From 1966 to 1970, Jürgen-Michael Sch?fer studied engineering with a focus on foundries at the RWTH Aachen University and completed an additional course to qualify as a business engineer. After his studies he followed his father and grandfather into the foundry industry, selling fireproof materials, coatings, and exothermic products. He founded GTP Sch?fer GmbH in 1988.