Hamburg/Cape Town, July 24, 2025 – Cord Dankers has been appointed the new local Managing Director of Aerontec, a member of the Biesterfeld Group. Since the acquisition of Aerontec in 2024 by Biesterfeld as one of the leading international distributors in polymers, rubbers and specialty chemicals, Cord Dankers took over the role as Integration Manager. Together with the Aerontec team, he has made significant progress in establishing Aerontec as Biesterfeld’s hub for serving the South African region.
Cord Dankers has a solid track record in corporate strategy and financial risk management and has been working at Biesterfeld for five years, recently as Head of Corporate Projects in the Corporate Strategy department, where he was responsible for several international projects to enable Biesterfeld´s growth trajectory through M&A activities. In addition to his role as Integration Manager at Aerontec, he was also a member of the local leadership team.
“Cord is the perfect fit to lead and drive forward our sales strategy in South Africa. He knows both Biesterfeld and Aerontec very well and is a strategic mind with a hands-on mentality”, states Peter Wilkes, Member of the Executive Board of Biesterfeld Group and adds: “There are still some integration tasks that need to be done, but we have already started adding a polymer business and have several opportunities for new mandates in the region. I am very much looking forward to continuing our growth trajectory in South Africa as Biesterfeld and working closely with Cord and his team also in his new role.”
About Biesterfeld SE
Biesterfeld SE is the holding company of the Biesterfeld Group, one of the international leading distribution and service companies in the field of polymers, rubber and specialty chemicals. Founded in 1906 in Hamburg, Germany, today the group has more than 1100 employees across more than 50 locations in Europe, South America, Asia and Africa. The fully family-owned company focuses on specialized market know-how, application-based technical advice and services and offers comprehensive product portfolios across numerous industries in the business units Standard Polymers, Engineered Polymers, Performance Polymers, HealthCare, Consumer, Industrial and Rubber.
Aerontec Pty Ltd, founded 2002 in Cape Town, was acquired by the Biesterfeld Group in 2024. Its product offering includes an extensive range of advanced composite materials especially for the marine, transportation, consumer goods and aerospace industries. As Member of the Biesterfeld Group the company has 40 employees and certified warehousing and distribution facilities in Johannesburg, Jeffreys Bay, Durban and at its headquarters in Cape Town, where Aerontec also runs a technology-sharing centre and a training facility for customers.
