DACHSER European Logistics hands over to a new generation
DACHSER has named Claus Wetzel (44) as the new head of its European Logistics Germany business unit, effective January 1, 2026. He succeeds Andreas Fritsch (63), who has overseen DACHSER’s transport and storage business for industrial and consumer goods in Germany since January 1, 2023.
The European Logistics North Central Europe business unit will be headed by Florian Zehetleitner (46) as of January 1, 2026. He succeeds Wolfgang Reinel (62), who has been responsible for the business unit since 2014.
As Managing Director, Claus Wetzel will oversee the business development of European Logistics Germany’s 41 branches. He joined DACHSER in November 2019 as Head of Operations for European Logistics Germany, where he was responsible for the development of uniform productivity and quality standards across all German branches. Before joining DACHSER, Wetzel worked for many years at the Raben Group, where one of his tasks was to establish and develop a dedicated network for groupage logistics in Germany. With a degree in business administration, Wetzel has over 20 years of experience in the logistics and freight forwarding industry, which he acquired in positions at P&O Ferrymasters and the Rhenania Group, among others.
In his new position, Wetzel will report to DACHSER’s COO Road Logistics, Alexander Tonn. “The entrepreneurship of our branches is the foundation of DACHSER’s success. Claus Wetzel knows the strength and full scope of our network, which is designed for sustainable growth. Working closely with Andreas Fritsch, he has spent the last few years acquiring the necessary skills to drive the targeted development of our German business and to continue the value-driven growth in our home market,” Tonn says.
Leadership change in the North Central Europe business unit
Florian Zehetleitner will take over management of the European Logistics North Central Europe (NCE) business unit on January 1, 2026. In the run-up to this change, he has stepped into the newly created position of Deputy Managing Director. There, with support from Wolfgang Reinel, he is preparing to take on responsibility for DACHSER’s European Logistics business in Switzerland, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic, as well as in the Benelux, Nordics, Southeast Europe, and UK/Ireland regions. Zehetleitner currently heads the Interlocking Recharged strategic focus program at DACHSER. In this role, he develops and drives forward the synchronization of the Road Logistics and Air & Sea Logistics business fields. This enables the company to offer globally integrated, end-to-end logistics solutions that are optimally tailored to the customer.
Before joining DACHSER in 2021, Zehetleitner gained experience in various functions at different companies, including Panalpina. Most recently, he managed the groupage and contract logistics business at BEXity Group Austria as Managing Director Operations & Sales. A business graduate and native of Allgäu, Germany, Zehetleitner began his professional career in the logistics industry back in 2001 as an apprentice at the DACHSER branch in Memmingen.
“Florian Zehetleitner is an internationally experienced logistics manager who will further develop and deepen cooperation with our Air & Sea Logistics business field at the European level. He will be instrumental in helping us further mine the potential offered by integrated groupage solutions to and from Europe,” Tonn explains.
As part of this generational change in management, Fritsch and Reinel will gradually step back from their operational activities, but they will continue to provide the company with the benefit of their experience in an advisory capacity. “The thoroughly prepared handover at the top of our European Logistics Germany and European Logistics North Central Europe business units reflects the targeted and long-term approach we take to developing managers from within our own ranks,” says Burkhard Eling, DACHSER CEO. “Andreas Fritsch and Wolfgang Reinel both provide a stabilizing influence while at the same time driving growth. They have played key roles in DACHSER’s dynamic and sustainable business development in Germany and Europe. Thanks to their leadership, our domestic market and European overland transport are the main pillars of our business model. In their long careers, both have had a lasting impact on our company and have always been committed to the further development of DACHSER as a whole.”
