Hotset: Generational Change in the Management of the Temperature Control Technology Specialist

Generational change at Hotset: As of November 1, 2025, Ralf Schwarzkopf (second from left) handed over the position of CEO to his second cousin Daniel Honsel (second from right). Sales Manager Sven Braatz (left) is now the company’s second Managing Director, and Production Manager Philipp Ganghoff (right) has been appointed Authorized Officer – (Photo: Hotset).

As of November 1, 2025, a comprehensive leadership transition has taken place at Hotset GmbH. After more than two decades at the helm, Ralf Schwarzkopf has handed over the position of CEO to his cousin once removed, Daniel Honsel. With this step, the management of the Lüdenscheid-based manufacturer of heating elements and sensors passes into the third generation of the family. At the same time, the company’s leadership structure has been reorganized.

Ralf Schwarzkopf, who has shaped the family business in a leading role since 1998 and served as Managing Director since 2002, is stepping down after 27 years of operational responsibility. He hands over to Daniel Honsel, who has been with the company for more than ten years and most recently served as co-managing director. With this transition, Hotset is emphasizing continuity and a family-based succession plan designed to ensure a smooth generational change over the long term.

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As part of the restructuring, Sales Director Sven Braatz will assume the position of second Managing Director, while Production Manager Philipp Ganghoff will be granted power of attorney. Together, they form a three-member management team tasked with driving the company’s strategic and operational development forward. The new leadership aims to further strengthen Hotset’s capabilities in sales, process optimization, and system development.

Daniel Honsel announced his intention to further expand the company’s role as a provider of comprehensive solutions for industrial temperature control and thermal technology. Among Hotset’s recent innovation areas are systems for plastics injection molding, components for temperature measurement and sensor technology, and energy-efficient heating systems. The company’s strategy focuses on advancing its existing technology portfolio while exploring new application areas in industrial temperature control.

Ralf Schwarzkopf will remain associated with Hotset as a shareholder and, for the time being, as an advisor. In the future, he plans to devote more attention to his political career: In September 2025, he was elected District Administrator of the Märkischer Kreis. The management transition thus represents not only a personnel change but also the beginning of a new phase in the company’s development—one in which the next generation sets the course for the future of this medium-sized family business.

More information: www.hotset.com

Hotset GmbH, Lüdenscheid, Germany

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