Michael Ruppik passed away
Dipl.-Ing. Michael Ruppik, former Director of the Institute for Brick and Tile Research (IZF), Managing Director of the Gesellschaft für Qualitätssicherung und Materialprüfung mbH (QsM) and Managing Director of Ziegelhof GmbH & Co KG, Essen, passed away unexpectedly on 31 December 2024.
Born in Mallersdorf on 17 March 1952, he began his professional training as a technical draughtsman at Rheinstahl Wanheim GmbH in Duisburg.
From 1976 to 1979, Michael Ruppik studied glass technology/ceramics, specialising in ceramics, at the Institute for Applied Materials Technology at Duisburg University of Applied Sciences.
After working in process engineering at industrial companies, he graduated in 1981 with a degree in engineering.
In the same year, he began his career at the Institute for Brick and Tile Research under the then director of the institute, Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard Schellbach, and published his first AIF research project on “brickmaking and moulding” in 1982.
In 2007, he was a founding member of Ziegelhof GmbH & Co KG, which acquired and operates the IZF property in Essen.
When the materials testing centre was outsourced in 2008, Michael Ruppik became head of the testing centre and managing director of QsM.
Following the sudden death of the then director of the IZF, Dr Junge, in 2010, Michael Ruppik, together with Dr Rossbach and Ms Bahrenberg, took over the management of the institute on an interim basis and then passed it on to Dr Knüpfer in 2012.
He himself became deputy head of the institute.
In 2011, Michael Ruppik began building the new administration building in Essen on his own responsibility.
In 2017, he was appointed Managing Director of the IZF.
In addition to his strong scientific commitment, he has steered the fortunes of the institute with ingenuity, energy and consistent action in these difficult economic times for the IZF, demonstrating strong entrepreneurial skills and providing important impetus in the brick and tile industry.
Michael Ruppik handed over the management of IZF to Mrs Ilg in 2019 and remained Managing Director of QsM until 2023.
Michael Ruppik always endeavoured to impart his scientific expertise and practical knowledge in publications, seminars and targeted consulting in a practice-oriented manner and to use it to further develop the brick and to solve technical and physical problems in the production of bricks.
It was also thanks to his close contact with colleges and universities that young graduates were able to work on the IZF’s research activities and find a wide range of highly interesting scientific topics here.
Several of these theses have been successfully submitted as dissertations.
The appreciation of his scientific expertise was the basis for his advisory work at the Institute of Brick and Tile Research and at QsM until his death.
Due to his many years of experience and the associated knowledge, he was a valuable advisor for many brickmakers.
The employees of the IZF and QsM, the members, the Executive Board and the Advisory Board, brickmakers and plant manufacturers mourn the loss of Michael Ruppik.
The brick and tile industry will miss Michael Ruppik, a personality of extraordinary stature and warm charisma.
