MBS founder sells company, plus other news and views about companies, staff, product lines and more

Employees, friends and family held a farewell party on July 31, 2000, at the MBS Bearing Service Inc. head office in Lachine for Herbert Hough, who recently sold the company he founded in 1953 with a $2,500 loan. Now MBS is merged with Motion Canada and is a subsidiary of Birmingham, Alabama-based Motion Industries.

MBS, which was named Canadian PT Distributor of the Year by Machinery & Equipment MRO in 1990, had 1999 sales in excess of C$65 million, 29 locations and 220 personnel. Motion Canada operates 40 locations in seven provinces. The merger will give MBS, which has been regarded as an eastern Canadian company, the Canada-wide coverage to bid on national contracts. “For our customers,” says Jim Clark, president of Motion Canada, “our capability will be unmatched in eastern Canada.”

“The product lines and existing volumes with customers complement each other,” says Clark. He adds that there will be some consolidation, but that MBS, as well as Motion Canada locations overlap in only five locations.

Each company has agreements with trans-border clients, explains Clark. Both together will be in a strengthened position to provide parts and services to those clients, as well as vendor streamlining.

MBS will contribute its service expertise to Motion Canada. Two MBS employees, Christian Vadeboncoeur and Don Aucoin, helped develop and debug the course content and exam for the first-ever program to offer worldwide certification of inside and outside sales personnel as Certified Bearing Specialists (CBS). MBS currently has two employees with the CBS designation and several others taking the course. “Motion has been training CBSs,” says Clark, “and MBS’s emphasis on training will certainly help Motion.”

As for Mr. Hough, the day of the party was his last at MBS. “The company is sold,” he reflected. His future now promises daily golf, a river trip in southern France in October and winters in Florida. It sounds like a good reward after 47 years of building a highly successful industrial distribution business. (By Carroll McCormick, Montreal)

A year after the acquisition of Jopar Fluid Power Inc. of Windsor, Ont., last summer, Canadian Bearings of Mississauga, Ont., has doubled the size of its Windsor facility, greatly expanding warehouse space and showroom area, as well as extending hours of service. Jopar, a distributor of hydraulic and pneumatic components and a major fluid power suppler for several Ford Motor Company facilities, has been blended with CB, the largest supplier of bearing and power transmission products to the Canadian automotive industry. The recent expansion, says Windsor branch manager Jim Miernicke, is aimed at improving CB’s service in the Windsor and area market, which is heavily focused on the automotive industry. “The combined assets of both companies have significantly increased CB’s capabilities and service,” he says. The branch now handles field work, installation and repairs in the fluid power area and these capabilities are being added to the power transmission side of the operation as well, adds Miernicke. CB’s Windsor operation now has a staff of 35, up from 22. A new 3,800 sq ft industrial store/showroom displays all sorts of FP and PT components for one-stop shopping. There’s even a magazine stand to distribute copies of Machinery & Equipment MRO. There will be an open house at the facility on Oct. 5, 2000.

Nosratola Sabet, president of Canadian Crane & Hoist Mfg. Ltd., sent a postcard to customers and suppliers earlier this year to thank them for their loyalty and support, without which the construction of the company’s new plant would not have been possible. The new facility is at 60 Saunders Rd. in Barrie, Ont. The company’s web site is www.canadiancrane.com.

Expanding its expertise in the oil and gas industry, 3M has announced that it is forming an international 3M Oil & Gas Industry Center, whose global reach will make the centre’s services available wherever they are needed — North, South and Central America, Asia, the Middle East and the North Sea. The new centre will work to identify problems within the industry and solve them to improve productivity, increase efficiency and reduce costs, which 3M says will help to improve the profitability of the whole industry. Among its offerings will be products and technologies relative to electrical, telecom, filtration, safety control, abrasives, corrosion protection and graphics areas. Currently, the company is working with industry experts to determine the critical areas and priorities in the refining and production areas. Plans are to begin kitting products while developing full services around 3M technologies and products. More information is available from 3M Oil & Gas Industry Center, A130-4N-13, 6801 River Place Blvd., Austin, TX 78726-9000; tel. 1-800-276-0049.

The acquisition of Techose, of St. Csaire, Que., has been announced by U-Nova Hose & Duct Group of Richmond Hill, Ont. Included in the merger are Techose subsidiaries Associated Hose Texas, Arlington, Tex., and Associated Rubber, Indianapolis, Ind. This acquisition makes the combined annual sales for U-Nova Hose $60 million. Headquartered in an ISO-9001-certified factory just south of Montreal, Techose occupies approximately 40,000 sq ft and employs 60 people in Canada and the United States. U-Nova’s 11 North American locations manufacture flexible hose and ducting products for industrial applications in mining, venting, material handling, construction, rail and marine. Techose and Associated add products for the food, beverage and potable water industries, plus cable hose for robot welders. These additions will complement U-Nova’s existing hose production in Whitby, Ont., and Haw River, N.C. U-Nova plans to continue Techose operations.

Advantage Sales Network Corp. of Mississauga, Ont., has consolidated its offices with a new warehouse facility at 171 Superior Blvd., Unit 11, Mississauga, ON L5T 2L6, tel. (905) 565-8585, fax (905) 565-8484. The warehouse stocks Transcom (TCM) oil seals, Jeffery (Whitney) chain and Grove Gear products. Advantage also has expanded its field sales support team to include a new regional sales office in Edmonton, where Chris Talbot is regional sales manager. The location is at #103-9505 182nd St., Edmonton, AB T5T 2Y6, tel. (780) 443-0282.

Geoff Clarke is the new president and chief executive officer of Materials and Manufacturing Ontario of Mississauga, Ont., a centre of excellence which makes connections between university research and the needs of industry. MMO spends $18 million each year to support over 100 research projects. For more information, visit www.mmo.on.ca or call (905) 823-2020.

Ontor has announced the opening of three new branches, in Hamilton and St. Catharines, Ont., and Quebec City, Que. The company’s corporate office is located in Toronto, and other regional offices can be found in Montreal, Calgary, and Sudbury, Windsor and Waterloo in Ontario. For more information, call (416) 781-5286.

A dedication ceremony and open house festivities marked the opening of Elliott Turbomachinery‘s new Edmonton, Alta., service centre. Management and staff hosted local officials and 100 customers representing major industries from Western Canada. Replacing its Calgary service facility, the new service centre occupies a 40,000-sq ft building fitted with turbo-machinery service and repair equipment.

ESAB Welding & Cutting Products’ Canada Division has announced the opening of a distribution centre for specialty welding alloys in Edmonton, Alta. Of particular interest to the petrochemical, oil sands, pressure vessel manufacturing, pulp and paper, forestry, piping and construction industries, the warehouse will supply Western Canada with specialty filler metals from ESAB and TriNex, as well as ESAB equipment packages, to support the regional welding industry.

AB SKF, Elgin, Ill., has appointed George Dettloff as president of Chicago Rawhide A
mericas, SKF Seals Division.

The Fluid Power Society has elected R. Joe Nunley of General Motors in Detroit as its president. The association’s members run, service and repair machinery. For further information, visit FPS at www.ifps.org or call (610) 694-9612.

Henning Hansen has announced that it has signed an exclusive five-year sales and marketing agreement for industrial sales in Canada with Lincoln Electric Canada. This agreement gives Lincoln access to Henning Hansen’s articulating MIG arms. Henning Hansen retains the marketing rights for the collision repair market.

MEP Drives Limited is the new corporate name of Jacmar Motion Control Limited, a manufacturer’s representative and importer of industrial electrical products and motors. MEP will market its products nationally in co-operation with MEP Distributions of Ville D’Anjou, Que., and MEP Distributions of Vancouver, B.C. The corporate structure, company ownership and financial arrangements are unaffected by the name change, and all verbal and written agreements with customers remain valid, unchanged and recognized by the new company. For more information, contact MEP Drives, 6725 Millcreek Dr., Unit 3, Mississauga, ON L5N 5V3; tel. (905) 812-7788; fax (905) 812-9155; e-mail: sales@mepltd.com; web site: www.mepltd.com.

The O’Rourke Marketing Corporation Ltd. Canada, has purchased the One Press swaging system of CCL Systems of the United Kingdom. Quotations and orders for One Press sleeves, One Press dies and CCL and One Fast swagers, etc., previously processed by CCL Systems, will be handled by Strider-Resource, a division of O’Rourke. In addition to a large inventory, Strider-Resource has established a service facility which will handle all maintenance and service inquiries for all CCL and One Fast swagers sold in North America. For further information, contact Strider-Resource at 1-877-663-7737 or visit the web site at www.onepress.com.

Rod Parker has joined the pump sales team at Grundfos Canada Inc., Surrey, B.C., as district sales manager for Vancouver Island, the lower mainland and the northern regions of British Columbia.

The Weir-EnviroTech Pumps Canada division of Peacock has changed its name to Weir Pumps Canada. This follows the acquisition by Peacock of the operations of Warman International in Canada. In late 1999, the Warman Group itself was acquired by Peacock’s parents, the Weir Group, of Glasgow, Scotland. A result of that purchase has been the merger of the Weir Group’s EnviroTech Pumpsystems’ Ash Pump and Galigher pump lines with Warman International to create the Weir Slurry Group, which produces slurry handling pumping equipment. In addition to slurry pumps, Weir Pumps Canada will also market all other pump products manufactured by EnviroTech and Warman, as well as virtually all other Weir pumps and systems. The company also plans an expansion program that will increase its coverage of all regions of Canada, with either new sales offices or distributors.

In line with its expansion plans, Indus Industrial, based in San Francisco, Calif., recently announced the opening of new headquarters in Toronto. The company is a provider of Enterprise and Asset Management (EAM) solutions. Through offices in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary, Indus provides software and eBusiness solutions to Canadian companies involved in utilities, pulp and paper, oil and gas, process manufacturing and telecommunications.

Snap-on Industrial, based in Newmarket, Ont., has appointed Bob Neely as district sales manager for the Greater Toronto Area. A former NHL hockey player, Neely has been with the company since 1989.

Norgren has appointed Chris Bramley as group technical director, to be based in its U.K. headquarters. Bramley has been part of the Norgren team since 1987. He will focus on the coordination of product design, development and engineering resources world-wide.

A campaign to educate manufacturers about the proper use and application of adhesives in industrial design, assembly and plant operations could save participating companies many dollars per year. Loctite is offering two adhesive training kits. The Threadlocking Solution Pak contains samples of adjustable, removable, penetrating and high-strength theadlockers, while the Retaining Solution Pak includes retaining compounds for general-purpose, high-temperature, fast-cure and high-strength applications. Both kits also contain a primer for fast curing, a 24-page guide and a CD-ROM. For more information, call 1-800-562-8483, or visit the web site located at: www.loctite.com/solutionpak.

In order to provide customers with a full package of power transmission components, Falk, located in Milwaukee, Wisc., has joined forces with Precision Pulley and SKF. This partnership allows customers to purchase an integrated drive system from a single source at a combined volume price. Included in the program are Falk’s Quadrive gear drives and True Hold backstops. Headquartered in Pella, Iowa, Precision manufactures drum, wing and idler pulleys, hubs, shafts, turbines, take-ups and bearings. SKF manufactures bearings for the electric motor, food, mining, textile, gear box, general machinery, machine tool, material handling, metalworking, pulp and paper, automotive and printing industries. For further information, call Falk’s hot-line number at 1-888-570-6144, visit the web site at www.drivepackage.com or send an e-mail to drive@drivepackage.com.

The Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), of Independence, Ohio, has become the first U.S. trade association to be registered to ISO 9002, according to CRS Registrars. ISO 9002 is an international standard that provides an organizational framework for how work is completed. At PMA, standards were developed for such tasks as purchasing, training, corrective and preventive action, and the keeping of quality records. The association has more than 1,600 member companies.

Peacock has purchased the assets of Marsh Instrumentation, a subsidiary of Marsh Engineering, a company in receivership. Peacock has offered employment to Marsh Instrumentation’s employees and will carry on using the company’s trade name, operating the business as a stand-alone unit. ISO 9001 as well as ISO 10012 registered, Marsh’s 4,000-sq ft facility in Burlington, Ont., is a multi-function calibration and repair centre. The company employs 21 field service technologists.

At its sixth annual Technical Conference, PdMA recognized industry leaders for their outstanding efforts in the advancement and promotion of electrical predictive maintenance. One of the two individuals recognized was Lawrence Lush of Syncrude Canada. Lush has worked at Syncrude since 1983, 15 years with reliability teams. For the past 10 years, he has been involved in the development of condition monitoring programs with both electrical and mechanical equipment. Also recognized was Lush’s colleague and mentor, Jack Nicholas, Jr., of Maintenance Quality Systems.

Ainsworth has announced that it has been chosen by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Toronto as its recipient of the 2000 Pinnacle Award for Service Excellence. The company was evaluated for its success in creating and implementing customer-focused practices and programs.

Trion, located in Sanford, N.C., has acquired the rights to the dust collection and air filtration products developed by Diversi-Tech of Montreal. These products will be incorporated into Trion’s current line of cartridge, mechanical and electronic air cleaner/air filter products, and will be marketed under their present Fred brand name.

The president of Invensys Brook Crompton Nor
th America, Leo McGuire, is now responsible for all sales and service of electric motors for the North, South and Central American industrial and OEM markets. McGuire joined Brook Crompton in 1993 as president and led the integration of Brook Crompton Motors with the Canadian operations of Hansen Transmission. Previously, he was employed for 28 years with General Electric Canada.MRO

A $53.3 million federal Technology Partnerships Canada investment with Rolls-Royce Industries Canada for the research and development of advanced industrial gas turbine technologies will leverage an additional $160 million in research and development spending from the company. The investment will also secure for Canada and Rolls-Royce a long-term corporate mandate for the manufacturing of the Industrial Trent family of gas turbines for such diverse applications as power generation and natural gas pipeline compression. Improving environmental performance is a key objective for this project, which will develop combustors that substantially reduce nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions. The adoption of new technologies could lead to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 430,000 tonnes in the year 2010. Rolls-Royce has operated in the Montreal region for more than 50 years and currently employs more than 1,400 people.

Indexable Cutting Tools of Canada Ltd., Welland, Ont., has acquired Edmonton-based MicroWear Inc., a manufacturer of structural ceramic components. This makes Indexable the first Canadian-owned, totally integrated tooling company.