Companies: PPS   

Fuel cells business Proton Power Systems’s new chief executive Thomas Melczer aims to freshen up things at the Bavaria-based company and bring a ‘different approach’.

Having begun his career with a 20-year turn at engineering giant Siemens and with expertise since in back-up power systems, Melczer has ‘a lot of experience in the industrial side’ under his belt and intends to bring this to Proton. ‘I will try and get an industrial focus at the company,’ he says.

Melczer, whose mobile phone was heard during his interview with Growth Company Investor to ring to the tune of ‘Satisfaction’ by the Rolling Stones, initially felt some dissatisfaction with Proton’s strategy when he joined.

He says: ‘In the past, Proton was focused on R&D and was working for many years designing customer applications, and so far had no real product to go into
volume production with.’

‘I want to change that so we produce and sell product. Proton has very strong R&D but you have to sell what you develop.’ He sees many global opportunities for the company’s products – which include a triple-hybrid power solution for forklift trucks and a collaboration with commercial vehicle specialist Karmann for an ‘Ecocarrier’ zero-emission vehicle – through his ‘lots of experience and contacts in Asia, the Middle East and Europe’.

Furthermore, Melczer wants the company to outsource manufacturing rather than bring it in-house, which had been the intention. ‘It’s less capital expenditure, less risk, they have more experience in assembly and we can use their buying power as we have been paying too high prices.’

Proton Power Systems	AIM	£5m	7.00p	-0.25p
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