EnerSys® receives the Richmond Chamber of Commerce’s Industry Award for 2022

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EnerSys®, the global provider of stored energy solutions for industrial applications, has received the 2022 Industry Award from the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented on November 3, 2022, during the 38th Annual Richmond Chamber Awards Banquet, held at the Keene Johnson Building on the Eastern Kentucky University campus. The Industry Award recognizes an industrial business that has enjoyed success in its market and constructive engagement with the local community. Nominated by their peers from the greater Richmond, Kentucky area, Industry Award recipients typically demonstrate ongoing business growth and a positive impact on the Madison County, Kentucky economy. The EnerSys manufacturing campus in Richmond employs more than 500 people and produces traditional lead-acid and Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) motive power batteries and chargers for material handling, floor care, mining, and other applications. In early 2022, EnerSys opened an expanded, 195,000-square-foot Regional Distribution Center (RDC) that serves customers across the United States and North America including industry leaders in manufacturing, retail, and distribution segments. “We are extremely proud to be receiving this honor from the Richmond Chamber of Commerce,” said Chad Uplinger, Vice President of Sales, Motive Power Americas at EnerSys. “With the expansion of our Richmond-based RDC in July of 2022, we are equally proud to be able to play an even greater positive economic role for the Madison County community.”

Adina Starke joins Baldwin Technology as West Coast Regional Sales Manager

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Baldwin Technology Co. Inc. has appointed Adina Starke, a seasoned print and packaging professional with wide-ranging expertise, as Regional Sales Leader for the West Coast. Baldwin Technology Company Inc. is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of innovative process-automation equipment, parts, service, and consumables for the printing, packaging, textile, plastic film extrusion, and corrugated industries. Starke will be responsible for all product sales to print and packaging professionals in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Alaska, and western Canada. Starke has spent the past 15 years in various technical and sales roles in the print and packaging industry. Most recently, she spent four years with All Printing Resources (formerly JVI Solutions), as a Territory Manager and a Technical Sales and Business Development Representative. Prior to that, she spent several years with Lohmann Specialty Coating and Sun Chemical. Starke graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic Communications. “It’s exciting to have Adina join Baldwin and strengthen the team.  Being based out of Los Angeles will give us a strong presence in a key market for us where we are looking to drive growth,” said Craig Black, Baldwin’s Vice President of Sales, Americas. “Her blend of technical and sales experience will be a great benefit coming into the role, as well as her experience in the flexo print industry. With Adina’s enthusiasm, drive, and passion for delivering results, I look forward to seeing her contribute to Baldwin’s future growth across our print and packaging customer base out West.” “I am excited to join such a dynamic and innovative organization,” Starke commented. “I look forward to meeting customers in the region, building new relationships as I settle into the role, and driving success for Baldwin Technology.” You can reach Adina at adina.starke@baldwintech.com and 213-563-9596.

Bryan Gauger promoted to president of Cisco-Eagle

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Bryan Gauger will become president of Cisco-Eagle on January 1, 2023, according to CEO and Chairman Darein Gandall. Gauger was previously Vice President of Systems Integration, where he was instrumental in Cisco-Eagle’s growth and reach into automated projects and large-scale material handling systems. He joined the company in 1996. During his career, Gauger has managed many large and complex projects for customers across the United States. Gauger is Cisco-Eagle’s representative for CEMA, the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association. Gandall remains with Cisco-Eagle but has shifted his focus toward the company’s strategic vision, particularly toward growth. He will shift to the role of CEO and Chairman of the Board as Gauger moves into the president role.

ARA announces industry contributor award recipients

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Each year, the American Rental Association (ARA) honors individuals for outstanding service to the association and the equipment and event rental industry. The following are recipients of this year’s industry contributor awards, which will be presented at The ARA Show™ 2023 in Orlando. Industry Ambassador Award: Frederick “Fred” Dupy This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated long-term leadership and service to the association at the national, state, or local levels.  Frederick “Fred” Dupy was the president of American Party Rental in Austin, Texas, until his death in May 2022. Dupy was a tireless advocate for industry service. He always put ARA members and the association first. He was a long-time member and served on national, state, and local levels. He was very active in the Texas Rental Association (TRA) serving in various roles on the board including two terms as president. Dupy received the Region Four Person of the Year award in 2004 and 2012. He was named TRA Person of the Year in 2013. Prior to his TRA service, Dupy served on the board of the Heart of Texas Rental Association for many years. Dupy was a passionate supporter of the ARA Foundation and its programs, especially those supporting scholarships and education. He was serving his second term on the ARA Foundation Board of Trustees at the time of his death and served as the board chair in 2020. During his time on the ARA Foundation board, Dupy also served on the scholarship and disaster grant review committees. He and his wife, Monica, were generous financial supporters of the ARA Foundation. They received the 1976 Club Award six times and the James Keenan Award eight times since 2012. Exemplary Service Award: Jeff Lignugaris This award recognizes an individual or group that has made a significant contribution in a defined area of association service (such as government affairs, education, technology, or workforce development). Jeff Lignugaris, president, of Northside Tool Rental, Atlanta, Ga., has been an active member of the ARA and ARA of Georgia for more than 20 years. As a result of his years-long active and direct involvement in legislative advocacy to help equipment rental operators in his state, Lignugaris was crucial to getting legislation passed in Georgia in 2022 — which offers expanded property tax relief to more equipment and event rental companies. He was involved with the first initiative which secured relief for that owning equipment over 5,000 lbs. and was recently successful in lowering this weight limit to 1,500 lbs. Lignugaris continually went to great lengths to make himself available to help with this legislative initiative. He provided names and contact information for other members in targeted counties who needed to be heard to persuade various legislators of the need for this relief. His knowledge and relationship with other members provided invaluable assistance. Industry Impact Award: Jody Kerr  This award recognizes a manufacturer supplier and/or independent manufacturer representative rental industry professional who made a significant impact on the association and/or industry during the past two years. Jody Kerr, manager, Toro, Bloomington, Minn., has continually supported ARA — previously serving on ARA’s Exhibitor Advisory Council from 2014-2017 and as Associate Member director on the ARA Board of Directors from 2015-2017. Kerr is a founding member and supporter of the Women in Rental Committee. She also reviewed materials and provided valuable input for the ARA Foundation Mentoring Program. Kerr has volunteered at multiple ARA Foundation/The Toro Company Foundation Community Impact Projects. She is an active ARAPAC [ARA’s Political Action Committee] supporter. Rising Star Award: Dillon Hughes The Rising Star Award recognizes a young professional who has demonstrated leadership at the grassroots level. Dillon Hughes, the owner, of Only 1 Rentals, Navasota, Texas, has served on the TRA board since 2014 and is the current TRA immediate past president. He is the youngest to serve as TRA president. Hughes also has stepped up to assist with workforce development initiatives and participated in the TRA Legislative Day. On the national level, he has served on the ARA Young Professionals Committee and has attended the ARA National Legislative Caucus multiple times. He’s also attended the ARA Young Professional Conference and the ARA Leadership Conference. He was named to the Rental Management 12 to Watch Under 40 in 2018. Leadership Impact Awards These awards recognize an individual in each of the ARA 10 regions whose leadership benefited their state and/or local association and its members over the past year. Region One: Stefani Donabedian-Soucy, Mobile Air & Power Rentals, Worcester, Mass. Region Two: Reggie Eda, Oxon Hill Rentals, Fort Washington, Md. Region Three: Kevin Marchin, M & M Sales, Belmont, N.C. Region Four: Marty Bamburg, Bamco of LA, Shreveport, La. Region Five: Dan Fielitz, General Rent-All, Massillon, Ohio Region Six: Joshua Swanson, Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Rogers, Minn. Region Seven: Brady Castro, PRO EM National Event Services, Phoenix, Ariz. Region Eight: Megan “Mac” Whittlesey, CERP, Ideal RentAll, Mount Vernon, Wash. Region Nine: Jared Medaris, CERP, Expo Party Rentals, Fresno, Calif. Region 10: Rob Potter, Cooper Equipment Rentals, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Yellow Corporation names Annlea Rumfola Chief Information Officer

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Yellow Corporation announces the appointment of Annlea Rumfola as its new Chief Information Officer. She will oversee all information technology teams, systems, processes, and support functions at Yellow, reporting directly to CEO Darren Hawkins. Rumfola will step into the CIO role on Jan. 3, 2023. Current CIO Jason Ringgenberg is retiring after serving in that position since 2017. Rumfola brings an extensive background in technology leadership from Cardinal Health Inc., where she most recently served as senior vice president of information technology for the healthcare company’s medical segment. Her 30-year career at Cardinal Health included numerous leadership positions with increasing responsibilities on the tech side. “Annlea has a tremendous amount of experience integrating technology into a single platform, which we have successfully done at Yellow,” Hawkins said. “She understands the complexity and advantages of these alignments, and we are excited to have her lead our technology team at this important stage for our company.” After a long career in the healthcare industry, Rumfola said the CIO position at Yellow appealed to her because of the important role that trucking serves in supporting supply chains and “how critical it is to the backbone of our nation’s economy.” She is also impressed by Yellow’s transition to its One Operating Technology platform and said she looks forward to working with the team to identify new opportunities to innovate and better serve Yellow’s customers with new technology tools and data. “I’m excited about the opportunities that our investment into the One Yellow operating platform over the past few years gives us, and how that will allow us to drive future growth,” she said. More About Annlea Rumfola Prior to her role as SVP of IT for the Medical segment, Rumfola held several technology leadership positions over three decades at Cardinal Health, including SVP of IT for the Pharmaceutical segment. Rumfola was instrumental in modernizing platforms in the Pharmaceutical segment, using technologies like SAP, Manhattan, and Salesforce. She also held roles providing IT leadership for several business units, including Pharmaceutical Distribution, Nuclear Pharmacy Services, and Enterprise Customer and Sales functions. Prior to these IT experiences, Rumfola spent over 10 years in the Supply Chain group for Pharmaceutical Distribution in many functions, including brand/generic purchasing, supplier relations, inventory management, and core database management. Rumfola earned her bachelor’s degree in production and operations management science from the State University of New York at Geneseo. She holds an MBA from Ashland University.

Rental Hall of Fame inductees announced

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Each year, the American Rental Association (ARA) honors individuals for outstanding service to the association and the rental industry. This year, two longtime rental industry leaders will become the newest inductees into the Rental Hall of Fame and will be honored at The ARA Show™ 2023 in Orlando. The Rental Hall of Fame was created in 2000 to honor those individuals who have changed the trajectory of the equipment and event rental industry. Each year, nominations are accepted to recognize outstanding industry leaders who have made a substantial and lasting impact on the industry’s success and growth at the national and/or international levels. “The Rental Hall of Fame is ARA’s most prestigious award. This year, we are honored to recognize two individuals whose vision and leadership has made a significant impact on the equipment and event rental industry. Their dedication has been felt across the rental community and I would like to personally thank and congratulate them,” says Tony Conant, ARA CEO. Doron Broadfoot, The Rent-It Store, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada  Doron Broadfoot has been a member of the rental industry for more than 50 years. It all started in 1972 when he started working for his father at The Rent-It Store in Saskatoon. In 1974, he invested in a business owned by Acklands-Grainger. When the company decided to close — leaving employees out of work — Broadfoot and his business partner, Doug Mitchell, decided to postpone their retirement and purchased the business in 2005. Throughout his career, Broadfoot always has encouraged both employees and business partners to get involved with ARA and the Canadian Rental Association (CRA). He is being recognized for his leadership and long-term dedication and service to ARA, CRA, and the ARA Foundation. Broadfoot was CRA president from 1989-1990 and then served as the ARA Region 10 director from 2000-2003. He is a huge supporter of the ARA Foundation both as a volunteer and a donor. He served on the ARA Foundation board of trustees for two terms from 2009-2014 and sat as the chair of the board in 2011 and 2012. He established the Region 10 Doug Mitchell scholarship in honor of his late business partner in 2014. In recognition of his philanthropic efforts, he has received the ARA Foundation James Keenan Award five times and the 1976 Club Award 10 times. James “Jim” Ziegler, Rental City, Boulder, Colo.  Jim Ziegler started his career in the rental industry in 1969 when he bought an A-Z Rental franchise in Boulder — which would eventually become Rental City. Ziegler built Rental City from the ground up and turned it into a thriving business. After 30 years, he sold the company to NationsRent in 2000. Ziegler also was the CEO of RenTrain, a business he developed to help reduce insurance costs and improve operating techniques through educational programs for rental equipment dealers and provide websites for small businesses. Ziegler has been actively involved with ARA and the ARA of Colorado for years having served on the ARA of Board of Directors from 1988-1992 and as the 29th ARA president in 1990. While on the ARA of Colorado board, he also served as president.

Stacey Babson Kaplan named Senior Vice President: Chief Sustainability and Compliance Officer

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Terex Corporation has announced that Stacey Babson Kaplan has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability and Compliance Officer of Terex Corporation, effective immediately. With this expansion of duties, she will add Sustainability to her longstanding role heading Ethics & Compliance for the Company. She serves on the Terex Executive Leadership Team and the Environmental, Social, and Governance Executive Steering Committee, reporting to John L. Garrison, Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Stacey’s new assignment acknowledges her significant and growing role in overseeing Terex’s initiatives in ESG,” Mr. Garrison said. “Terex has long been highly active in ESG activities, and Stacey is helping us take this commitment to an even higher level.” Ms. Babson Kaplan joined Terex in 2002 as Corporate Counsel, Human Resources Compliance. In 2005, she was appointed Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Employment & Global Diversity. She was named Vice President, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer in 2008. She holds a Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University.

Nucor Warehouse Systems announces Reed Reynolds’ promotion to Commercial Director

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Nucor Warehouse Systems (NWS) has promoted Reed Reynolds to Commercial Director effective Jan.1, 2023. In this new position, he will be the head of all sales teams for NWS. Reynolds previously joined the team as the Chief Operating Officer of Hannibal in 2018 and after Nucor acquired Hannibal in 2021, he became the Division Manager. Reed played a pivotal role in growing the business along with the acquisitions of Hannibal and Elite Storage Solutions, and ultimately the transition of Nucor Warehouse Systems. “I’m grateful for this opportunity to help move Nucor Warehouse Systems’ goals forward in this new capacity,” said Reynolds.  “Nucor Warehouse Systems has a team of top-level professionals who do the best job on every project and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together, in the days ahead.” Prior to his time at Nucor Warehouse Systems, Reynolds worked at California Steel Industries (CSI) for 14 years in various leadership roles in the commercial group and was sales manager when he left CSI in 2018.

Felling Trailers appoints Klimek as Quality Assurance Manager

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Felling Trailers Inc., a national manufacturer of industrial and commercial trailers, recently appointed Dan Klimek to the role of Quality Assurance Manager over both production facilities (Sauk Centre and Litchfield, MN). Along with Quality Management, he will oversee weld production for the Litchfield manufacturing facility as the Production Manager. As the Quality Assurance Manager, Dan will continue developing, directing, controlling, and managing the installation and maintenance of the company’s quality assurance programs. Felling Trailers, Inc. originally obtained its ISO 9001 Certification for Quality Management in 2017 and continues to maintain certification. Dan and his team of Quality Assurance Inspectors work diligently to ensure that all stages of the build process meet company quality standards to provide a final product that will exceed the customers’ expectations. In the role of Litchfield Production Manager, he will work with the production team to implement new processes and technologies to reduce lead time and increase team productivity. Klimek brings over 30 years of manufacturing, quality control systems, and processes to his position. Before accepting the Quality Assurance and Production Manager positions with Felling Trailers, Dan held a similar collection of roles with Polar Tank Trailers, LLC (Ople, MN) for over a decade. Most recently, he was the General Manager for Polar Tank Trailers’ Minnesota Trailer Operations (Production Manager and Quality Manager) for the last six years. “Dan brings an extensive background in quality control and lean manufacturing. We are excited to have him as part of the Felling Trailers’ team and to see the positive impact he will bring to our production and quality assurance processes,” said Brenda Jennissen, CEO/Co-Owner of Felling Trailers. “To be able to add an individual of Dan’s class and expertise is a huge win for Felling Trailers, I look forward to working with him,” said Paul Radjenovich, VP of Operations. “I am glad to be a part of the company in production and quality assurance capacities. I look forward to the journey ahead along with the challenges and successes it will bring,” said Dan.

Seaga announces Chesney to step down as CEO, Freund accepts the reins

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Seaga Manufacturing, Inc. (“Seaga”), a platform for innovative Automatic Retail Dispensing and Modular Intelligent Inventory Control Solutions, serving the Food and Beverage, Industrial, Water Filtration, and Healthcare Markets, announced today that its Founder and CEO, Steve Chesney, will step down as CEO. Chesney will remain Chairman of the Board of Seaga and its respective subsidiaries. Chesney founded Seaga in 1987 in a one-stall garage in Shannon, Illinois. He successfully produced and marketed an innovative vending machine design named the SuperVend 2000, which soon became an industry standard. After manufacturing thousands of vending machines in Shannon, Chesney moved its Corporate Headquarters and manufacturing facility to Freeport, Illinois, where it remains today. Seaga has grown to become a recognized leading platform for Automatic Retail Dispensing and Modular Intelligent Inventory Control Solutions, satisfying the Food and Beverage, Industrial, Water Filtration, and Healthcare markets. In 2004, Seaga acquired Karna Industries in New Delhi India, now known as Seaga India Private Ltd., positioning Seaga to supply its products to customers throughout the world. Seaga recently acquired Automated Merchandising Systems (AMS), a leading brand of Automatic Retail Dispensing equipment in North America. With this most recent acquisition, Seaga has four manufacturing facilities, in three countries, allowing it the scale to support the largest multi-national corporations in the world. “Steve has built an industry-leading company over the past 35 years which is positioned perfectly for innovation and growth, with a dedicated team of industry professionals spanning over two continents,” said Gary Partridge, President of Seaga. “Steve has been a mentor to many, and his influence has made an indelible impact on generations of professionals within Seaga and throughout our industry. I want to thank Steve for his vision to create and build a company with a lasting legacy that will prosper and excel within our marketplace.” Seaga’s Board of Directors unanimously elected Mike Freund to succeed Chesney as Chief Executive Officer of Seaga/AMS.

Secro wins approval from the International Group of P&I Clubs

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The transformational electronic platform provides speed and security The International Group of P&I Clubs (the Group) added Secro as an approved electronic bill of lading provider. Established in 2021, Secro is an independent technology company helping buyers and sellers of bulk commodities to digitize their core business workflows and optimize working capital. Approval by the Group ensures that liabilities arising with respect to the carriage of cargo under such paperless trading are covered. The legal documentation and terms of use associated with the use and operation of the Secro system, as well as the Secro electronic bill of lading, were reviewed and approved by the Group. Secro, which is a proud member of BIMCO, provides a frictionless digital trade documentation platform that is safe, trustable, and seamless. The customer is onboarded to the Secro platform with a nimble click-through process and can collaborate with its trading partners in minutes. Internal due diligence is simplified by robust yet concise terms of use and conditions of carriage. Further, the Secro platform enables the customer to invite its trading partners on the platform, for free, just by sharing a secure link at any given stage of the transaction, allowing unprecedented flexibility. Secro Co-Founder and CEO, Michele Sancricca stated: “Our customers asked us to build a platform to easily create securely exchanged electronic bills of lading with anyone in the world without the need for cumbersome private agreements. This innovative approach delivers the ease of adoption that legacy providers did not achieve.” Truly viable electronic bills of lading, able to replace traditional paper-based documents, have been a chimera for decades. Thanks to Secro proprietary technology’s compliance with the latest digital trade laws, for the first time the adoption of electronic bills of lading really offers speed, security, and cost savings. With Secro’s ease of use and the Group’s approval, traders, shippers, banks, and ship owners can digitally transact with confidence. Sancricca wants the maritime community to appreciate that this is just the beginning for Secro. “Secro E-bill of lading is only the first product we are launching in this arena. Customers will find in Secro a one-stop-shop to digitize their end-to-end trade workflows.” At SHIPPINGInsight 2022, Secro received the organization’s Innovation Award by securing the most support from investors and shipowners in the SHARK TANK.  Secro is currently available to selected customers with the public launch expected during Q1 2023.

MHS Lift receives President’s Award from UniCarriers

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 MHS Lift, Inc., a provider of warehousing and distribution solutions across the U.S. and Canada, was recently honored with the highly coveted 2021 UniCarriers President’s Award. The President’s award is presented annually to the No. 1 performing UniCarriers dealer throughout the Americas. This year’s celebration was held in Sea Island, Georgia. MHS Lift is also a three-time winner in three years (2019, 2020, 2021) of the UniCarriers Premier Club Award, which is given annually to the Top 10 UniCarriers dealers throughout the Americas.  Recipients of the Premier Club Award were evaluated based on six categories – new equipment sales, market penetration, aftermarket parts sales, service expertise, overall performance, and professionalism. “We’re beyond proud to receive this prestigious award, and credit our dedicated team of associates for delivering exceptional service to our growing customer base,” said Andy Levin, President and Co-Owner, MHS Lift. “What an honor it is to be singled out by UniCarriers!” said Brett Levin, Vice President and Co-Owner, MHS Lift. “Despite the ever-changing economy, MHS Lift continues to go above and beyond as a dependable UniCarriers dealer.”

AWRF names Caldwell’s Ferchen to Board

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Associated Wire Rope Fabricators (AWRF) has named The Caldwell Group Inc.’s Director of Business Development Jeff Ferchen to the board of directors. It represents a return to the AWRF board for Ferchen, who previously served from 2015 to 2017. AWRF serves the lifting, rigging, and load securement industry by advancing interests common among its member companies. The association helps create and share technical information, promotes safety standards, and helps develop product identification procedures. Ferchen will serve on the New Member Committee. Ferchen, who joined Rockford, Illinois-based Caldwell, last year, said: “I am proud to represent both Caldwell and the wire rope, rigging, and lifting industries in this new, yet familiar, role. The good work performed of our board and the active participation of our membership make the industry stronger.” He continued: “AWRF is where all the industry experts work to get technical information and help drive overhead lifting standards.” Ferchen delivers a wealth of experience to the board, having spent more than two decades in the rigging industry at several large manufacturing companies and channel partners positioned closer to the point of use. Ferchen is a regular at AWRF’s 18-monthly Product Information Exhibition (PIE) and has worked with various committees during his career. Ferchen and other new board members attended AWRF’s Fall Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in October, and will next meet in Scottsdale, Arizona, in January 2023 for their first official board meeting.

Lincoln Electric completes acquisition of Fori Automation LLC

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Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc has announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Fori Automation, LLC (“Fori”) and closed on a $400 million senior secured term loan to partially fund the acquisition. “We are excited to welcome Fori into Lincoln Electric and expand our leading portfolio of automation solutions and engineering expertise to advance customers’ productivity needs,” stated Christopher L. Mapes, Lincoln’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The transaction brings together two innovative organizations who are guided by similar values and follow a ‘customer-first’ approach.” Mapes continued, “The acquisition increases our annualized automation portfolio revenue to over $850 million as we advance towards our Higher Standard 2025 Strategy $1 billion target and our added scale allows us to better serve customers’ growing automation demands across different end markets.” The acquisition’s operating results will be reported in Lincoln Electric’s first quarter 2023 financials, with approximately 75% of Fori’s revenue reported within the Americas Welding Segment and the balance in International Welding. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Company earnings, excluding transaction costs, at approximately $0.12 to $0.15 per diluted common share on an annual basis in 2023.

Women In Trucking Association announces its December 2022 Member of the Month

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The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Kathy Tuccaro as its December 2022 Member of the Month. Tuccaro is a Heavy Equipment Operator for ExxonMobil. Although Tuccaro was a nurse for 13 years, she found herself on a destructive path, even homeless, due to decades of unresolved trauma. A wake-up call led her to a women’s recovery center, where she spent the next year relearning who she really was and accepting the most authentic version of herself. At the age of 42, nursing was the only career she knew so she attended a career planning workshop to figure out her next steps in life. After three days of aptitude and personality tests, she was handed a paper that had “Heavy Equipment Operator” in large, bold letters. “I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair,” Tuccaro said. “I didn’t even like equipment, I was not mechanically inclined, and I considered that a man’s job. I told the woman that her test was wrong.” However, the woman looked back at her and sternly said, “if you believe in yourself a little bit, you will see the test is right!” From there, Tuccaro was sent to a non-profit organization, Women Building Futures, where ExxonMobil was sponsoring 16 women to take a 12-week Heavy Equipment Operator course. She was selected out of 170 applicants, hired by ExxonMobil in 2013, and now drives a 400-ton 797F Caterpillar Mining Truck, a 52,000-gallon water truck, and a 24M Grader. “I highly encourage women to try a career in the non-traditional trades,” she said. “It pays well, is super fun, and will challenge you to be your best self in every aspect of your life.” Now 10 years sober, Tuccaro has written three books and travels the world working with women and youth in schools, juvenile homes, prisons, and communities. Additionally, she has won two awards for being an ambassador for women in the trades, has been featured in magazines, on radio shows, podcasts, and TV shows, and is a co-host on a radio show, Women Road Warriors, with Shelley Johnson on TNCRadio.Live. Tuccaro’s experience with homelessness inspired her to start “Operation Hydration,” where she distributes water to the homeless during the hottest months of the year in the cities where she’s traveling. She also started a work boot recycling program, donating gently used boots and hard hats to programs that assist people in need who are pursuing a job in the trades. This initiative has led her to distribute more than 7,000 pairs of boots to the communities in Alberta, Canada. When asked about her advice to other women, Tuccaro said, “to anyone out there who is craving change, start by changing the story you are telling yourself. You must believe in the person you want to become, then work every day to reach your goals. You won’t regret the efforts put into building a new and better you. If I can do it, so can you!”

ProMach bolsters retort portfolio with acquisition of Ferlo

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The deal expands ProMach’s international footprint and global retort capacity to readily serve global brands requiring the sterilization and pasteurization of consumer products ProMach, a worldwide provider of processing and packaging solutions, announced the acquisition of Ferlo, a manufacturer of retorts, pasteurizing tunnels, and associated product handling automation systems commonly used to provide shelf-stable food products with expanded shelf life. The acquisition of Ferlo increases ProMach’s existing position in processing equipment, expanding its international presence in the retort segment as well as strengthening its manufacturing capacity and supply chain partnerships. For over 50 years, Ferlo has tailored sterilization systems to the specific needs of customers in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Ferlo’s core offerings include a variety of autoclaves and pasteurizing tunnels for cooking and sterilizing foods, beverages, and pharmaceutical products, complemented by a range of delivery systems to accommodate the material handling of a variety of package types and production processes. ProMach’s existing portfolio includes product brands Allpax and Stock America, with complementary retort room offerings predominately serving the North American market. Ferlo, based in San Adrián, Navarra, Spain, largely serves the global market outside of North America with systems installed across Europe, South America, South Africa, the Middle East, India, and Asia. “Ferlo’s significant presence and strong customer relationships outside North America make it a great fit with our existing business,” said Mark Anderson, ProMach President and CEO. “They’ve built tremendous brand reputation serving many large global companies, and it’s exactly what we need as we continue to expand internationally.” ProMach’s Allpax product brand has been working with Ferlo for nearly two decades, utilizing its manufacturing competency to assist in supplying retort room equipment. “It’s something they excel at,” said Greg Jacob, Senior Vice President of ProMach’s Handling and Sterilizing business line. “While they do an outstanding job outfitting Ferlo branded retort systems, they also have a best-in-class process to efficiently manufacture high-quality pressure vessels, which has developed into a great manufacturing partnership between the businesses. Ferlo and its entire staff are joining the ProMach team as part of ProMach’s Handling & Sterilizing business line under the leadership of Greg Jacob. Current Ferlo owner and President, Rafael Lopez, will join ProMach as Vice President and General Manager of Ferlo. ProMach will continue to invest in Ferlo’s team, brand, products, services, facility, distribution relationships, and research and development efforts to further advance its position as a leader in processing technologies. “Working with ProMach’s product brands firsthand over the years, I’ve witnessed their ability to execute time and time again and win large projects,” said Mr. Lopez. “The number of orders we’ve fulfilled for Allpax and Stock America speak for themselves. I’m looking forward to taking our strategic relationship to the next level, as I feel we are well-positioned to increase our global capacity and service customers around the globe.” ProMach continues to grow its international footprint to better provide localized support for customers across its product segments. “Having a reliable international network is vital for our global customers,” Mr. Anderson explained. “And we want to deliver great customer service all over the world to them. The people and products at Ferlo give ProMach a broad line of retort solutions and improve our support capabilities. We are excited about the growth opportunities at Ferlo.”

Sunbelt Rentals acquires Wagner Rental & Supply locations

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Sunbelt Rentals has acquired Wagner Rental & Supply, which has locations in Chillicothe, New Boston, Jackson, Ohio, and Ashland, Kentucky. “We are excited to announce the start of a new chapter at Wagner Rental & Supply. After much thought and consideration, we have decided to merge our four locations with Sunbelt Rentals and become part of their team. We are certain that this new chapter will result in us serving our community better and will help advance the careers of all of our current employees. After this transition, you will continue to see the same faces at each of our locations and we are excited to better serve you!” Wagner Rental & Supply has been in business for nearly 75 years. The company primarily rented to small contractors and homeowners, offering a wide range of hand tools, plumbing tools, lawn and garden equipment, track loaders, excavators, skid-steer loaders, floor-care equipment, scaffolding equipment, and aerial equipment. The Stansberry Firm represented Wagner Rental & Supply in the transaction.

UgoWork named one of Canada’s Companies-to-Watch in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50™ program

Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50

UgoWork™, a Canadian energy solutions provider specializing in the material handling industry, received a Companies-to-Watch award as part of the 2022 Deloitte Technology Fast 50™ program. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the award recognizes emerging companies based on their revenue growth percentage. “At UgoWork, our mission is to enable organizations to really focus on their core business all while taking control over their material handling operations,” said Philippe Beauchamp, President and CEO of UgoWork. “We thank Deloitte Canada for this recognition and we maintain our commitment to expanding the reach and innovation of our lithium-ion energy solutions with our data-forward approach.” The Companies-to-watch category is a ranking of Canadian technology companies with the potential to be future Technology Fast 50™ candidates by their revenue growth percentage over their last three years of operation. The winners of this year’s companies to watch category must have a minimum of $50 thousand in 2019. “Congratulations to this year’s Companies-to-Watch winners,” commented Anders McKenzie, partner and national leader for the Technology Fast 50 program at Deloitte Canada. “These companies have demonstrated promising growth trajectories and an exemplary ability to seize opportunities even in the face of a challenging economic context. This sets them apart as members of an emerging cohort of tech leaders in Canada. We look forward to keeping an eye on their progress in the months and years to come.”

Millwood acquires Southworth Wood Products

Millwood Acquires Southworth Wood Products

The acquisition is Millwood’s second Waverly, OH location Millwood, Inc. acquired its second location in Southern Ohio and 35th location nationwide. Millwood Co-owners and Partners Chip Trebilcock and Steve Miller finalized the acquisition on September 1. This new location sits on 51 acres and will be referred to as MillTree East: A Millwood, Inc. Company and is just minutes from Millwood’s original MillTree West location in Waverly, OH. MillTree East is a circle mill that is currently cutting material that is resized with band saws for pallet material. Custom crates and pallets are also built at this new location. “This mill here allows us to do more custom lengths than our original Waverly scragg mill,” Millwood General Manager Lionel Trebilcock said. “This acquisition will allow for growth for the company and the team members working at our MillTree operations.” Railroad ties are also being cut at this new Millwood location. “When pallets or cut stock is down a little bit, we can switch gears and cut these ties,” Trebilcock said. “This is a new product that we’ve never done before.” Millwood’s mission is that all who come in contact with Millwood would clearly see the love of Christ in all we do and is at the top of our acquisition checklist. “The Southworth Wood Products acquisition just made sense. It fits with our mission and is just minutes away from our MillTree West location,” Trebilcock said. The two MillTree locations will work in tandem to meet the needs of our customer base in this region.” The team at this new location all have transitioned into the Millwood family and will work hand-in-hand with the MillTree West location to meet the demands of our customers in this area of Ohio. “Located only three miles from our existing sawmill and pallet operation in Waverly, acquiring Southworth presented a unique opportunity for us to not only increase our capacity but also our product offerings to our customers in Central and Southern Ohio,” Sales Director Lee Evans III said. Rich Clark, who now works as a district manager, will oversee the operational and chaplaincy responsibilities for both MillTree locations. “The team and I at MillTree West are very excited to work with and help develop and grow the MillTree East team,” Clark said.

Blue Giant Equipment announces Biasutto as Director of Product Management

Gerard Biasutto headshot

Blue Giant Equipment Corporation (Blue Giant) has announced Gerard Biasutto as its Director of Product Management. Gerard began working for Blue Giant as the Engineering Manager in 2008. Since then, Gerard has supported product design, manufacturing, and sales efforts through his involvement in Technical Development/Sales, Customer Support, Marketing, and Engineered Solutions. Gerard has represented Blue Giant in its membership in the MHI Industry Groups of LODEM (Loading Dock Equipment Manufacturers) since 2012 and LIFT (Lift Manufacturers Association) since 2020. In October 2018 Gerard was elected as Vice-Chair and in October 2022 became Chair of LODEM demonstrating his leadership and commitment to the industry. Steve Barbosa, President, stated “Gerard has been an integral part of Blue Giant for many years. His extensive knowledge and dedication to the company and this industry made him the obvious choice for this position. We know Gerard will succeed in this position and continue to bring value to Blue Giant.” With over 14 years of experience at Blue Giant, Gerard is well suited for the Director, Product Management position. His wide range of skills and expertise will be an asset to overseeing the full product planning cycle including product evaluation, positioning, and new product introduction.