Briefs (April 01, 2002)

Toronto Gear Works recently opened a new 35,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in the east end of Toronto. According to Nancy Reuby, the company really had no choice. “It was our only way to grow the business and maintain the level of service our clients need,” she says. Toronto Gear Works manufactures open gears, gear racks, timing pulleys and HTD pulleys, as well as distributing other mechanical drive products.

Custom Seal of Mississauga, Ont., has a new name: Economos Custom Seal Inc. The local manufacturer and distributor of seal products recently joined forces with Economos, an Austrian manufacturer of elastomer products such as tube stock, machines and sealing materials, that operates worldwide.

The Albion, Ontario Rubber and Anchor Packing divisions of Robco, LaSalle, Que., will be merged into a single corporate entity, Robco Inc., on May 1, 2002. J. Barry MacDonald, president and CEO, says that customers will in fact be dealing with the same people and products as before. Robco’s website is www.robcocanada.com.

Darcor Limited, Toronto, has promoted Rob E. Hilborn from marketing manager to president where he is responsible for the operations of the company and for establishing its direction and strategy. “These are exciting times for our industry, and during the next few years we plan to introduce several innovative technologies to emphasize our role as the leading source of quality casters for industrial, institutional and office users,” Hilborn said.

In another Darcor appointment, Bob Pearce assumes new duties as vice-president, corporate development. John Ashby, who joined the company last April as sales manager, is responsible for new projects. Lucie Colella, marketing coordinator, is now responsible for day-to-day management of the marketing program.

Ringball Corporation, Mississauga, Ont., has been appointed a master distributor for the Canadian market for the Thomson Industries line of linear motion products. The line includes linear bearings, guides, actuators, shafting, motion systems and planetary gearheads.

SKF has closed its Chicago Rawhide bearing seals plant in Bethlehem, Penn., and shifted its production to Italy. SKF Motion Technologies, also located in Bethlehem, is not affected by this move.

In another development, SKF acquired 100 per cent of the shares of Erin Engineering and Research Inc., Walnut Creek, Calif. This technology and services company provides maintenance engineering and application knowledge for the reliability and performance of client’s assets.

As well, the busy SKF has signed a letter of intent with NSK to acquire 75 per cent of the shares in NSK Aerospace Europe Ltd. at Stonehouse, UK, a company that designs, manufactures and sells bearings for main shafts and gearboxes for jet engines. The company will be renamed Aeroengine Bearings UK. SKF will acquire the remaining 25 per cent of the shares in 2005.

Also, SKF has sold its premises in Stuttgart, Germany, which used to be the site for its textile machinery business. The profit from the sale has been set aside to finance restructuring measures during the year. The sale is part of the SKF Group’s program to reduce the amount of capital tied up in operations.

Finally, SKF is celebrating 85 years in Canada in 2002.

Sean Hickey, general manager of Lafert North America, recently moved with his team into new office and warehouse facilities at 5620 Kennedy Rd. in Mississauga, Ont. The warehouse space has been doubled over the previous location, and the total facility is now 27,000 sq ft. The company distributes a variety of mechanical power transmission products, and also handles distribution in the U.S., where it operates five warehouses.

Siemens Canada, Mississauga, Ont., has opened a new manufacturing, engineering and training centre in Burlington, Ont., as part of a $32-million investment in Southern Ontario. The new facility is the fourth initiative in a current Siemens investment program in Ontario. Other projects include a national headquarters for the company’s Technical Services business unit, located next to the new Burlington site, opened in 2001, a new 70,000 sq ft international transformer and large rotating repair and overhaul facility in Hamilton, now under construction, and a switchgear and motor overhaul facility in Sarnia which opened in 2000.