Hilmar Backer

Hilmar Backer is Managing Director of Dutch Boat Factory, which he joined in July 2026. He brings over 25 years of international experience in the specialty chemicals and petrochemicals industry, built at global players including SABIC and GE Plastics, where he worked across marketing, business development, key account management and executive roles for specialty compounds and thermoplastics.

At Dutch Boat Factory, he applies that materials expertise to the production of boat hulls from thermoplastic compounds, bringing a chemical-industry perspective to the emerging field of large-scale 3D-printed boats. Hilmar holds an MSc in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology and is a Dutch national.

He was a panellist at the 1st Mare Forum Germany in 2026 and is a panellist at the 25th Mare Forum Ship Finance 2026.