Former VMI president passes away

Dutch tyre and rubber machinery manufacturer VMI reports that its former president and CEO, Coos Spanjer, passed away on Tuesday 4 September 2012, at the age of 68.

Mr. Spanjer joined VMI in 1990 and became CEO of the company in 1992, a position which he held for 18 years. VMI considers his inspiring leadership instrumental to the company’s development into a leading machinery supplier to the global rubber and tyre industry. In 2010 Mr. Spanjer resigned from this role and took up the position of CEO of the industrial manufacturing division within VMI’s parent company, TKH Group.

“With his intelligence, unbridled energy and enormous ambition, Coos Spanjer left an unforgettable impression with employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners,” shared VMI in a statement regarding his passing. “Today’s VMI is grateful for the many years in which Mr. Spanjer was leading the company, in The Netherlands and at our foreign subsidiaries.”

On behalf of VMI, current president and CEO Harm Voortman offered his sincere condolences to his Mr. Spanjer’s wife Mia, his children and grandchildren, family and friends. “We hope that joyful memories will help to deal with this big loss,” he said.