Thomas Twork to Lead Wörth Plant as Daimler Truck Appoints New Gaggenau Head

(l-r) Jürgen Betz, Thomas Twork and Andreas Bachhofer

(IN BRIEF) Daimler Truck has announced leadership changes at its Wörth and Gaggenau plants, with Thomas Twork set to become Head of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and Head of Production for Mercedes-Benz Trucks from 1 April 2026, succeeding Andreas Bachhofer, who will move into a new cross-functional executive role. At the same time, Jürgen Betz will take over as Head of the Gaggenau plant, replacing Twork, while senior leaders praised both outgoing and incoming managers for their contributions to powertrain innovation, electrification, and operational excellence. The transition underlines Daimler Truck’s focus on strengthening leadership across its key German manufacturing sites, which play central roles in both conventional and electric truck production as well as future hydrogen technologies.

(PRESS RELEASE) LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGEN/WÖRTH/GAGGENAU, 7-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Daimler Truck has announced a series of leadership changes at two of its most important German production sites, with new appointments at the Mercedes-Benz plants in Wörth am Rhein and Gaggenau taking effect on 1 April 2026. The reshuffle is designed to strengthen operational continuity, accelerate strategic development across the production network, and align leadership with the company’s evolving powertrain and electrification priorities.

Thomas Twork, currently Head of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Gaggenau, will assume overall responsibility for the Wörth plant and take on the role of Head of Production for Mercedes-Benz Trucks. He succeeds Andreas Bachhofer, who will move into a new cross-functional executive position within Daimler Truck, carrying significant entrepreneurial responsibility. While the details of Bachhofer’s new role will be communicated at a later date, the company highlighted that it reflects his broad experience and strategic capabilities.

At the same time, Jürgen Betz, currently Head of Manufacturing Engineering Global Powersystems, will take over as Head of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Gaggenau, ensuring leadership continuity and a strong focus on powertrain innovation at the site.

Jürgen Distl, Head of Operations Mercedes-Benz Trucks, thanked Andreas Bachhofer for his leadership at Wörth, noting that he played a key role in modernising production structures, improving efficiency, and shaping the long-term direction of the plant. Distl also welcomed Thomas Twork as Bachhofer’s successor, emphasising his extensive experience within Daimler Truck’s global powertrain production network and his strong track record at Gaggenau as key foundations for further developing Wörth and the wider European manufacturing footprint.

Yaris Pürsün, Head of Global Powersystems Operations at Daimler Truck, paid tribute to Twork’s achievements in Gaggenau, highlighting how he transformed the site into a central hub for transmissions, electric powertrain components, and hydrogen fuel cell assembly. Pürsün also expressed confidence in Jürgen Betz’s appointment, describing him as a strategic and collaborative leader with deep expertise in global production planning and electrified powertrain development.

Background on the incoming and outgoing leaders

Andreas Bachhofer joined Daimler in 1995 after completing his master’s degree at RWTH Aachen University and began his career as a doctoral researcher at Mercedes-Benz Cars in Sindelfingen. Over nearly three decades, he has held senior leadership roles across Mercedes-Benz Cars and Daimler Truck, including Head of Quality Management, Head of Life Cycle Management for Mercedes-Benz Trucks, and leadership of the Aksaray production and development site in Turkey. In 2021, he took charge of the Wörth plant, the company’s largest truck assembly facility.

Thomas Twork entered Daimler in 2003 following 12 years in the German Armed Forces and a degree in aerospace engineering. He has held a range of senior production roles in Untertürkheim, Hamburg, Mannheim, and Gaggenau, covering axle manufacturing, light alloy foundry operations, engine production, and digitalisation of the global powertrain network. Since 2019, he has led the Gaggenau plant, where he also oversaw global responsibilities for equipment manufacturing and materials engineering.

Jürgen Betz began his career at McKinsey & Company after completing a degree in business administration in Mannheim, before joining Daimler’s procurement division in 2007. He later moved into cost engineering and, since 2016, has been responsible for strategic production and network planning within Daimler Truck’s global powertrain operations, with a strong focus on electrification.

About the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth

Founded in 1963, the Wörth am Rhein plant is the largest truck assembly site for Mercedes-Benz Trucks, having produced around 4.4 million vehicles since its inception. The facility currently manufactures the Actros, Arocs, and Atego model series, as well as Special Trucks such as the Econic, Unimog, and Zetros. Since 2021, Wörth has also been central to the production of battery-electric trucks, including the eActros 300/400, the eEconic, and, from the end of 2024, the long-haul eActros 600. With around 10,000 employees, it is one of the largest employers in Rhineland-Palatinate.

About the Mercedes-Benz plant in Gaggenau

Established in 1894, the Gaggenau plant is recognised as the world’s oldest automotive manufacturing site. It produces transmissions, planetary and portal axles, torque converters, and other passenger car components, while increasingly developing into a centre of competence for electric powertrain components and hydrogen fuel cell assembly. Employing approximately 4,600 people, it is the largest employer and training provider in the region, having trained more than 10,000 apprentices over the past century.

Media Contacts:

Dorothea Freiberg
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Trucks Plants Gaggenau, Kassel and Mannheim
dorothea.freiberg​@daimlertruck.com
+49 160 8669616

Peter Smodej
Head of Communications Product & Corporate Mercedes-Benz Trucks / Daimler Buses
peter.smodej​@daimlertruck.com
+49 176 30936446

SOURCE: Daimler Truck