The new VDZ President, Dr Dirk Spenner (left), and his predecessor, Christian Knell (right)
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Dr Dirk Spenner elected as new VDZ president
On 5 May 2026, the General Assembly of the German Cement Works Association (VDZ) elected Dr Dirk Spenner as its new president. He succeeds Christian Knell (Heidelberg Materials) who has held the post for nine years. At the same time, the VDZ Executive Board has set the course for the succession in the management team: Dr Martin Schneider will retire at the end of October this year. From that point on, Manuel Mohr as Chief Executive and Dr Jörg Rickert as Chief Technical Officer will steer VDZ’s fortunes together with the President and the VDZ Board.
Dr Dirk Spenner is the Managing Partner of the Spenner Group, which this year celebrates 100 years of tradition as a manufacturer of cement and building materials. “I am looking forward to my new role at VDZ”, said Dirk Spenner. “My predecessor, Christian Knell, is handing over a VDZ that is very well positioned, particularly when it comes to actively shaping the transition to climate-neutral cement production.”
VDZ was founded almost 150 years ago. Today, it comprises around 20 German cement manufacturers with some 50 sites. At the same time, more than 200 staff in Düsseldorf work on all aspects of cement production and the performance of concrete. In doing so, VDZ has developed into an internationally recognised centre of excellence for the entire cement and concrete value chain. It acts as a service provider for a wide range of issues relating to plant engineering, environmental protection and the durability of concrete. Through its numerous research projects, it consistently sets the agenda and addresses today the issues that will be of significance to the industry tomorrow.
For Dirk Spenner, this bodes very well for the work ahead in the coming years. “We want to be part of the solution and have done a great deal of groundwork with VDZ. However, it will also be crucial to strike a fair balance between sustainable production on the one hand and competitive operating conditions on the other.” He hopes that politicians will show drive and pragmatism: “In our country, we often tend to want to regulate everything down to the smallest detail and please everyone. But this leads to too little progress and leaves little room for manoeuvre.”
Dirk Spenner points to VDZ’s publications like the CO2 Roadmap and the study on CO2 infrastructure as a good example of how VDZ has developed solutions. At the same time, he highlights the necessary framework to ensure that decarbonisation, in particular, can succeed. Christian Knell is proud that the VDZ is able to speak on behalf of the industry on all key issues. “My years as VDZ President have been very rewarding; we have achieved a great deal and set important priorities for our industry. I know VDZ is in good hands with Dirk Spenner.”
All cement manufacturers in Germany are banking on a recovery in the construction sector. Cement sales in Germany have fallen by around a third over the last five years, highlighting the difficult situation facing the cement, concrete and construction value chain. “The demand for housing and various infrastructure projects remains high. We are counting on the government’s infrastructure measures taking effect, and that the funds are not used to plug budget deficits”, said Dirk Spenner. “As VDZ, we want to continue to be a reliable partner for policymakers, working together to develop sound and efficient solutions that make construction faster, simpler and more cost-effective.”
At the same time as electing the President, the VDZ Executive Board has been preparing for the upcoming change in VDZ’s management. End of October, Dr Martin Schneider will retire after 35 years at VDZ, 25 of which as Chief Executive. From 1 November 2026, Manuel Mohr will become Chief Executive of VDZ; he has been responsible for the Policy and Economics division at VDZ for 15 years and is also Managing Director of the Concrete Information Centre. He will lead VDZ together with Dr Jörg Rickert, who will serve as Chief Technical Officer. Jörg Rickert has been with VDZ since 1996, currently serving as Managing Director of VDZ Technology gGmbH and Head of the Cement Chemistry Department. Both – the new and outgoing Presidents – emphasise that VDZ is well-positioned for the future and will continue to successfully represent the industry under new management from autumn onwards.
