Movers & Shakers: Fluid Handling Appointments, Awards & Acquisitions for September 2014
Acquisitions
Schneider Electric Agrees to Acquire InStep Software
Schneider Electric has entered into an agreement to acquire InStep Software, a Chicago-based provider of real-time performance management and predictive asset analytics software and solutions, primarily to the power and energy industries. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2014, subject to customary regulatory and other closing conditions.
SOR to Acquire SETEX Products
SOR Inc. announced it has acquired SETEX Products LLC, headquartered in Beaumont, Texas, enabling SOR to strengthen its portfolio of temperature measurement solutions for the oil & gas, refining, chemical and power generation markets. SETEX will be a division of SOR Inc.
Danfoss to Acquire Vacon
Denmark’s Danfoss A/S has bid $1.34 billion for the acquisition of Finland’s Facon Oyj, which would result in the union of two of the 10 largest variable frequency drive suppliers globally.
Appointments
Hydraulic Institute Announces Key Personnel Changes
The Hydraulic Institute, the nation’s largest pump manufacturing trade association, announced Executive Director Robert K. Asdal, who has served as HI Executive Director since 1991, has announced his retirement effective June 30, 2015. Asdal has helped the organization shape its strategic direction to better serve the needs of members and the customers that they serve. Gregg Romanyshyn, HI Technical Director, who has led the Institute’s extensive standards and guideline writing organization since December 1999 has announced his retirement, effective April 30, 2015. Peter F. Gaydon was appointed as Standards Engineering Director, effective Sept. 8, 2014.
GE’s Ralph Exton to Serve as Treasurer on the Board of Trustees for the Water Environment Federation
GE announced the appointment of Ralph Exton to serve as 2014-2015 treasurer on the board of trustees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international organization of water quality professionals headquartered in Alexandria, Va. He was first elected to WEF’s board of trustees in 2012. Exton has extensive experience in various leadership, business and international roles and has more than 27 years of advanced water treatment, water purification and reuse experience. Exton’s position as treasurer took effect on Sept. 26.
Elsenhans Named to Flowserve Board of Directors
Flowserve Corporation, a leading provider of flow control products and services for the global infrastructure markets, announced that its board of directors has elected Lynn L. Elsenhans as a member of the board. She will initially serve as a member of the board's finance committee and organization and compensation committee. Elsenhans is the former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Sunoco Inc. and Sunoco Logistics, a petroleum, petrochemical logistics and retail company.
Hydrotex Hires Huntley as Formulation Scientist
Joseph Huntley has been hired as the Formulation Scientist I in the Research & Development department at Hydrotex, a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance lubricant and fuel improver solutions. He will focus on the formulation of fluid lubricants including gear oils, hydraulic fluids, and specialty lubricants.
Materials Research Society Names Dozier as New Director of Government Affairs
The Materials Research Society (MRS) has appointed Damon A. Dozier as its new Director of Government Affairs. He succeeds Ronald Kelly, who is retiring after 23 years. Dozier, formerly the director of public affairs for the American Anthropological Association (AAA), will be, in conjunction with the MRS Government Affairs Committee, responsible for the overall direction of all MRS advocacy and public policy activities.
Fike Welcomes New Managing Director For European Operations
Frank Oosterlinck has joined the Fike Corporation as the Managing Director of Fike Europe. Oosterlinck, who has a Commercial Engineering degree and a masters of Business Administration in Marketing, will oversee Fike's European operations, which includes a production facility for explosion protection and pressure relief devices in Belgium and sales offices in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.
OPW Engineered Systems Promotes Gibble to Product Manager
OPW, a Dover Company and global leader in fluid handling solutions, has promoted David Gibble to Product Manager for OPW Engineered Systems within its Chemical & Industrial (C&I) business unit. Prior to this appointment, Gibble was part of the Inside Sales Team for OPW Engineered Systems. In this newly formed position, Gibble will report directly to Dave Morrow, Director of Product Management – OPW Chemical & Industrial.
Isola Appoints New Senior Directors of OEM-Marketing in Europe and Asia
Isola Group, a market leader in copper-clad laminates and dielectric prepreg materials used to fabricate advanced multilayer printed circuit boards, announced that Helmut Kroener has joined Isola as Senior Director of OEM-Marketing in Europe. In this role, Kroener will be responsible for the qualifications of Isola's new and emerging technology products at major European OEMs. He will also provide strategic direction to the Company's New Product Introduction teams and its Technical Service organization. Isola Group also announced that Dominic Yu has joined the company as its Senor Director, OEM-Marketing in Asia. Yu will provide support to OEMs in China, Taiwan and Korea in selecting the optimum dielectric materials for their next-generation designs.
Awards
Chuck Hull Receives General Pierre Nicolau Award
3D Systems announced that its Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Chuck Hull, has been honored with the General Pierre Nicolau Award from the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP). Hull accepted the award in person from Professor Laszlo Monostori, CIRP President, during the 64th General Assembly of CIRP in Nantes, France on Aug. 25, 2014. Hull received the award in recognition of his groundbreaking invention of the original 3D printing technology, Stereolithography (SLA(R)). Hull also co-created the STL file format, which continues to be the gold standard in ultra high-definition 3D printing connectivity with all CAD formats.
Yokogawa Awards University Scholarships
Yokogawa Corporation of America awarded five student scholarships to college and university students, who aspire to become leaders in engineering, automation and related fields, during the company's 2014 Users Conference and Exhibition. Scholarships were issued in the amount of $500 each to the following recipients: Dilioha Igbo; Chukwudi Omire; Sarah Rai; Monica Rexach; Ali Siddique.