DS Gruppen strengthens innovation across the group with a new R&D Manager

DS Gruppen has appointed Manuel Ritter as its new R&D Manager, responsible for strengthening product development, innovation and standardisation across the Group’s companies. He will take up the position on 1 September 2026 and brings many years of experience from various roles at GOLDBECK.

PRESS RELEASE Hobro, 2 September 2026

As the new R&D Manager, Manuel Ritter will play a key role in the work on product solutions, joint R&D and standardisation. Drawing on customer needs, market developments and the organisation’s technical expertise, he will help leverage skills and experience across DS Gruppen’s companies and translate them into solutions that create value for customers.

Knowledge and solutions must be leveraged across the Group

For DS Gruppen’s Co-CEO, Mike Flörke, the appointment is about making even better use of the organisation’s combined expertise.

“We have strong capabilities and extensive technical expertise within our companies. With Manuel, we are gaining someone who can help forge even stronger links across the Group and ensure that good ideas, experience and solutions are shared and developed. This will help us leverage our combined expertise even more effectively, establish robust common standards where they add value, and deliver new solutions to our customers more quickly,” says Mike Flörke, Co-CEO of DS Gruppen.

Manuel Ritter has worked at GOLDBECK since 2013 in various design- and development-focused roles. Since 2019, he has been part of GOLDBECK Netherlands, where his most recent position was Design Team Manager.

From customer and market needs to shared solutions

As R&D Manager, Manuel Ritter will work closely with the individual companies and their specialist teams. A key part of the role will be to identify opportunities to share and further develop knowledge and solutions across the Group and establish common standards in areas where this creates professional and commercial value.

“I look forward to getting to know the companies, my colleagues and their expertise even better. There is already a wealth of strong knowledge and experience within the organisation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to turn customers’ needs, technical know-how and new ideas into solutions that create value for the entire DS Gruppen and our customers,” says Manuel Ritter.

The first few months at DS Gruppen will largely be spent across the organisation. He will focus on our companies DS Flexhal, DS Stålkonstruktion, DS Elcobyg and DS Stålprofil to gain in-depth knowledge of their products, production processes, markets, customers and ongoing development activities. In addition, the focus will be on current projects in Denmark and Sweden to gain insight into customers’ needs and experiences from the projects.

A shared direction for innovation and development

Manuel’s first major tasks will be to create a comprehensive overview of existing development activities, identify new opportunities and contribute to an R&D roadmap for the period 2027–2030. This work will support DS Gruppens 2030 strategy and the continued development of the Group’s products and solutions.

“Manuel will play an important role in creating structure and direction for our joint development work while also bringing new perspectives. The most important thing is that we turn our combined knowledge and expertise into solutions that create genuine value for our customers,” says Mike Flörke.

Manuel Ritter will be permanently based at DS Gruppens Swedish office in Gothenburg and will regularly work from Denmark and across the rest of the DS Gruppen organisation.

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About DS Gruppen A/S

DS Gruppen was founded in 1969 and comprises DS Flexhal, which acts as a main contractor for all types of commercial construction projects; DS Stålkonstruktion, which designs, manufactures and installs steel structures; DS Elcobyg, which designs and manufactures precast concrete elements; and DS Stålprofil, which supplies roofing and façade cladding made from sheet steel.

Further information

Tina Woods, Head of Marketing & Communications: two@ds-gruppen.dk · Mobile: +45 60 20 39 16

Mike Flörke, Co-CEO of DS Gruppen A/S

mfl@ds-gruppen.dk · Mobile: +49 17 38 52 87 81