News and views about companies, staff, product lines and more (June 01, 2000)

Toronto-based Invensys Brook Crompton has adopted the concept of lean manufacturing in all of its global divisions, services and manufacturing. This technique–seeking the most innovative and effective solutions through technology and employee empowerment–is designed to organize supply chains, product development, production operations and customer relations. By reducing its overall inventory and production costs and time to delivery, the company says it will be able to offer continuous improvements in value for its OEM and industrial customer base.

What does this new approach mean to customers? In the service area, the company promises to get back to them within 24 hours, regardless of the problem and the size of the operation, promising to pay as much attention to tiny contracts as to multi-million-dollar orders. In addition, the company will concentrate on providing solutions, marrying its products to its customers’ particular requirements and operational challenges. Its lean manufacturing principles will provide customers with cost savings together with ongoing improvement in product quality.

In its current form, Invensys Brook Crompton was created as a result of the merger of the Siebe Group and Invensys in 1999. Today, the company employs approximately 4,000 people worldwide. In Canada, Brook Crompton may be contacted at 264 Attwell Drive, Toronto, ON M9W 5B2; tel. (416) 675-3844, toll-free 1-800-463-8917; fax (416) 675-6885; or visit the web site at: www.brookcromptonna.com.

After almost 28 years service with Aro/Ingersoll-Rand, Geoff Webb plans to retire this month from his role as general manager in the Production Equipment Group at Ingersoll-Rand Canada, Toronto. He will be replaced by Sam Hamam, who has been appointed general sales and marketing manager for Tool & Hoist and Fluid Products for Canada.

Webb joined The Aro Corporation (U.K.) Limited in 1973 as director of marketing and became managing director in 1976. He transferred to Canada in 1989 to become president of Aro Canada. He later piloted the merger of the Canadian Aro Fluid Products business into the Canadian Ingersoll-Rand tool and hoist business. With the formation of the Production Equipment Group in 1992, he was named its general manager and a director of Ingersoll-Rand Canada.

For the past several years, Webb has been an active and enthusiastic member of the Machinery & Equipment Manufacturers Association of Canada (MEMAC), and most recently was chairman of its Industrial Automation section.

Webb and his wife, Cynthia, plan to return to the United Kingdom.

Hamam, who had joined Ingersoll-Rand in 1974 as an application engineer, most recently has been general manager for the Air Solutions Group in Canada.

Peel Industrial, Brampton, Ont., is the only Canadian company out of three commodity distributors in North America to have received an esteemed Commodity Award from DaimlerChrysler in the industrial materials category for non-production parts. The award recognizes world-class performance among suppliers. Peel is a supplier to the automobile manufacturer’s Bramalea Assembly, Etobicoke Castings and Ajax Trim facilities. “We’ve worked hard to establish ourselves as a strong partner with DaimlerChrysler and numerous other large manufacturing facilities,” says Peel president Wally Mullin. “Our buying power with IDI Independent Distributors Inc. has assisted us in increasing our sales. IDI also permits us to participate in nation-wide, single-source or integrated supply opportunities.” Peel is currently adding 12,500 sq ft to its 25,000-sq-ft facility. “Our ongoing goal,” says Mullin, “is to have ample stock on hand to exceed our customer’s expectations.”

Fluke Electronics Canada, Mississauga, Ont., has announced the appointment of Dario DePaolis as president of the company, replacing Bob Dunne, who has retired. During his 16-year electronics career, 10 of those years with Fluke, DePaolis progressed through a series of sales and management appointments, including national sales manager, where he was responsible for both direct and distribution sales channels across Canada.

Fluke Corporation has announced the acquisition of Wavetek Wandel Goltermann’s (WWG) test tools product line, including digital multimeters, clampmeters, bench instruments and related accessories. The acquisition will give Fluke’s customers a broader selection of products. Further information is available by contacting Fluke Electronics Canada, tel. (905) 890-7600, fax (905) 890-6866.

Allan Conant has been appointed president of BNA Bonfiglioli North America Inc. of Concord, Ont. The company supplies a large selection of speed reducers, gearmotors and planetary drives.

Franois Cornlis has been elected chairman of the board of Elf Atochem S.A. of Paris, France, the parent company of Elf Autochem Canada Inc. of Oakville, Ont. The company operates a lubricants manufacturing facility in Oakville and produces hydrogen peroxide at a facility in Bcancour, Que. Elf Atochem is restructuring to become Atofina as it combines Totalfina and Elf Aquitaine.

Rockwell Automation, a Milwaukee, Wisc.-based business of Rockwell International, has agreed to acquire Entek IRD International, a supplier of machinery condition monitoring solutions. For more information, visit the web site on the Internet at: www.rockwellautomation.com.

This year’s Schneeberger Engineering Quality Award recipient is Eric Truebenbach of Teradyne. The award is presented to a man or woman of the engineering community who has contributed significantly to the advancement of his or her field. Truebenbach was awarded a US$20,000 grant, to be contributed to the educational institution of his choice. Tufts University School of Electrical Engineering was his pick to receive the award. He was recognized for the quality management strategies he applied while managing the development of Teradyne’s new M910, an instrument used to test digital signals on circuit boards.

EPT Canada has opened a Markham, Ont., assembly and distribution centre for Browning Series 200 gearmotors and speed reducers. The newly equipped facility will enable the company to provide for increased gearmotor and speed reducer demand, offering five-business-day shipment on most styles and 48-hour rush shipments. Emerson Power Transmission may be reached by calling 1-800-268-4149 or faxing 1-800-668-9005; its web site is www.emerson-ept.com.

GE Industrial Systems has announced the consolidation of its three systems integration businesses into one business unit, to be known as GE Automation Services. The three businesses, which provide industrial process control and automation products and engineering services, are: GE Team Controls; GE Instrument Control Service, and GE Magnum Technologies. GE Automation Services will be based in Dallas, Tex., and will be headed by Jim Hibberd, former president of GE Team Controls.

The acquisition of the former Warner Electric Motors and Controls Division from Dana has been announced by Colfax Corp. As part of the new venture, Colfax has established the Colfax Automation Group, which consolidates Superior Electric, Fincor Electronics and Warner Engineered Systems products and brands under a new, single entity to be headquartered in Bristol, Conn.

THK has opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant, a 90,000-sq-ft facility in Hebron, Ohio. The plant will produce linear motion guides and link balls. The company has two regional sales offices in Canada, one in Toronto and a recently opened office in Montreal. For more information, contact THK America at (847) 310-1111 or 1-800-763-5459, fax (847) 310-1182, or e-mail: chicago@thk.com.

A supplier to the North American metalworking industry, KBC Tools and Machinery of Mississauga, Ont., has announced it has joined the Canadian Machine Tool Distrib
utors’ Association. CMTDA is a trade association dedicated to the marketing of machine tools and services in Canada. For more information, call KBC at (905) 564-6600.

BCP, a designer and manufacturer of airblast and centrifugal wheelblast, peening and deburring systems, equipment, accessories and airblast rooms, held an open house recently to celebrate the opening of its 100,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility. Located in Burlington, Ont., the new plant will enable the company to design and manufacture a broader range of products, provide quicker turnaround with better quality control, and meet its needs for expansion and growth. BCP is part of the USF Surface Preparation Group.

Jacmar Motion Control Limited, headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., has changed its corporate name to MEP Drives Limited. Under its new name, the company will market products in co-operation with MEP Distributions Inc., which has offices in Montreal and Vancouver.

Timken has announced the appointment of Ward J. Timken, Jr., to the position of corporate vice-president, office of the chairman. In this position, he will report to the company chairman and CEO, and also work closely with the president and COO and the executive vice-president, COO and president of steel. Together, these four make up the office of the chairman. Known as ‘Tim,’ he is a member of the fifth generation of the Timken family to be active in the management of the company.

Its largest-ever Milton Roy MaxRoyal C metering pump has been shipped by Peacock Industrial Products Division of Mississauga, Ont. Rated for 1,800 psig, the duplex pump has a maximum thrust of 4,400 lb and operates with a 30-hp motor. It will be used in an Ontario chemical plant. In addition, the company has appointed Robert Arbuckle as product specialist to head the activities of its Weir Valve Operations in Canada. This division is responsible for marketing the full range of Weir products in Canada. For more information, contact Peacock at (905) 812-7100.

Lorenz & Son of Cobourg, Ont., has recently expanded its tube and pipe bending facility to house new bending equipment, as well as new pre-bending and cleanup services for all stainless steel, aluminum, carbon steel and galvanized long-radius bending applications. Further information is available by calling (905) 372-2240, toll-free 1-800-263-1942, or visit the web site at www.lorenz-son.com.

ABB Canada has acquired a portion of the assets of J. Mulcahy Enterprises (JME) of Whitby, Ont., a division of Toronto-based Inverpower Controls. As a result of this transaction, JME will become a division of ABB Canada. JME designs, sells and delivers electromagnetic stirrers for the metals market.

As part of an expansion in the North American market, Beckhoff Automation has opened a new office in Minneapolis, Minn., to provide marketing, sales and technical support for Canada, Mexico and the United States. The company delivers software-based solutions and hardware for PLC, CNC and general motion control applications. For further information, contact Beckhoff’s distributor in Canada, Chartwell Electronics of Markham, Ont., at (905) 513-7100, or visit the web site at www.chartwell.ca.

Fanuc Robotics North America saw its biggest year ever in 1999 with sales of about $400 million, says president Rick Schneider. “We expect to continue to set robot sales records in the year 2000, especially with the current tight labour market,” he added. The company has Canadian facilities in Toronto and Montreal.

Flo Components Ltd. of Mississauga, Ont., which produces lubrication systems, has received ISO 9002 certification.

Giddings & Lewis, based in Fond du Lac, Wisc., has established a new business unit, Advantek Global Services, dedicated to providing customers with after-sales service solutions. This new unit consolidates separate service operations from two Giddings & Lewis companies, Machine Tools and Controls and Measurement & Sensing. For more information, call Giddings & Lewis at (920) 921-4100, fax (920) 906-2354, or visit the web site at: www.giddings.com.