We mourn the death of our former managing director Mr. Dipl.- Ing. Josef Groß who passed away on February 16, 2021 at the age of 85.

After his apprenticeship and journeyman’s time as a toolmaker in Wilhelmshaven and engineering studies in Berlin, Josef Groß worked for Olympia in Wilhelmshaven and Keiper-Recaro in Remscheid and Rockenhausen.

From 1986 until his retirement in 2000, Josef Groß was Managing Director of the former M. Kutsch GmbH in Attendorn.  He was also responsible for the management of Sigro in Olpe and Letterkenny in Ireland and Gametal in Portugal, which were part of the group of companies at that time. We also remember his trips to Brazil and Mexico, during which he laid the foundations for our activities in Central and South America together with Wolfgang and Arndt G. Kirchhoff. Particularly close to Josef Groß’s heart were our market entry plans in the Central Eastern European countries after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The decision to set up our plants in Poland and the composition of the management team, many of whom are still actively with us today, was certainly a highlight of his professional life.

With his decisions and many capabilities, Josef Groß had a decisive influence on the development of the entire KIRCHHOFF Group.  His work in the details of forming products and processes as well as the development of the necessary joining techniques formed the solid foundation on which we were able to build our now global company. For health reasons, he handed over the operational activities from the management to his successor, Stefan Leitzgen, in 1999.

His economic, technical and human perceptiveness distinguished him and made him a valued superior and colleague.

We will remember Josef Groß with honor.

Our sincere sympathy goes to his family.