Acquisitions & Partnerships
Asahi/America Inc. acquires Performance Plastics Inc.
Thermoplastic valve and pipe manufacturer Asahi/America Inc. acquired Louisiana-based fabrication shop Performance Plastics Inc. The purchase will aid Asahi/America in expanding its existing fabrication capabilities and capacity, as well as broaden its engineered plastic products and services offering, the company said.
Performance Plastics was established in 2009 by Jason Roussel, who will continue to operate the 30,000-square-foot shop located in Gramercy, Louisiana. Roussel and his staff will add more than 25 years of thermoplastics experience to Asahi/America’s fabricated services department. In addition to a fully equipped workshop for thermoplastic fabrication, Performance Plastics provides project planning services expected to complement Asahi/America’s products and training programs.
"Asahi/America has had a close relationship with Performance Plastics over the last 10 years. We recognize that our customers need more from their materials supplier," said Daniel S. Anderson, Asahi/America’s president and CEO. They also require value-added services in today’s fast-paced industrial and commercial markets. This strategic acquisition will enable Asahi/America to be a stronger partner to our distribution network, as well as the construction trades."
The Louisiana facility now operates as Asahi/America Inc. – PPI division.
Motion Industries acquires Hydraulic Supply Company
Motion Industries Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, has acquired Hydraulic Supply Company (HSC). Execution of the transaction was completed on Oct. 1. HSC will operate as a vertical business unit within Motion’s existing footprint.
Headquartered near Miami, HSC is a full-service distributor offering more than 8,000 hydraulic, pneumatic and industrial products. Technicians provide services including hydraulic repair, hose assembly and kitting, tube bending and flaring and manual valve assembly. HSC serves customers throughout and beyond its 30-location footprint, mainly in the Southeastern U.S. HSC also conducts international sales through its office in Monterrey, Mexico. Executive Vice President U.S. Operations and President of Motion Mexico Kevin Storer said the addition of HSC further expands the company’s reach and commitment to Motion’s customers in the fluid conveyance channel.
Motion Industries Inc. acquired HSC near Miami. Photo courtesy of Motion Industries/HSC
Sulzer signs deal with Nidec Industrial Solutions
Sulzer has signed an agreement with Nidec Industrial Solutions that allows Sulzer to be a distributor of Nidec’s medium-voltage (MV) variable speed drives in North America.
The agreement will see Sulzer provide both sales and technical support for MV drives with a focus on the oil and gas industry in the United States and Canada. The company’s field service teams offer support on site, while the local service centers are equipped with modern repair facilities to ensure any downtime is minimized. At the same time, Sulzer’s customers will have direct access to high-quality MV drives and OEM support.
Dominique Llonch, CEO Nidec ASI Spa and leader of Nidec Industrial Solutions, said, "The signing of this agreement represents a significant milestone for Nidec ASI and we are sure that Sulzer will be the perfect partner for the diffusion of our products and services in North America. We are confident that this distributor agreement is a step in the right direction in terms of meeting customer expectations. The oil and gas market is all about excellent service and energy efficiency. This agreement offers them a solution for both."
Jim Mugford of Sulzer and Dominique Llonch of Nide sign the partnership deal. Photo courtesy of Sulzer
Appointments
Kemutec appoints global head of sales amid international expansion
Kemutec Group Inc. has appointed Rob Dallow as Head of Global Sales & Business Development, forming a key part of its global strategy to expand into new international markets. Dallow, formerly CEO of the Kemutec Group, USA, will begin in the newly created role in October and will be based in the United Kingdom. He will be succeeded in the U.S. by Karin Galloway, former sales manager of the Kemutec Group, USA.
Dallow has more than 30 years’ experience working for Kemutec, having begun his career there in 1985. In his new role, he will oversee the brand’s international sales strategy, while continuing to service existing accounts and bolster Kemutec’s presence in the UK, mainland Europe, and the U.S.
The Kemutec brand is a subsidiary of heritage manufacturing company Process Components Ltd in the UK and has designed and supplied high-end powder processing equipment and components for the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries for over three decades. It specializes in sieving, crushing, milling and mixing equipment and systems.
Control Concepts Inc. opens new Singapore office; appoints new head of operations in Asia and Australia
Putnam, Connecticut -based Control Concepts Inc. opened Control Concepts Asia Pte Ltd with an office and warehouse in Singapore. David Verlee has been appointed president, Asia Pacific, and will be responsible for the overall business development and expansion in the region. Verlee brings 25 years of entrepreneurial and leadership experience, having successfully launched a cement company in Vietnam, an energy-saving system in the Philippines and Indonesia and water conservation technologies in Australia and Singapore.
Control Concepts’ branded products include AirSweep Material Activation Systems, DAZIC and RotoGuard Zero Speed Switches, and AcoustiClean Sonic Horns.
"With more than 10,000 AirSweep systems installed in North America over the last few years, the Asian market with over 4 billion people has presented a significant opportunity for Control Concepts," said Henry Tiffany, president of Control Concepts Inc. "On July 1, 2018, in order to spearhead rapid growth in the region, we created our logistical hub in Singapore to make sure our clients receive the proper service and fast turnaround they deserve."
Awards & Milestones
Siemens invests in 120-year-old motor testing facility
Siemens’ 120-year-old Norwood Motor Manufacturing plant recently opened a new Test Observatory. Opened in 1898, the Norwood facility, just outside of Cincinnati, is one of the longest continuously operating Siemens’ plants globally.
The new equipment extends Norwood’s testing range from 10,000 horsepower (HP) to 20,000 HP at frequencies from 10 Hz to 300 Hz, thus addressing the market’s increased use of variable frequency drives. The new test observatory, akin to an executive suite, allows customers to participate by observing testing through bay windows, direct cameras and mirroring computers, which display real time critical data being gathered by sensors attached to their motor.
In addition to the new test base and observatory, the multimillion dollar investment in Norwood also includes WFL high-precision shaft making equipment and a high-speed balancer, key for two-pole applications at higher speeds and the ability to balance a rotor at up to 12,000 rpm.
With more than 100 patents, the 350,000 square-foot facility is a cornerstone to Siemens AboveNEMA motors. The ISO-9001 certified plant has produced more than 150,000 high voltage motors since 1898.
The new equipment extends Norwood’s testing range from 10,000 horsepower (HP) to 20,000 HP at frequencies from 10 Hz to 300 Hz, thus addressing the market’s increased use of variable frequency drives. Photo courtesy of Siemens
Ison lands the 2018 EASA Karsten Moholt award
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to a number of projects, Tom Ison, an electrical engineer at Sulzer, has been awarded the 2018 Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA) Karsten Moholt Exceptional Achievement Award. It recognizes talented young engineers that have excelled in their role and made considerable contributions to their business.
In his short time at Sulzer to date, Ison has taken on several roles: project manager, technical lead and design engineer. Often combining his skills, he had a pivotal role in implementing new, state-of-the-art balancing software as part of the high-speed balance pit upgrade project. His in-depth knowledge and understanding ensured that all the challenges were overcome quickly and effectively, ensuring the project was completed on time and within budget.
Ison has also been heavily involved in the project to install a new 2.4 MW high voltage test bed in Sulzer’s Falkirk Service Center. Over five months, he provided essential technical support to ensure that the fully automated test bed was properly equipped and commissioned. Thanks to his contribution, the new test bed offers customers a quicker turnaround, same-day reports and the option to witness tests remotely.
Vang receives Steve Lampi Service to the Chamber Award
Roger Vang, chief financial officer (CFO) at Diversified Plastics Inc., was honored with the North Hennepin Area Chamber of Commerce’s (NHACC) Steve Lampi Service to the Chamber Award.
The award recognizes chamber and community leaders that serve, without personal gain, in the business, social, cultural or educational advancement of others. Award recipients contribute beyond the level of ordinary chamber membership and have the strength of character to serve as role model and mentor for present and future generations in the chamber and community.
KHS wins award for environmentally friendly packaging
At this year’s FachPack trade show in Nuremberg, Germany, the KHS Group was presented with the Green Star Packaging Award for its innovative packaging system. Nature MultiPack, which holds cans together with dots of adhesive, won in the Product category. The Green Star Packaging Award honors environmentally friendly packaging and recycling and improvements in operational packaging-related processes. Winners of the prize are entitled to participate in the WorldStar Award.
The pioneering style of packaging combines innovation and sustainability. The Nature MultiPackTM marketed by NMP Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of KHS GmbH, groups beverage containers into a stable, easily ‘openable’ or separable pack using dots of adhesive rather than shrink film.
KHS’ Nature MultiPack was presented with Green Star Packaging Award. Photo courtesy of KHS
National award for px
The United Kingdom’s Northeast-based energy, engineering and industrial infrastructure solutions business, px, has achieved national plaudits for the way it operates and maintains some of the UK’s most potentially hazardous assets.
The Stockton-based company won the Collaboration Award at the EIC’s (Energy Industries Council) award ceremony in London, where it was commended for its work in reducing costs and increasing efficiency at the major sites it manages across the country.
The px group operates gas processing plants in Scotland and on Teesside; gas pipeline operations in the North Sea and power generating operations on Teesside, in Cumbria, Lincolnshire and in Wales.
It also owns and provides support services to partners at Saltend Chemicals Park in Hull and is also supplying owner’s engineering (OE) and project management services on the construction of the world’s largest, new build, biomass combined heat and power (CHP) station at Teesport.
