Ronald Knecht

Experience

• 

  Quaker Chemical

  Jan 1987 - Jan 2015

  Improved our visibility at the original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs ) and collected several approvals and endorsements for our flagship product QUINTOLUBRIC 888. This resulted in a lot of new sales in general of which the conversion of a leading global company from standard oil to QUINTOLUBRIC 888 and giving access to a new application still generating over 4 mil $ per year of revenue. Started managing direct report. Upgraded the portfolio for fire resistant hydraulic fluids to secure our competitive advantage, for example by introducing a new product meeting higher industry standards. Started introducing new sales tools, like product benchmarking, for our sales force. Created awareness to the management to embrace a cross selling philosophy. Initially, Product Manager for a newly developed Dry Film corrosion preventive. Achieved approval for use in German Automotive Industry - BMW. Later product management responsibility got extended to other corrosion preventives for sheet metal, Hot rolling oils and Passivation products. Introduced successfully a new product line for passivation products into the company. Developed independently unique fire resistant hydraulic fluids using new techniques to meet till then unmatched requirements. Ran many different pump tests and lead trouble shooting.

  • OEM Manager Fluid Power

    Aug 2012 - Jan 2015

  • Product Manager Fluid Power

    Jan 2008 - Aug 2012

  • Product Manager Corrosion Preventives, Hot Rolling, Passivation

    Jan 2002 - Jan 2008

  • Development Chemist Hydraulic Fluids

    Jan 1987 - Jan 2002
• 

  Quaker Houghton

  Jan 2015 - now

  Managing the Global portfolio for fire resistant hydraulic fluids, industrial lubes and greases, together with two direct reports.Successfully introduced the new and identical water glycol type of fluid in EMEA and APAC, representing multimillion $ revenue. Managing the Global portfolio for fire resistant hydraulic fluids and industrial lubes. Introduced a new website dedicated to fire resistant hydraulic fluids. Several types of content was added ( skill builders, articles, educational videos etc ). Visitor base grew to > 3000 visitors per month.Realized a completely new branding structure and initiated portfolio harmonization for Industrial Lubes. Extended the number of approvals and endorsements of OEMs for fire resistant hydraulic fluids with more than 30. After the combine of Quaker with Houghton, the responsibility was extended to water glycol fire resistant hydraulic fluids. Started to improve and align the several products and bringing them into a global structure. Started to develop a thought leader strategy and generating skill builders and articles.

  • Global Product Management, Hydraulics and Lubricants and greases

    Jan 2023 - now

  • Global Strategic Product Line Manager, Hydraulics and Lubricants

    Sept 2020 - Jul 2023

  • Global Business Development Manager - Fluid Power

    Jan 2015 - Sept 2020