Congratulation
Authorised Signatory
Stephan
Winkelbauer
In June 2026, Stephan Winkelbauer was granted power of attorney at Winkelbauer GmbH. As a result, the 29-year-old industrial engineer is now taking on additional responsibilities as an authorised signatory, reporting to the managing director and owner, Michael Winkelbauer. He is currently Business Development Manager, responsible for the further development of our Defence business unit.
We have a corporate history spanning almost 100 years, from hammer and anvil to high-tech: our site in Anger near Weiz has evolved from its origins as a smithy into an international centre of excellence for wear-resistant steel components. More than 140 employees develop and manufacture high-quality steel components that are used worldwide under the toughest operating conditions, for example in the Construction machinery industry, in recycling and in forestry technology. To ensure this success story continues in the long term, the family is now setting the course for the future at an early stage: Stephan Winkelbauer, representing the fourth generation in the company, is taking on additional responsibility as an authorised signatory with immediate effect.
“As a family business, we think long-term. That is why we delegate responsibility early on and step by step. By granting Stephan power of attorney, we are strengthening the management of our family business. Particularly in times of major change and challenges, a succession plan prepared with foresight sends an important signal: our employees, customers and partners should know that Winkelbauer operates with a long-term perspective and is reliably positioned,” emphasises owner and managing director Michael Winkelbauer.
Following his initial professional experience in regional industrial companies and an international assignment with the Swedish steel group SSAB in Oxelösund, Stephan returned to Winkelbauer in 2020. During his time with us, the 29-year-old industrial engineer deliberately gained experience across various departments and continuously expanded his area of responsibility – from assisting the production management team, to heading up logistics and setting up digital processes, right through to business development for the Construction machinery equipment and components division. Last year, he was named one of the country’s top 30 young entrepreneurs by a panel of experts in recognition of his achievements. In June 2026, he was granted power of attorney.
“I have great respect for what my father Michael and my grandfather Franz have built up. My aim is to continue this successful development together with our team and to drive the company forward with new ideas. I want to play my part in ensuring that Winkelbauer continues to invest here in the region, drives innovation and, above all, safeguards existing jobs in the long term,” emphasises the young entrepreneur. In terms of business strategy, he intends to build on his existing priorities – alongside digital processes in production and sales, Winkelbauer is particularly focused on developing the strategic business division for the defence industry: “Our aim is to make greater use of our expertise in processing high-strength steels for protective components and structural parts in the defence sector in future. To this end, we have established the necessary technological infrastructure and obtained all the required approvals over the past few years,” explains the reservist, who has also been volunteering with the Red Cross in Weiz for the past twelve years.
