Dear customers and business partners,

to run a company in such a rapidly changing industry for almost thirty years is no easy feat. It has been a period in which both myself and the company as a whole have been presented with many extraordinary challenges. I am therefore delighted that the succession process will be conducted in a way that guarantees continuity; because several future board members have held management positions in the company for many years, they are completely familiar with our business and will be able to use their expertise and experience to meet all future challenges.

Upon my retirement, Kurt Haselwander, the current Vice-Chairman of the Board, will become CEO, with overall responsibility for the group. He will also lead the Technology, Human Resources, Technical Purchasing and IT departments, as well as our real estate arm Schoeller Immobilien Vorarlberg, including Schoeller 2welten.

Gerhard Hübinger will continue to be in charge of Finance, Controlling, the real estate arm Scholler Immobilien Eitorf, the logistics arm Schoeller Logistik Eitorf and the Schoeller Süssen subsidiary. In addition, following a transition period, he will assume responsibilities at the group headquarters in Zurich, where he will also remain in charge of the Spinning Group.

Manfred Oberhofer, former Sales Director, will be promoted to senior management of Industrial Yarns on 1 April 2007, taking control of the areas of Marketing, Product Development and Raw Materials Purchasing.

from left:
Gerhard Hübinger,
Kurt Haselwander,
Manfred Oberhofer

I will also retire from my position as Managing Director of our Schoeller Süssen subsidiary, effective from 31 March 2007. My successor here is Achim Hamann, who moves from within the industry and therefore has a great deal of specialist knowledge. From 1 April 2007 he will head up our hand knitting yarn company, together with an experienced team and with Gerhard Löffler as his assistant. I will be on hand to advise management during the transition phase.

In order to adapt to the realities of the market-place, the Schoeller Group has develo-ped rapidly in recent years, and I now be-lieve that we are in a position to look towards the future with optimism, safe in the knowledge that we are well prepared, both stra-tegically and in terms of personnel. The new mana-gement team has my full confidence and I leave the company with the firm belief that it will continue to grow. In addition to our employees, I would also like to thank the Albers family, who have supported us even through difficult times. It is thanks to them that we can look to the future with such optimism.

Special thanks must also go to our business partners, some of whom have worked with us for many years and with whom I will remain in contact with. I would like to end by wishing you all the very best in future endeavours.

Rainer Gonser

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