In conversation with
Christian Preslmayr
As Christian takes on his role as new Group COO of Montana Aerospace AG, we spoke with him about his priorities, his perspective on Operational Excellence, and the opportunities he sees for Montana Aerospace.
What fascinates you about aerospace, both personally and professionally – and what makes Montana Aerospace particularly interesting for you?
Aerospace is one of the most fascinating industries there is. It combines the highest levels of precision, technological innovation, and the ambition to develop solutions that set global standards. What particularly excites me is that every component and every process makes a direct contribution to safety, efficiency, and sustainable mobility.
What makes Montana Aerospace so exciting to me is that we are not only a company with excellent technology, but also an international Group with exceptional know-how. Our strength lies in the diversity of our sites and capabilities. Leveraging this potential even more effectively together represents a great opportunity.
As COO, what are your top priorities for Operations at Montana Aerospace?
My top priority is to further develop our sites into a high-performing global Operations organization. This means continuously improving safety, quality, delivery performance, productivity, and technology while sustainably strengthening our competitiveness.
Automation is a key lever in achieving this. I do not see it as a replacement for people, but as a way to enhance their capabilities. Automated processes can take over repetitive or ergonomically demanding tasks, increase process stability, and create more room for higher-value activities. For our employees, this means new opportunities for development through further qualification, digital skills, and more attractive workplaces. The goal is to intelligently combine technology with human expertise.
What does Operational Excellence mean to you, and where do you see the greatest opportunities for Montana Aerospace?
For me, Operational Excellence is not an initiative with an end date – it is a culture of continuous improvement. It is about getting a little better every day: reducing waste, standardizing processes, making data-driven decisions, and consistently learning from the best practices within the Group.
I see the greatest opportunity in sharing know-how across our sites. There is tremendous expertise within our locations, and if we share successful solutions more quickly, develop common standards, and connect experts across the Group, we can create value that no individual site could achieve on its own. This kind of collaboration is exactly what turns strong individual sites into a great Group.
How do you see your role as COO in the future development of Montana Aerospace?
I see my role as a link between strategy and operational execution. I want to create the conditions that enable our sites to succeed – with clear priorities, transparent performance measurement, and a culture in which collaboration matters more than silo thinking.
Success is not created at headquarters; it is created every day at our sites. My role is to remove obstacles, make best practices visible, and support our teams in realizing their full potential.
A Personal Message from Christian PresLmayr
I would like to share one simple message with all employees across the Montana Aerospace Group:
Our greatest strength is not our machines and technologies,
but our collective knowledge.
Every site has its own unique experience and expertise. If we openly share this know-how, learn from one another, and act as one Group, we will become faster, more innovative, and more successful. I want us to foster a culture where ideas cross borders, collaboration comes naturally, and we can all take pride in what we achieve together around the world. Great companies are not built by individual sites, but by people working together toward a common goal.
Operational Excellence is created where people, processes, and systems (technologies) work hand in hand.
Thank you for your daily commitment. I look forward to working together.
Christian Preslmayr has more than 40 years of international experience in industrial manufacturing and operations and holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration as well as a PhH in Economics and International Management.
Before becoming COO of Montana Aerospace AG in September 2026, he served as CEO of Alpine Metal Tech Group from 2015, with overall responsibility for the international group. Earlier in his career, he held various senior management positions at Voith, including Senior Vice President Global Operations (COO), with responsibility for Operations and Operational Excellence across 41 sites in 18 countries as well as global procurement.