Movers and Shakers: ISA honors PLC inventor with scholarship fund; Endress+Hauser receives top Swiss technology award

With the Promass Q, Endress+Hauser has won the Swiss technology award in the innovation leaders category. Image courtesy of Endress+Hauser

Endress+Hauser receives the Swiss technology award

Endress+Hauser won the Swiss technology award in the innovation leaders category for the Promass Q flowmeter. The prize was awarded during the Swiss Innovation Forum.The Coriolis-based flowmeter, developed especially for applications in the oil and gas and food and beverage industries, was cited for its outstanding measurement accuracy, even in difficult operating conditions. With the Promass Q, Endress+Hauser has forged a new approach for precisely measuring gaseous media. The innovative multi-frequency technology (MFT) for Coriolis flow measurements makes it possible to actively compensate for measurement errors caused by entrained gas trapped in the medium, all in real-time. The Swiss technology award is considered Switzerland’s most important innovation and technology prize. The award recognizes innovative technology projects from businesses and universities.

AGC Chemicals achieves milestone with 100th anniversary

AGC Chemicals Americas Inc. is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2017. AGC Chemicals is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Glass Company Ltd., one of the largest manufacturers of glass, electronic displays and chemical products. Although the present company formed in 2004 through the merging of sister companies Asahi Glass Fluoropolymers USA and AGA Chemicals, Asahi Glass began in 1917 to produce soda ash, a raw material in flat glass that became difficult to import from England during World War I. AGC Chemicals expanded its research, development and production to include chlor-alkali and urethane, gas and solvents, fluorochemical and life sciences products through the years. AGC’s fluorochemicals are used to make products that can resist harsh chemicals, extreme heat and severe weather conditions.

EASA’s electric motor repair accreditation program reaches milestone

The Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA) accreditation program now includes more than 100 accredited locations. The accreditation provides assurance to electric motor owners that repairs performed at accredited facilities conform to industry standards and maintain the reliability and efficiency of the repaired motor. There currently are 105 locations worldwide that have been approved as EASA Accredited Service Centers, assuring efficiency and reliability of repaired motors. Accredited service providers will affix a serially-numbered "EASA Accredited Repair" label to repaired motors.

Image courtesy of Brooks Instrument

Brooks Instrument receives Supplier Excellence Award from NAURA Technology Group

Brooks Instrument, a supplier of precision fluid measurement and control technology for semiconductor production and other industries, earned a core partner supplier excellence award from NAURA Technology Group Co. Ltd. (Naura). Naura, of Beijing, China, is a supplier of wafer processing tools to the semiconductor industry. The company uses Brooks Instrument mass flow controllers (MFC), including the GF100 Series and GF125 Series metal-sealed thermal mass flow controllers in its wafer processing equipment. Brooks Instrument received the "Core Partner Top 100 Supplier" recognition from Naura at the toolmaker company’s first supplier conference devoted to semiconductor industry trends and collaborative innovation, held May 26, 2017 in Beijing.

Badger Meter chief marketing officer honored

Badger Meter Inc.’s chief marketing officer, Kimberly Stoll, has been recognized by the Milwaukee Business Journal as chief marketing officer of the year. Stoll joined Badger Meter Inc. in August 2008 during the recession and restructured the company’s sales channels, grew market share and improved customer service. With Stoll, sales grew between 2009 and 2010 by 10.5 percent and return on investment for shareholders grew by an annual rate of 14 percent. Stoll has led more than $30 million in acquisitions, including distribution and new technology. Stoll holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a law degree from Marquette University.

VMA’s Annual Meeting honors long-time members

Valve Manufacturers Association’s (VMA) board of directors recognized Bill Sandler, VMA president, with a special award "Man for the Decades" for 40 years of dedicated service to the association. Board Chairman (2016-2017) Jim White of Curtiss-Wright presented the award to Sandler during VMA’s Annual Meeting in October 2017 in Florida. President of PBM Inc., Mark Nahorski succeeded James White as 2017-2018 VMA Board Chairman. Members of the association elected a slate of officers and Tony Pecora AUMA Actuators was recognized with VMA’s prestigious award "Person of the Year."

Image courtesy of Charles Ross & Son Company

Charles Ross & Son Company reaches 10-year milestone in India

Charles Ross & Son Company (Ross) VP of corporate operations Joseph Martorana recognized the 10-year anniversary of Ross Process Equipment (RPE), the U.S.-headquartered mixer manufacturer’s operations in Pune, India. RPE produces tumble blenders, ribbon blenders, planetary mixers, multishaft mixers, high-speed dispersers, high-shear mixers, as well as pressure vessels, tanks and other custom-fabricated equipment. Early this year, RPE completed a plant expansion that doubled its manufacturing space to 50,000 square feet. Located in Pune’s Chakan MIDC industrial area, the RPE plant sits on a 2.5-acre property that could accommodate further expansions as the business grows. RPE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ross serving customers in India and neighboring Asian countries.

Business Intelligence Group’s 2017 Sustainability Awards winners

The Business Intelligence Group announced the winners in the 2017 Sustainability Awards program.  The Sustainability Awards honor those who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice. For-profit and not-for-profit organizations of all sizes submitted nominations to reward team members and gain exposure for the organization, its initiatives, and the exemplary accomplishments of its leaders as they work to reduce their impact on our environment.

The 2017 Sustainability Award winners are:

Sustainability Hero

Seth Kursman, Resolute Forest Products

Sustainability Initiatives of the Year

• AT&T’s 10x Carbon Reduction Goal
• Humanscale’s Living Product Challenge Certification
• Oracle’s California Water Conservation Project
• Rayton Solar
• SBM Management Services’ Recycling Program, Labeling and Standardization Project
• SL Green Realty Corp.
• TerraCycle, Procter & Gamble, and SUEZ for the first recyclable shampoo bottle made from beach plastic

Sustainability Leadership Awards

• Air Canada
• Humanscale
• Mission Linen Supply
• SCS Global Services
• Workiva

Sustainability Products of the Year

• ADEC Innovations’ CleanChain
• Dow Polyurethane’s VORAGUARD
• Dow Water and Process Solutions’ FILMTEC™ FORTILIFE™ Elements
• The Dow Chemical Company and the Koehler Paper Group for ROPAQUE™ NT-2900 Opaque Polymer for BLUE 4EST™ Thermal Paper
• Enablon
• SodaStream
• Xeros’ the Symphony Project

Sustainability Services of the Year

• Ecolab’s Water Risk Monetizer
• iQor’s Sustainability 2020

The judges also named several finalists, Agilent Technologies’ Intuvo 9000 and Oil-Free GC/MSD, Digital Realty, VAI, ARIIX’s Puritii Water Filtration System, Primo Water Corporation’s Pre-filled Exchange Water & Self-Service, Ingersoll Rand’s Next Generation R-Series Compressor, and Dow Building & Construction’s ECOGROUND Green Athletic Tracks and Playgrounds.

Appointments

Rockwell Automation appoints new senior VP

Chris Nardecchia joined Rockwell Automation as senior vice president, information technology and chief information officer. Nardecchia will develop and implement information technology initiatives and architecture throughout the company in this new role. Most recently, he was vice president and chief information officer of global operations and supply chain at Amgen Inc. Nardecchia also has experience in portfolio management, engineering, operations, mergers and acquisitions, IT risk management and using technology to develop business insights. Earlier in his career, he held process and production engineering roles in the pharmaceutical, chemical and nuclear industries. Nardecchia holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University. 

HI adds staff to support growth areas

The Hydraulic Institute (HI) has added two new staff members in their technical and marketing departments to support growth areas and to continue developing a portfolio supporting pump system efficiency. Edgar Suarez, joined HI in June as manager as technical programs to oversee the newest technical programs including the HI Pump Test Approval Program, the HI Energy Rating Label and Pump System Assessment Professional (PSAP) certification program. Pamela Roccabruna joined HI in early August as director of marketing, communications and events. She brings 20 years of experience in building and implementing marketing plans across multiple media channels and customer segments.

PMMI appoints director of industry services

The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) appointed Bryan Griffen, 20-plus year industry veteran, as Director of Industry Services. In his new role, Griffen will apply expertise to industry services such as the OpX Leadership Network, OMAC, the Packaging Management Council (PMC) and technical standards. Griffen earned his doctorate in industrial technology from Northern Iowa University after receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University.

Charles Ross & Son Company appoints sales manager

Charles Ross & Son Company, manufacturer of industrial mixing equipment, appointed Christine Banaszek as sales manager. Banaszek joined the company in 2005 as an application engineer in inside sales at the corporate headquarters in Hauppauge, New York. For years, she also worked at the company’s test and development center as part of the technical services group and published many articles and white papers in mixing and blending technologies. She holds a degree in chemical engineering.

AGSL appoints new technical consultant

Asset Guardian Solutions Limited (AGSL), which specializes in protecting industrial and automation control system (IACS) software assets across a range of industries, appointed Blaire McLeod as a technical consultant. In this role, McLeod will be responsible for developing Asset Guardian software, which requires designing, writing code and testing it. She is also an integral member of the AGSL customer support team. Originally from Dundee, Scotland, McLeod holds a Bachelor of Science honor degree in Applied Computing from University of Dundee. She is also a member of the British Computing Society.

Admiral Valve appoints new leaders

Parent company of CPV Manufacturing’s (CPV), Admiral Valve LLC, named David S. London to the position of president. London most recently served as vice president of sales and marketing for CPV. London has amassed more than 30 years of experience and leadership within the industrial gas, petrochemical and shipbuilding industries.

Admiral Valve also named Kelly Tomlin as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Tomlin was chief financial officer at CPV for the past four years and will assume the expanded role of executive vice president as a key member of the CPV leadership team. Admiral Valve is a manufacturer of CPV high pressure valves and fittings for industrial gas, petrochemical and shipbuilding industry applications.

NETZSCH Pumps North America appoints regional sales manager

NETZSCH Pumps North America LLC expanded its sales force by appointing Brian Johnson as the regional sales manager for the central region. Johnson will be responsible for supporting the company’s industrial and municipal distributors/representative in the states of Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, southern Ohio (municipal only), Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. Johnson spent 30 years in the pump industry having served in various sales management roles and other specialized niche market channels of distribution. NETZSCH is a manufacturer of progressing cavity pumps, multiple screw pumps, macerators, dosing systems and accessories.

Wynright appoints VP of project management

Wynright Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Daifuku North America Holding Company and a part of the Daifuku Group, appointed Greg Taylor as vice president of project execution in Manchester, New Hampshire. With nearly three decades of experience in project and supply chain management, Taylor joins Wynright from Nortek LLC where he and his team were responsible for a $150 million supply chain.

Bunting Magnetics names general manager of its Kansas facility

Bunting Magnetics Co. appointed Kevin Miller as general manager of the company’s primary manufacturing facility in Newton, Kansas. Bunting Magnetics Co. also has operations in suburban Chicago; DuBois, Pennsylvania; and the U.K. Miller will oversee all Newton operations including production, inside sales, engineering and purchasing. Miller draws on nearly three decades of experience in manufacturing operations. Most recently, he was director of operations at Ametek Advanced Industries, a supplier of components and systems for the aerospace and defense industries.

Val-Matic CEO and president elected to VMA board

John V. Ballun, the president and CEO of Val-Matic Valve & Manufacturing Corp., was elected to the Valve Manufacturers Association of America (VMA) board of directors. Ballun joined Val-Matic in 1995 as vice president of engineering and previously worked in various engineering management roles at other valve manufacturing companies. He published numerous articles on valve technology and contributed to several standard development organizations including the American Water Works Association and the Manufacturing Standardization Society. Ballun earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in business administration from Northern Illinois University.

WesTech engineering CEO joins Microvi board of directors

WesTech Engineering Inc. (WesTech) CEO Rex Plaizier joined the Microvi Biotech Inc. (Microvi) board of directors. Microvi specializes in next-generation bioconversion technologies in the water, wastewater and bio-based chemical industries. Plaizier has more than 30 years of experience in the development and implementation of industrial water treatment solutions globally. He has served as WesTech’s CEO since 2013. WesTech recently signed an exclusive alliance agreement with Microvi to promote Microvi’s biocatalyst technologies in North America.