Hanwag mourns the loss of former Managing Director Josef Wagner

The outdoor world mourns the loss of Josef "Sepp" Wagner. The former managing director of Hanwag and nephew of the company's founder passed away on Friday at the age of 96 in Weichs near Vierkirchen. Wagner had managed the company for 40 years and sold it to the Swedish Fenix Outdoor Group in 2004.

The trained shoemaker Wagner took over the Hanwag management in 1964. When selling the company to Fenix Outdoor Group, he campaigned for the preservation of the Vierkirchen production site. Even after the sale, Wagner remained loyal to the company in a consulting capacity before retiring into private life in 2015.

"Sepp Wagner was one of the pioneers in the footwear industry and for many years has played a decisive role in shaping the company and the entire outdoor industry with diligence, determination and outstanding innovations. With him, the man who has left his mark on Hanwag goes with us", said Thomas Gröger, Managing Director of Hanwag.