APPIA GROUP – Tradition & Modernity

The well-known VIA APPIA served the ancient Romans as a connecting road between Rome and Brindisi more than 2,300 years ago. This road still exists today with exactly the same route. It is still used as a traffic artery and even partially preserved in the original and paved with stones from almost two and a half thousand years ago. A street as its own brand, full of history and at the same time leading into the future.

Just like this inimitable building combines tradition and modernity, it is a core goal of the APPIA GROUP to link brand heritage and modern mobility.

One Group – Different Experts

In terms of organization, the APPIA Group is composed of different companies, joint ventures with complementary expertise and resources, as well as selected partnerships with proven experts.

The APPIA Group was foundet in 2018 as a strong superstructure for a network of companies and experts, by Marco Wimmer and Heiko Hempe. The aim was the effective implementation of projects in the mobility sector by bundling various specialist skills from the network that had developed over many years.

With subject areas real estate development, consulting & development, club models and a professional event agency with its own classic car fleet and workshop, we offer a broad expertise when it comes to the topics of mobility, heritage, events and the fascination for driving.

We Fuel Your Project

Our passionate team and experts are deeply rooted in the scene and passionately active with different focuses. Thus, the APPIA GROUP becomes your link to the market and to the target groups.

Marco Wimmer

Managing Partner of APPIA Development

Marco Wimmer lives classic mobility with body and soul and is not only known as a project coordinator and real estate developer in the classic car scene. As co-founder and former managing director of the Klassikstadt Frankfurt, initiator of today’s Classic Depots and creative head, or implementer of numerous event formats in the scene, he has access to an extensive and personal network in the classic car sector.

His strengths are to develop concepts for special properties and the subsequent implementation from the first vision to the last brushstroke, as well as to emotionally charge traditional brands and their valuable brand heritage. Various successful business models in the field of classic mobility have emerged under his leadership and are further developed continuously. In addition, Marco Wimmer passionately supports very different stakeholders in entering or working in the classic mobility market – always creative, networking, entrepreneurial and with a keen sense for differentiated positioning.

From an early age, he was fascinated by the achievement of humans in creating mobility through technical possibilities and a great deal of inventive talent. Everything that drives and flies and can be operated and steered by humans has always been the focus of professional and private interest and has been tried out extensively. After positions in aerospace technology and the automotive business, he turned fully to classic mobility and related business models from 2006 onwards.

He lives with his wife and two children in the greater Rhine-Main area. When it comes to Italian automobiles, he is a walking encyclopedia. Driving a countless number of Italian classic cars and youngtimers from the 60s to 90s, also in everyday life, has had a character-building effect on him and promotes and demands strength of will as well as stamina.

Marco Wimmer
Heiko Hempe

Co-founder and managing director of a joint venture

Heiko Hempe is the managing partner of the associated contagi group and AUTOMOBILE MEILENSTEINE. His professional career includes various positions in management consulting with a clear focus on sales and retail excellence topics as well as various successful start-ups in professional services.

Among other things, his great passion for classic automobiles and his permanent activities in productive networks led to the foundation of AUTOMOBILE MEILENSTEINE GmbH & Co. KG in Frankfurt in 2010: Classic Car Sharing & Events.

His two core competencies consulting experience and extensive networking in the classic car scene, led to the foundation of APPIA. Its cross-industry network helps APPIA to achieve a far-reaching radius of action, effective solutions and access to relevant resources and know-how.

Heiko Hempe studied business administration in Passau, is married and has two sons. He lives with his family in the Hochtaunus district. He can rarely hide his enthusiasm for modern and classic vehicles. There is no exklusive brand fandom but 911 doesn’t make him think of emergency calls, for sure.

Heiko Hempe
Tim Hallas

Partner & lawyer

Tim Hallas is on the one hand a licensed attorney, organized in the contagi ADVOKATUR as well as the classic-car-fokused law-firm AdvoCARtur. On the other hand, Tim Hallas is a founding partner of AUTOMOBILE MEILENSTEINE GmbH & Co. KG, which is part of the association. He accompanies and advises all parts of the company in legal matters and is responsible for structural topics.

After studying law at the University of Passau, Tim Hallas began his legal career in the automotive sector as an in-house attorney for a large automotive supplier. He works primarily in the areas of contract management, classic car- and damage law, labor law, data protection law, insurance law and general contract law advice to companies.

In his private life he has been enthusiastic about automobiles and classic cars since he was a child and drives a 6-series BMW (E24) series whenever time allows.

Tim Hallas
Christian Schamburek

Associate partner & representation in Austria

Christian Schamburek is at home in Austria’s classic car scene. As publisher and author of the OLDTIMER GUIDE and editor-in-chief of the magazine OLDTIMER MARKT Österreich Spezial, he takes care of projects and consulting with a focus on historical vehicles.

The solidarity and the unified formation of opinions of all interest groups on all topics relevant to historical mobility is the basis for preserving the rolling cultural asset “classic cars” on Austria’s roads.

One of the most recent projects is the support in the concept and implementation of the Classic Depot Vienna. In the city center, a new anchor point for the classic car scene with garage spaces, restaurants and sales areas was created from a blank sheet of paper.

Christian Schamburek
Thomas Borst

Associate partner

Thomas Borst is a “petrolhead” who is enthusiastic about classic as well as modern vehicles. He has over 25 years of experience in top management in German and American companies with three-digit million up to several billion euros in sale.

His expertise lies in international sales and marketing as well as global strategy development in B2B. He knows how to successfully develop, build and manage brands worldwide and has the experience to develop and implement the necessary sales concepts, coupled with the relevant marketing communication.

Of course, his enthusiasm for automotive technology was also reflected in his professional field of activity as a representative of companies that supply high-quality technology to automotive OEMs. In addition, he was closely associated with one of the most successful Formula 1 racing teams for a number of years.

Today he uses his experience as an advisory and supervisory board member for several companies. Thomas Borst studied law and economics at the University of Bayreuth and further qualified in strategy development and change management at the University of Charlottesville.

He loves the Italian way of life, the country and the people. This has inevitably led to a small collection of historic Alfa Romeos. But not only Italy is represented in his garage, the icon 911 should not be missing either.

Thomas Borst
Jorge da Conceicao Lopo

Partner and automotive retail expert

Jorge da Conceicao Lopo is managing partner and managing director at contagi INTERIM, one of the companies behind the APPIA joint venture. In this function he is responsible for the professional provision of temporary specialists and managers and has access to a pool of> 2000 specialists.

After his management studies, he began his professional career in management consulting with a clear focus on the automotive industry, sales and controlling topics all organizational levels from OEM to dealer.

He can bring his broad experience on to APPIA, especially in the context of complex consulting approaches and especially in projects related to automotive retail excellence.

In his private life, he lives with his wife and child in the middle of Frankfurt am Main and feels equally at home on two and four wheels.

Jorge Lopo
Dominik Helmling

Project management & digital

Combining digital media and analog technology – Dominik Helmling has been fortunate to be able to pursue his hobby as a profession since 2015.

After successfully completing the master’s degree in German studies, he specialized in communication and digital management in the field of mobility. He brings his skills to various projects for AUTOMOBILE MEILENSTEINE and, since 2020, for the APPIA Group. His topic range from the design of analog and digital media of all kinds, communication in general, digital project and product development, to consulting and project management activities.

Dominik Helmling is married and has a daughter who first developed a linguistic feeling for car brands and only then developed further vocabulary. He pursues his passion with classic motorcycles and sedans from the 1970s.

Dominik Helmling
Matthias Braun

Matthias Braun is not only the former General Secretary of the AvD, but has also been at home in the automotive sector for many years.

Today, as Senior Advisor, he advises the Aramco Research Center Paris, among others, and sits on the Advisory Board of MOTORWORD.

Matthias Braun
Ulf Schulz

Associate Partner, AUTOdidact

“Motorkosmonaut” Ulf Schulz is rooted in the classic car scene in and around Berlin. As a trained car mechanic, Ulf has the perfect knowledge base for his work as a book author, motor journalist, project developer and universal car professional.

In addition, he is not only a graduated marketing economist, but also owns an agency, which cooperates with APPIA.

As part of the APPIA Group, his core competence is the creation of marketing concepts, the go-to-market support of innovative business models in classic mobility as well as his large and extensive network to the press and the entire classic car scene.

Ulf Schulz is married and a family man, lives in his Berlin. Of course, he also drives historical vehicles from different brands with two and four wheels in everyday life. And there is probably no better connoisseur and ambassador for the 7 series BMW of the legendary E32 era.

Ulf Schulz
Gregor Müller

Expert in classic car technology and maintenance

Gregor has been interested in mechanics and technology since early childhood. Therefore, after completing his training as a vehicle mechatronics technician at Mercedes-Benz in Frankfurt, he specialized in engine construction for classic and modern engines. After 2.5 years at a well-known company for the repair and optimization of high-performance engines (partly on behalf of the factory), he joined a restoration company for vintage and youngtimers.

After successfully completing the master craftsman’s examination, Gregor Müller joined AUTOMOBILE MEILENSTEINE and since the opening of AM ClassicsRepair, he has been responsible for the team of the classic car workshop as a partner. Within a very short time, the workshop became a renowned contact point for classic cars and was able to expand its staff quickly.

As part of the APPIA Group, Gregor and his team take care of the maintenance and repair of the vehicles in their own fleet as well as those of customers. At events, the workshop takes care of technical checks, roadside assistance and much more.

Gregor used to be one of the very savages on two wheels, at home in various racing series. The now married father of two daughters, who lives not far from Frankfurt am Main, still moves pretty much everything that has wheels in his free time – but now he particularly likes the Harley of a deceased friend of his beloved father.

Gregor Müller
Mathias Landau

Mathias is an entrepreneur and owner of the company RISCOM from Heidesheim near Mainz. He is a specialist in vehicle and passenger transport. Also a passionate mechanic and specialist in Italian classics and racing cars.

As part of the Appia Group, his core competence is working on projects such as Pista Piloti or as a universal contact for the Classic Depots. He was born with organizational talent at an early age and over the years he has built up a network that he can fall back on when needed. If required, he can also safely transport vehicles in closed trailers for customers.

Mathias Landau lives with his partner in Heidesheim am Rhein. Together they take care of and move the Italian vehicles with two or four wheels that have accumulated over the years. Lancia and Maserati are matters close to his heart. And with a good eye, you can occasionally spot Mathias Landau on the race track.

Mathias Landau

Activities of the APPIA GROUP

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Annual market volume of classic cars & youngtimers in Germany

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Stock of classic cars & youngtimers in Germany

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Average distance traveled by a classic car per year

History

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