Michael Kilian Takes Over as MD at PFAFF INDUSTRIAL

Press Release

Michael Kilian has been appointed Managing Director and spokesperson of PFAFF INDUSTRIAL, succeeding Dr Frank Meyer. Dr Meyer will continue in his role as Managing Director of KSL Joining Technology GmbH in Bensheim.

Kilian will jointly lead the Kaiserslautern-based industrial sewing machine manufacturer alongside Jing Fan, Managing Director responsible for finance and controlling, human resources, IT, and quality. PFAFF INDUSTRIAL is a long-established company with a significant presence in the textile and leather processing industry.

In addition to his new role, Kilian continues to serve as Managing Director of Dürkopp Adler GmbH. Both PFAFF INDUSTRIAL and Dürkopp Adler are part of the internationally operating Shang Gong Group (SGG). Together with Fan, Kilian is responsible for driving forward and implementing the group’s ongoing reorganisation.

A central objective of this initiative is the strategic and operational integration of PFAFF INDUSTRIAL into Dürkopp Adler GmbH. According to the company, this step is intended to strengthen synergies within the group while securing and expanding its long-term market position in the textile and leather processing sector.

“With this reorganization, we are ideally positioned to meet the future challenges of the markets regarding automation, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. With PFAFF INDUSTRIAL in the group, we intend to strengthen our textile welding activities with new, innovative products,” says Michael Kilian.

This press release was issued February 4, 2026. PFAFF is a subsidiary of SPESA member DAP America, Inc.

SPESA members are encouraged to email news and releases to marie@spesa.org or maggie@spesa.org to be featured under Member Spotlights.