Industry Watch: People

MACHINERY SYSTEMS INC. (MSI; SCHAUMBURG, IL) . . .
recently appointed Eric Hilliard to the position of vice president of the company’s Illinois Mazak business unit. In this position, he will oversee the region’s Mazak sales, application engineering, customer service and manufacturing software. Having joined MSI in 1996, Hilliard has worked as a sales engineer in three geographic territories. Prior to that, he held multiple other positions in the industry, including working as an electrical and mechanical technician.

“Over the past fifteen years, Eric has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to our mission of serving American manufacturers in the Midwest,” said Ron Mager, the president and CEO of MSI. “As the economy continues to rebound, we are seeing more and more manufacturers looking to maximize their future potential by investing in and integrating new Mazak technology. Eric will play a vital role in helping these customers optimize their operations.”

Hilliard has been an active certified machine tool sales engineer since 1995 and is a former member of Vistage International (San Deigo, CA). He holds an Associate in Applied Science of Electronics degree from DeVry University and a Management Certificate from Harper College. He resides in Huntley, IL, with his wife and two daughters. MSI is the largest U.S. distributor of Mazak machine tools and provides extensive service and support to manufacturers. The company assists customers in improving their productivity and profitability by offering a comprehensive package of products and services. www.machsys.com

BUNTING® MAGNETICS CO. (NEWTON, KS) . . .
recently added Matt Anderson, a manufacturing engineer, and Kenton Stumps, a design engineer, to their Material Handling product line. “We are experiencing a large increase in sales and as a result needed additional talent to help balance our workload,” stated Barry Voorhees, the general manager for Bunting’s main production facility. “We anticipate this growth continuing throughout the first half of 2011 and we will be adding more headcount in our Technical Services Department soon. Both men will be instrumental in streamlining our operations going forward.”

Anderson will handle the overall workflow of active orders between the Technical Services group and the plant floor operations. He has several years of experience in sheet metal fabrication and shop floor planning along with previous experience in CAD/CAM systems, job routing and tooling design. In the past, he has designed and engineered new products for Weckworth Manufacturing (Haysville, KS) and Hehr International (Newton, KS).

Stumps holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University and has experience in the aerospace, construction and manufacturing sectors. He has a deep background in Catia V5, Solid Works and AutoCad software programs. “Stumps is a valuable addition to our engineering team,” stated Marvin Angleton, the manager of technical services and quality. “He brings with him a solid foundation in mechanical design for industry and complemented by his education will make a positive impact for us. We have experienced a large jump in demand of our conveyors over the last seven months and his skills will help us continue our growth in this product line.” www.buntingmagnetics.com

HOBART BROTHERS COMPANY (TROY, OH) . . .
recently elected Jennifer Monnin, the general manager of the North American Tubular Wire Division to the board of directors at the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology (HIWT). Monnin has held multiple leadership and management positions at the company and brings more than 17 years of welding industry experience to her newly elected role. She is a graduate of Wright State University and an active member of the Troy community. Along with the other board members, Monnin brings valuable knowledge and experience that will assist in guiding the future course of the HIWT.

Hobart Brothers, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works, Inc. (Glenview, IL), is a leading manufacturer of welding filler metals marketed under the brand names Hobart, Tri-Mark, McKay and Corex. Hobartbrothers.com

MULTICAM INC. (DALLAS, TX) . . .
recently appointed Todd Atkinson as the south central sales manager based in Memphis, TN. He has been a domestic and international machinery sales professional for over 20 years. “Atkinson’s hands-on understanding of manufacturing at all production levels will enable him to recommend the appropriate CNC cutting solution for every application,” said Kris Hanchette, the president and general manager of MultiCam. “His experience working with customers at every level and in all manufacturing phases will reinforce our reputation for exceptional sales support.”

At Stiles Machinery (Grand Rapids, MI), Atkinson sold three-, four- and five-axis routers for composites, non-ferrous, plastics and woodworking and handled Knuth waterjet, metal fabrication and chip-producing machine sales. His customer side experience includes being a capital equipment buyer and project manager for a major commercial aircraft program. He is also fluent in Spanish.

Since 1989, MultiCam has manufactured thousands of CNC router, laser, plasma, waterjet and knife cutting machines at its 135,000 sq ft facility in North Texas. A global network of 70 locations worldwide, with 20 technology centers across North America, supports the manufacturing operation. www.multicam.com

LINCOLN ELECTRIC HOLDINGS, INC. (CLEVELAND, OH) . . .
elected Christopher L. Mapes as the chief operating officer of the company, effective September 1st. He is currently a member of the Company Board of Directors and will retain his seat on the Board. He will also become a member of the executive management team. As COO, Mapes will have responsibility for all Lincoln Electric businesses, including the North American segment, the International segments and the Harris Products Group segment, with the presidents for those units reporting to him. He will also take on responsibility for the Company’s global product development initiatives.

In making the announcement, John M. Stropki, the chairman and chief executive officer, said, “As we continue our rapid international growth, we must simultaneously grow our global talent pool. I can’t think of a better individual than Chris Mapes to add to our already stellar and experienced leadership team. Chris brings years of successful operations, sales and marketing experience, and his global business background and insights have already added value to our well-rounded and solid Board of Directors. As a Lincoln Electric executive, Chris will greatly enhance our efforts to profitably grow our worldwide businesses.”

Mapes has 25 years of experience and more than 15 years of profit and loss leadership experience for worldwide industrial manufacturing and distribution companies, most recently as the executive vice president of the A.O. Smith Corporation (Ashland City, TN) and the president of its Electrical Products unit. A.O. Smith is a $2 billion global leader in the manufacture of water heaters, water treatment and electric motors. He has been the president of the Electrical Products business since 2004, a global manufacturer of fractional horsepower, hermetic and integral horsepower electric motors for residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Mapes holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University, a law degree from the University of Toledo (Ohio) and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. In addition to the Lincoln Electric Board, He serves as a board member of the Greater Dayton YMCA. www.lincolnelectric.com

ULTRACHEM, INC. (NEW CASTLE, DE) . . .
recently announced that Jonathan Rickner, the southeast regional sales manager, was accredited as a certified lubrication specialist (CLS) by the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE; Park Ridge, IL). Certified lubrication specialists possess extensive knowledge of lubrication fundamentals and best practices in lubrication maintenance in industrial settings.

In his five years with Ultrachem, Rickner has worked diligently to develop his knowledge and skills in the lubricant industry. Along with managing sales and marketing duties within his territory, he has taken on the role of a lubrication application expert, handling a wide range of customer service and technical resource roles within the company.

CLS-accredited individuals must have at least three years of experience in the field of lubrication and pass a rigorous exam covering the following subjects: lubrication fundamentals; fluid conditioning; storage, handling and application of lubricants; monitoring and reducing consumption of lubricants; gears; bearings; seals; fluid power; lubricant manufacturing; pneumatics; transportation lubricants; metalworking; solvents and cleaners; problem solving; lubricant analysis; and lubrication programs.

“Jonathan has always delivered a strong mix of lubrication experience and know-how to Ultrachem and to his customers,” said Bob Whiting, the president of Ultrachem. “The CLS achievement verifies this and only bolsters his already-strong credentials in the lubrication marketplace.”

STLE is the premier technical society serving the needs of more than 10,000 individuals and 150 companies and organizations that compose the tribology and lubrication engineering business sector. STLE supports these distinguished men and women with a variety of professional education and certification programs. The mission of STLE is to advance the science of tribology and the practice of lubrication engineering in order to foster innovation, improve the performance of equipment and products, conserve resources and protect the environment.

Established in 1965, Ultrachem is one of the oldest specialty synthetic lubricant compounders and has become a leading supplier to the OEM and industrial maintenance markets. With its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Delaware, Ultrachem offers a wide range of products including food grade lubricants, impregnating oils and gels, high pressure compression lubricants, and gas compression lubricants. www.ultracheminc.com