Contiweb today announces the appointment of Ronald IJntema as new CEO, effective 4 January 2027. He succeeds Joost Smits and will lead the company through its next phase of growth, building on a successful transformation that has established a solid market position and a financially healthy business.
Under IJntema’s leadership, Contiweb will continue investing in support for its installed base of more than 2,500 systems worldwide, helping customers maintain equipment performance and extend the economic life of their production lines. Alongside this commitment, the company will pursue growth by expanding the application of its web-handling, drying and converting technologies into areas including packaging, converting and non-wovens.
IJntema joins Contiweb from Van Halteren Technologies, where he held a commercial leadership position and served on the board of directors. He brings more than 25 years of experience in international technology and capital equipment companies. Previously, he was Group CCO of Dieseko Group and spent more than 11 years as Sales Director at Vanderlande, building an international sales and service organisation across China, the USA and India. He began his career at Bosch Rexroth and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and business administration.
Commenting on his appointment, IJntema says: “Contiweb has built a strong foundation for growth, with reliable equipment and expert technical support at the heart of its customer relationships. I look forward to working with the team to build on this foundation, supporting our customers and OEM partners while developing opportunities for our technologies in new applications.”
“Contiweb is ready for its next phase of growth,” says Joost Smits, outgoing CEO at Contiweb. “Ronald brings the technical understanding and commercial experience to lead the business forward. His track record in building international sales and service organisations will be valuable as Contiweb expands its activities and continues to support its customers worldwide.”
Smits will step down as CEO and ensure a smooth transition to his successor. Since joining Contiweb in November 2021, he has led the company through its strategic transformation and laid a solid foundation for future growth.
