"I am delighted about the trust and look forward to this task, but I am also aware of the responsibility that comes with this honorary position," said Baumgürtel, who is the sole shareholder of ZINQ GmbH & Co KG (Gelsenkirchen). He wants to make his contribution to ensuring the competitiveness of the regional economy. "It has to be worthwhile again to do business in Germany," he demanded. To achieve this, business and politics must "develop solutions together".
Volunteering on IHK committees for 27 years
Baumgürtel is the third generation to run the family business ZINQ, which specializes in zinc-based corrosion protection for steel. He has been an honorary member of IHK committees for 27 years, representing the interests of the regional economy. He has been a member of the IHK regional committee for the city of Gelsenkirchen since 1998. He took over the chairmanship of the committee in 2016 and at the same time became Chairman of the Vestische Group of the IHK, i.e. spokesman for the commercial sector in the Emscher-Lippe region. Baumgürtel has also headed the Finance, Sustainability and Industry Committee since 2018. Since 2022, he has been the spokesperson for the North Westphalian initiative "In|du|strie - Gemeinsam.Zukunft.Leben." He has been a member of the IHK General Assembly since 2015 and was elected to the IHK Presidium for the first time the following year.
Commitment to climate neutrality
As an entrepreneur in an energy-intensive industry, Baumgürtel is committed to the transformation of industry towards climate neutrality and a circular economy. Together with other industrial companies, he founded the "Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen" and supports the development of circular business models based on the triple zero principle (no CO2 emissions, no waste, no pollution) in the Circular Performer project. He was also active as an expert in parliamentary committees and in the EU Parliament and supports the NRW Ministry of Economic Affairs in the further development of the industrial policy model. He has been a member of the Environment and Energy Committee of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) since 2019.