other things. Since January 2025, he has been an independent auditor and tax advisor specializing in entrepreneurial families.
Martin Saler, born in 1978, began his professional career at V-Research as a project manager in development. In 2011, he moved to Liebherr as production manager before taking over production management at Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. in Ireland from 2015 to 2018 and serving as managing director and plant manager from 2018 to 2019. In 2019, he returned to Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH and was responsible for production as Managing Director/COO. From July 2025 to January 2026, he was Managing Director of BAUER Maschinen GmbH alongside Wulf Flos.
The departing Supervisory Board members welcome the planned succession by qualified and competent colleagues and wish the company, its managers, owners, and all employees continued success and all the best.
The Supervisory Board of BAUER AG has appointed Dirk Pförtner to the Executive Board with effect from 19 February 2026. Together with Dr. Martin Thormann, he will form the leadership team of the internationally operating construction and mechanical engineering company. His position on the Executive Board is temporary and will be limited to the end of the year. In his role as a member of the Executive Board, Dirk Pförtner will be responsible for commercial matters. At the same time, he will remain Commercial Managing Director of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH.
Dirk Pförtner, born in 1972 in BĂĽdingen, Hesse/Germany, has been closely associated with the construction industry since the beginning of his professional career. He completed his commercial training at ZĂĽblin in 1989. He then moved to the company’s international department and the audit department at the head office. In 2002, he was appointed Commercial Managing Director of ZĂĽblin International Chile Ltda. In this role, he was responsible, among other things, for the establishment and strategic realignment of the newly founded ZĂĽblin International GmbH Chile. In 2004, Dirk Pförtner took over as head of auditing at ZĂĽblin before moving to the subsidiary in Qatar in 2006 as Managing Director and Commercial Division Manager. Since 2008, he has been Managing Director and Commercial Manager of the Chilean ZĂĽblin subsidiary. From 2016, he was also responsible for commercial management for the South America region within the Strabag ZĂĽblin organization.
With this appointment, the BAUER Group is strengthening its strategic and operational alignment and gaining an internationally experienced leader with extensive financial and management expertise. Dirk Pförtner will make a significant contribution to advancing the sustainable development of the group.
At the end of September, a top-class consortium of industry and research partners gathered at the headquarters of BAUER Maschinen GmbH to launch the second phase of the innovation project Deep Sea Sampling II (DSS II). The project’s goals are to develop and evaluate technological approaches for potential exploration of deep-sea mineral deposits, with a strong focus on environmental protection and minimizing the ecological footprint. The research project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).
Why the deep sea is drawing attention
In the coming decades, the increasing growth of populations and economies worldwide will lead to a growing need for raw materials. The circular economy and recycling alone will not be enough to meet this increasing demand. The global transformation towards a digital, electrified and decarbonized society also requires expanding the mining of strategically important minerals and metals. At the same time, the requirements for ecological and social standards are becoming stricter when it comes to the extraction of these raw materials. In this complex environment, it is essential to proactively and objectively evaluate technological options for the future. The DSS II project addresses this challenge by examining the potential of deep-sea minerals as an alternative source of raw materials.
Looking back: The “Vertical Approach” concept
During the preceding project Deep Sea Sampling I (2021-2024), the project partners explored the technical feasibility of a compact, electrified deep-sea cutter. The concept is based on Bauer’s diaphragm wall method. This ensures a closed-circuit process to prevent contamination from entering the environment as far as possible. Seawater and rock particles are separated on site right on the sea floor, and the treated flushing fluid is reintroduced back into the process. This eliminates the need for an energy-intensive pump system that reaches the surface of the sea.
Objectives for phase 2
By 2028, the second project phase which will focus on a holistic consideration of marine resources with regard to ecological and economic factors. For research purposes, more information and data about the geology and sea environment is needed.
Exploration: Development of a lightweight, compact deep-sea platform that can withstand pressures at a depth of 4,000 m and is able to extract rock samples selectively at multiple locations.
Extraction: Preliminary investigation for a minimally invasive mining concept based on vertical cutter technology
A new kind of mining: Minimally invasive deep-sea technology. Source: TU Bergakademie Freiberg
The challenges
The pressure on the sea floor is up to 400 bar – equivalent to the weight of a small car concentrated over an area the size of a postage stamp. Equipment operating in these conditions needs to be both robust and highly precise. In addition, complete darkness, steep slopes, and the complex topography of deep-sea deposits pose further challenges.
Next steps
After launching the requirement and concept phase, an interdisciplinary team of geoscientists, maritime experts, and engineers is now working strategically to develop forward-looking solutions. “Raw materials such as copper are essential for the energy transformation and digitalization. Deep Sea Sampling II aims to identify ways of extracting these metals with minimal impact on the natural environment,” remarks project coordinator Dr. Matthias Semel from BAUER Maschinen GmbH.
At its most recent meeting, the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG appointed two new members to the Executive Board. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Heck will be responsible for the Geotechnical Solutions segment from 15th August. Dr. Martin Thormann will join the Executive Board on 15th September and will then be responsible for the Equipment segment. A concrete division of responsibilities and tasks with regard to all business segments will be determined in the near future.
Both new appointments strengthen the strategic and operational orientation of the BAUER Group. With their proven expertise and leadership skills, Prof. Dr. Heck and Dr. Thormann will make an important contribution to the sustainable development of the group.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Heck began his career in 1997 at ZĂĽblin Spezialtiefbau GmbH before being appointed professor of construction management and construction economics at Graz University of Technology, Graz/Switzerland, in 2006. From 2007, he was managing director of profacto GmbH and then managing director of H+P Consult GmbH in Graz. In addition, he has been a court-certified and sworn expert in calculation, procurement, contract law, construction management, and construction accounting since 2008. Since 2020, he has also been spokesperson for the DACH construction management professorships.
Dr. Martin Thormann has an international career in mechanical and plant engineering and a proven track record in driving growth and implementing major transformations. He joined thyssenkrupp AG in 2012 and earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering at TU Dortmund University, Dortmund/Germany, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute. After completing his doctorate, he moved to the strategy department of thyssenkrupp Elevator (now known as TK Elevator) in 2015 and took over as head of the strategy team for the Europe Africa business unit in 2018. In 2020, he was appointed CEO Nordics, based in Stockholm. Since the end of 2022, he has been CEO Greater Europe, based in Vienna, where he is responsible for TK Elevator’s operational business in over twelve countries and the distributor business in the CIS states.
“With the appointment of Prof. Dr. Heck and Dr. Thormann, we are gaining two extremely competent individuals with many years of industry experience for our Executive Board team,” explains Prof. Dr. Bastian Fuchs, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG. “Both bring in-depth expertise in their respective fields and will help to further expand our operational strength in specialist foundation and mechanical engineering. I am very much looking forward to working with them.”
As part of the new appointments, Klaus Pöllath will leave the Executive Board on August 15, when Prof. Dr. Heck takes up his position, and return to the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG. Alongside Lena Effinger, who was appointed Executive Board Member for Commercial Affairs on June 1, the Executive Board of BAUER AG will then consist of three members.
Munich-based technology company abaut GmbH has completed a 3.2 M € funding round. The round was led by Swiss VC EquityPitcher Ventures, with co-investors Bayern Kapital, EIT RawMaterials, and existing investor BAUER AG from Schrobenhausen.
With the fresh capital, abaut is resolutely pursuing its mission: to make construction and raw materials operations more productive, transparent, and predictable – through intelligent digitization on the job site. The company’s multimodal, sensor-based software enables real-time visibility of material flows in civil engineering and surface mining operations, automating operational decisions based on data—the result: measurable cost savings and higher utilization.
The team of abaut GmbH, Munich. Photo: abaut
abaut is already in use in 18 countries across four continents – from mid-sized businesses to international corporations. The success is apparent: the global demand for practical digitalization in the field is growing – and abaut offers a scalable solution.
“This additional funding will be used to strengthen our sales and marketing team and to focus on product development. We will further develop our algorithms so that customers can achieve even greater efficiency and productivity gains with our solution,” explains Sebastian Kaluza, Founder & CEO of abaut GmbH. Hermann Koch of EquityPitcher adds: “With its solution, abaut has created a technologically unique product that delivers real value to the industry. The team excels at successfully integrating AI into day-to-day processes in heavy civil and surface mining operations.”
EquityPitcher Ventures
EquityPitcher Ventures is a Swiss early-growth venture capital firm based in Zurich. It focuses on technology-driven startups with scalable business models.
With over 30 portfolio companies and a clear diversification strategy, EquityPitcher Ventures supports founding teams across industries, markets, and stages. Startups benefit from access to a broad network of more than 50 industry and subject-matter experts, experienced entrepreneurs, and strategic partners.
Bayern Kapital
Bayern Kapital is the venture capital company of the Free State of Bavaria. With 700 M € under management, investments of up to 25 M € per company, over 110 active portfolio companies, and 30 years of experience in the VC business, it is one of the most active and well-funded investors in the DACH region.
Bayern Kapital co-invests with private investors in Bavarian high-tech and deep-tech startups and scale-ups with innovative business models, from the seed stage through scale-up and exit. Since its founding in 1995, Bayern Kapital has invested over 500 M € of its capital in more than 320 startups and scale-ups across various sectors, including life sciences, software and IT, advanced materials, nanotechnology, and environmental technology, creating over 12,000 sustainable jobs in Bavaria.
Notable success stories supported early by Bayern Kapital include Casavi, Catalym, commercetools, egym, EOS, Fazua, Immunic, Isar Aerospace, IQM, Parcellab, Proglove, Qbilon, Riskmethods, SimScale, Sirion, tado, Tubulis, Marvel Fusion, Proxima Fusion, plancq, Akhetonics, and many more.
EIT RawMaterials
EIT RawMaterials is the world’s most extensive and most active knowledge and innovation network for raw materials, comprising more than 300 partner organizations across the entire raw materials value chain. EIT RawMaterials promotes innovation, collaboration, and sustainable practices to foster a circular economy in Europe.
On behalf of the European Commission, EIT RawMaterials leads the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA), which includes over 750 members and a project pipeline of more than 40 advanced projects representing an investment potential of over 25 bn €.
BAUER AG
The BAUER Group is a leading provider of services, machinery, and products for both ground and groundwater applications. With a global network spanning all continents, the company is active in three forward-looking segments: specialist foundation engineering, machinery, and resources.
Bauer benefits from the synergies between its three business segments, positioning itself as an innovative and highly specialized provider of products and services for demanding specialist foundation work and related markets. The company addresses global challenges, including urbanization, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and water management.
Founded in 1790 and headquartered in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, the BAUER Group employed approximately 11,000 people worldwide in 2024 and reported total group revenues of 2.2 bn €.
abaut GmbH
Founded in 2017 in Munich, abaut focuses on solutions for the construction and raw materials industries. Its technology is already in use in 18 countries on four continents, serving both mid-sized companies and large enterprises.
Following a meeting of the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG, Peter Hingott will be stepping down as a member of the Executive Board.
Supervisory Board member Klaus Pöllath has been appointed to the Executive Board by the Supervisory Board – his position on the Supervisory Board is suspended. Klaus Pöllath has been a member of the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG since 2021 and has extensive expertise in the construction industry. From 1979 to 2018, he worked at Ed. Züblin AG, from 1991 to 2002 as managing director of Züblin Spezialtiefbau GmbH, and from 2003 to 2018 as a member of the Executive Board of Ed. Züblin AG.
The Executive Board of BAUER AG thus consists of Lena Effinger and Klaus Pöllath, with Lena Effinger primarily responsible for all commercial departments and Klaus Pöllath responsible for all operational issues.
Klaus Pöllath is a suitable candidate with extensive knowledge of the construction industry to seamlessly continue the operational activities. Together with Lena Effinger, who has been with the BAUER Group since 2006 and was appointed Chief Financial Officer effective 1st June, 2025, the Executive Board is very well positioned. Together with a motivated workforce, the company plans to shape the future actively and successfully.
With groundbreaking machines and innovative solutions for special foundation engineering, the BAUER Maschinen Group, Schrobenhausen/Germany, once again set new industry standards at bauma 2025. Several thousand industry professionals flocked to BAUER City to experience the company’s latest developments and technologies up close. The broad range of exhibits included BAUER’s proven rotary drilling rigs, diaphragm wall technology and drilling tools, as well as innovative products from its subsidiaries KLEMM, RTG, and BAUER MAT. Eurodrill was also present, as in previous years, with its own booth showcasing drilling drives.
A key highlight was the new BCS 185 power pack cutter system (Figure 1). Featuring a modular drive concept, it offers flexible operation with either electric or diesel power. This system allows for locally emission-free use and variable positioning of the power unit to reduce the footprint on construction sites.
Another standout exhibit was the eRG 21 t hybrid from RTG Rammtechnik. The combination of a powerful 430 kW diesel engine with an additional 88 kW electric motor enables operation with up to 68 % fewer CO2 emissions – a clear reflection of BAUER’s commitment to sustainable innovation.
KLEMM Bohrtechnik impressed with the newly developed KR 806-4E, an evolution of its electrohydraulic KR 806-3E drilling rig. The latest version offers increased motor power, improved battery capacity and an optimized electric system – delivering environmental performance without compromising the power of its diesel-hydraulic counterparts.
BAUER MAT Slurry Handling Systems presented the new CMS 50 colloidal mixer, which boasts a 10 % larger mixing volume than its predecessor, along with cutting-edge technology and a new design. In the field of injection technology, MAT unveiled the fully automatic IPA 250-E. It combines proven MAT mixing technology with Obermann pump technology, setting new benchmarks in injection processes.
A particularly noteworthy innovation showcased at the BAUER booth was the prototype of the electronic Cutter Soil Mixing (eCSM) system. As the world’s first electrified diaphragm wall method, it replaces traditional hydraulic components with a powerful electric drive architecture – reinforcing BAUER’s position as a technological leader in this field.
Peter Hingott, Member of the Executive Board of BAUER, emphasized: “We want to place even greater focus on our innovative strength and engineering expertise. BAUER is already a leader in the industry, but our goal is to be the best. We don’t just deliver products – we offer complete solutions for our customers’ challenges.”
Wulf Flos, Managing Director of BAUER Maschinen GmbH, added: “Our products are designed to inspire customers around the globe. As a premium manufacturer, we rely on strategic partnerships and outstanding service. Once again, bauma 2025 proved that we are shaping the industry with state-of-the-art technology, sustainable solutions, and low emission drive systems. The feedback on our BAUER City and the exhibits was excellent. A strong order intake speaks for itself.”
Operating large, mobile hydraulic construction equipment is a demanding task. Safe and efficient operation depends primarily on the operator’s experience – expertise that can take years to acquire. Less experienced operators often reach their limits quickly. This is precisely where the recently concluded OPAI4DNCS research project, funded by the Bavarian Research Foundation (BFS), stepped in.
Industry and science joining forces For this project, BAUER Maschinen GmbH, HAWE Hydraulik SE and STW (Sensor- Technik Wiedemann GmbH) collaborated closely with the Chair of Automation and Information Systems as well as the Chair of Ergonomics at Munich Technical University. Over the course of three years, the project partners explored operator-centered assistance for mobile construction equipment used in specialist foundation engineering.
Needs-based assistance from AI The aim of this project was to develop adaptive, intelligent, and self-learning control systems based on multi-agent systems (MAS). The focus was on needs-based assistance of machine operators to enable safe operation even in borderline situations.
Fig. 1. BAUER GB 50 hydraulic grab – the same grab type was used as a demonstrator in the research project. Photo: BAUER
Bauer grab used as test vehicle The technology was demonstrated using a hydraulic grab (Figure 1), typically used in the construction of diaphragm walls. The crucial factors were dampening vibrations and stabilizing the grab. Operating the grab is particularly challenging due to its swinging bucket. Using a soft sensor to measure the pendulum movements caused by pressure fluctuations on the hydraulic actuators, a real assistance system was development and successfully implemented in test campaigns.
Human-AI collaboration One central result of the project was the development of a shared-control platform that enables intuitive collaboration between human operators and artificial intelligence. A retrofitting solution was established that can extend existing control systems with intelligent functions, without requiring major changes to the machine’s architecture. The assistance system offers three different control modes tailored to the operator’s experience level. Combined with a multi-agent architecture, the system delivers flexible, context-sensitive assistance for complex control tasks – improving efficiency, safety and resource conservation on construction sites.
At its most recent meeting, the Supervisory Board of BAUER AG appointed Lena Effinger as a member of the Executive Board with effect from 1st June 2025 (Figure 1). She will take on responsibility as Chief Financial Officer of BAUER AG.
Lena Effinger has been with the BAUER Group since 2006 and has headed the Group Finance department since 2016, where she was most recently responsible for financing and treasury.
“I would like to thank the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board for their trust and look forward to working closely with the entire management team,” said Lena Effinger.
“I am delighted to continue our long-standing collaboration with Lena Effinger on the Executive Board. She is an experienced finance professional who has been responsible for coordinating with our banks for many years and has significantly developed Bauer’s treasury in recent years,” said Peter Hingott, member of the Executive Board of BAUER AG.
Following the appointment of Lena Effinger, Hartmut Beutler will step down from the Executive Board. After leaving the Executive Board at the end of 2021, Hartmut Beutler had been reappointed as interim member of the Executive Board of BAUER AG.
