Yellow Corporation recognized as “Top Company for Women to Work for in Transportation”
Company Receives Honor Fourth Consecutive Year from the Women in Trucking Association Yellow Corporation has been honored again by the Women in Trucking Association among its “Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation.” WIT recognizes companies with corporate cultures that foster gender diversity and also offer competitive compensation and benefits, flexible hours and work requirements, professional development opportunities, and career advancement opportunities. WIT established the “Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation” award to support and advance its mission to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. “What an honor from the Women in Trucking Association, whose partnership and industry leadership we value,” said CEO Darren Hawkins. “I’m proud of the empowering, inclusive culture we’ve built at Yellow, and I’m even more proud of our women leaders at all levels across Yellow who guide our Company to a bright future – whether behind the wheel or a computer screen.” Yellow champions initiatives internally to attract, develop, and retain women in the transportation industry through targeted recruiting, developmental programming, sponsoring conference attendance, and other professional development opportunities. Collectively, we are creating a community of support, enrichment, and engagement designed to foster relationships, enhance the employee experience, and prepare future leaders over the road, in our terminals, and in all roles critical to our success.
PTDA honors Pamela Kan with Warren Pike Award
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) has named Pamela Kan the 30th recipient of its Warren Pike Award for lifetime achievement in the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry. She received her award during the PTDA 2021 Industry Summit on October 22 in Atlanta. Established in 1984, the Warren Pike Award honors individuals who have demonstrated outstanding, continuous, long-term support of PTDA and the PT/MC industry and is only presented when an individual’s achievements merit this prestigious recognition. Warren Pike Award recipients are selected by the PTDA Board of Directors. For Pamela, what began as a short-term assignment working for her father, Bud Wisecarver, evolved into more than three decades working for Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation, which provides linear and rotary motion solutions. Today, Pamela is the sole proprietor of the certified woman-owned company. Pamela’s role with PTDA began in 2003 with a committee assignment. She progressed through several volunteer roles, including serving on the Industry Summit Planning task force three times, including for the 2021 program, as a PTDA Foundation Trustee for five years, and leading the PTDA Manufacturer Council as chair in 2011. During her acceptance speech, Pamela shared: “The number one core value of my own company is to preserve our family culture. Likewise, the PTDA family grows and changes, but the family culture has remained the same. We support one another, provide opportunities for growth and success, and embrace the different views and people that help us be our best. I’m proud to be a member of this PTDA family and am excited to be part of the ongoing growth and changes in the next 20 years.” More information is available at ptda.org/WarrenPikeAward. The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) is a global association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel. Headquartered in Chicago, PTDA represents power transmission/motion control distribution firms that generate more than $16 billion in sales and span over 2,500 locations. PTDA members also include manufacturers that supply the PT/MC industry.
TFS acquires Curlin Material Handling Solutions
Acquisition incorporates new capabilities and an expanded team for TFS Racking & Automation Division TFS, an OnPoint Group Company, and provider of brand-independent forklift fleet management services have announced that it has acquired Curlin Material Handling Solutions. This acquisition brings new capabilities to the TFS Racking & Automation Division. Dedicated to helping manufacturing, retail, and distribution companies meet growing eCommerce demands, TFS Racking & Automation specializes in delivering operational improvements to address space constraints, increase flexibility, and lower total cost while forgoing over-investing in the latest automation trend. “We welcome Curlin Material Handling Solutions to the TFS family, expanding our capabilities to help businesses manage greater SKU variability and higher delivery speed at a lower cost. Curlin’s expertise in conveyor systems is a great asset for our clients,” said Michael Quimby, TFS Chief Operating Officer. “We are committed to growing our Racking & Automation Division, ensuring our customers have the tools they need to optimize their facilities and meet rising customer demands. Curlin adds expertise in the design, integration, and maintenance of conveyor systems for regional and national customers that need reliable, no-nonsense automation options,” said Tom Cox, OnPoint CEO. Since 1940, Curlin Material Handling Solutions has been a dependable integrator of material handling systems and solutions across Florida, with a specialty in the integration of complex receiving, storage, process conveyor, sortation, and loading dock systems. “We believe TFS Racking & Automation Division is the right partner to let us share our expertise, specifically in conveyor capabilities, with a nationwide clientele,” said Bob Gesemyer, Owner of Curlin Material Handling Solutions. “We are thrilled to support TFS Racking & Automation in helping businesses implement significant improvements at their facilities.”
DELLNER BUBENZER acquires the business of Hydratech Industries
DELLNER BUBENZER Group has announced the acquisition of the business of Hydratech Industries, the Danish global supplier of high-end hydraulic systems, cylinders, and accumulators for wind, offshore-, marine- and industry applications. With manufacturing facilities located in Denmark, Czech Republic, India, USA, and China and Service & Repair divisions, the DELLNER BUBENZER Group welcomes 300 new employees in its team and strengthens its local presence worldwide. This is the next step for the Swedish company, which is well on its way to realizing its ambition of becoming the world’s leading supplier of brakes and related power transmission products. “Hydratech is a great addition to our group, complementing our ground-breaking invention of an electrohydraulic BUEL® thruster system. This expands our offering to our customers and strengthens our hydraulics expertise” says Marcus Åberg, CEO of DELLNER BUBENZER. The company will operate under the name DELLNER HYDRATECH Group AS in the future and a lot of activities are now processed. Marcus Åberg adds: “Right now it is business as usual. We will continue to support customers and are looking forward to our new colleagues. Together we will continue to develop our companies to the benefit of our customers, our suppliers, and our employees and create synergies when we incorporate Hydratech within the DELLNER BUBENZER Group”. DELLNER BUBENZER is an industry-diverse global leader in the design and manufacture of braking systems for the material handling, crane & hoist, container handling, mining, marine, industrial, offshore, oil & gas, and wind energy sectors. The company is privately owned and part of Sweden´s DELLNER Group with a history of manufacturing brakes since 1936.
Industrial Scientific welcomes Amanda Birkhead as Vice President of Marketing
Amanda Birkhead, formerly of Honeywell, joins the Industrial Scientific leadership team Industrial Scientific, a global provider in gas detection and safety-as-a-service, is pleased to announce that Amanda Birkhead has joined the company as vice president of marketing. Amanda will be responsible for working cross-functionally to tightly align the company’s go-to-market structure from market visibility and lead generation to sales, with the goal of delivering an outstanding global customer experience. Amanda joins Industrial Scientific from Honeywell, where she demonstrated results in roles of increasing responsibility across marketing, commercial, and product. Most recently, she was the chief product officer for the buildings segment of Honeywell Connected Enterprise, where she led strategy, product management, pricing, and marketing for cloud-based, enterprise software offerings for building control, predictive maintenance/analytics, workplace experience, and business process improvement. Prior to that, she was the chief marketing officer for Honeywell Building Solutions, where she led marketing strategy and execution. “Throughout Amanda’s career, she has developed significant experience in IoT and hardware-enabled software workflows while delivering solutions to real customer problems by combining technology, applications, and deep customer understanding,” said Parker Burke, president of Industrial Scientific. “Amanda will be a true accelerator of Our Vision while showing up each day with her team to progress Our Mission and Our Way.” Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Business Administration from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis. She has also participated in and completed numerous executive training programs during her tenure at Honeywell.
Industry Veteran Barbara Ross honored with PTDA Foundation’s 2021 Wendy B. McDonald Award
Wendy B. McDonald was one of the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry’s true pioneers. To honor her memory, in 2014, the PTDA Foundation established the Wendy B. McDonald Award. It recognizes a woman who has established herself as a critical contributor to her company’s success and has affected positive change within the PT/MC industry. This year’s recipient of the Wendy B. McDonald Award is Barbara J. Ross of Garlock Sealing Technologies. Barbara began her career at Garlock in 1973, working alongside her father. What started as a summer job evolved into a 46-year career in the PT/MC industry. At Garlock, Barbara honed her skills working for various departments—from finance to marketing to administration—before being named the company’s first female distribution center manager. With this distinction came a move from upstate New York to Atlanta. Additional career advancements within the industry and relocations proved promising for Barbara, who soon discovered her niche in marketing. In 2014, Barbara became the VP of sales and marketing for Garlock’s Rotating Seal Division, a role in which she continues to lead and find fulfillment. Barbara’s success in the PT/MC workforce is what she considers one of her greatest achievements. She draws inspiration from the words of a friend, colleague, and award namesake Wendy McDonald: “You have to work at something to make it a success.” Barbara continues to channel her passion into helping others in the PT/MC industry carve their own path to success. She says the key is to “be prepared, listen, be responsive, do what you say you’re going to do and admit if you don’t know something.” Barbara is well-respected and admired by her colleagues and industry peers. Her warm and welcoming demeanor and industry savvy make her a frequently sought-out volunteer for PTDA and PTDA Foundation committees and projects. She currently serves on the PTDA Foundation Board, as chair of the PT WORK Force® Work, Education Resource and Knowledge Committee, and on the Funding Committee. She also serves on the PTDA Industry Insights Committee. Barbara was presented with Wendy B. McDonald Award during the Annual Business Meeting at the PTDA 2021 Industry Summit in Atlanta on October 22. For further information, visit ptda.org/WendyBMcDonaldAward.
CLPA appoints Roy Kok to help grow partnership network
The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) has appointed Roy Kok as Senior Partnerships and Alliance Specialist to enhance the organization’s ever-growing global channel of industry-leading automation vendors. The popularity of the CLPA’s open industrial communication technologies, and the number of partners, have been steadily increasing year on year. To support this continuous expansion, the new position will strengthen the infrastructure and business value proposition for new and existing partners. In his role as Senior Partnerships and Alliance Specialist, Roy Kok will be responsible for driving new business initiatives across North America aimed at growing participation in the CLPA. This is a key role, as the goal of the organization is the global advancement of open, interoperable information and communication technologies to support end-users with state-of-the-art solutions. Roy Kok will also help strengthen Mitsubishi Electric’s e-F@ctory Alliance program, where members cooperate to offer flexible, optimized automated solutions for customers across a wide variety of industries. Roy has worked for over 30 years in industrial automation as a technical and commercial senior specialist. In his previous roles, he successfully established valuable partnerships and OEM relationships, which has provided him with a unique understanding of industry needs and vertical markets. Bringing this knowledge and experience will benefit all companies that are members of the CLPA and e-F@ctory Alliance as well as their customers. Thomas Burke, Global Strategic Advisor at CLPA, comments: “Roy is an outstanding addition to our team, as he brings a deep understanding of developing strategic alliances and what it takes to deliver partner success. With an impressive track record of translating strategy into tangible results, he will play a key role in growing our community and benefits to our members, delivering on a partner-first approach. Expanding the reach of our open network technologies globally is crucial to enhance the level of interconnectivity, interoperability, and flexibility that the market is demanding. Roy’s drive and expertise will serve our network well as we continue to grow.” He continues: “The business value proposition for CLPA coupled with the e-F@ctory Alliance initiative is to help our customers succeed in the digital transformation. Bringing Roy to the team will allow us to focus on supporting our partners in building a complete ecosystem to support the smart factories of the future. As a result, we can provide products and more importantly solutions for industrial automation.” Roy Kok concludes: “I am thrilled to join the CLPA and honored to help lead an organization with such an excellent reputation. The CLPA’s family of open industrial network technologies are used globally. The fourth industrial revolution is an exciting time for the association, which is addressing the needs of the future with CC-Link IE TSN, the first open industrial gigabit Ethernet with Time-Sensitive Networking capabilities. My work will help strengthen the position of the CLPA and its members as global leaders in industrial automation.”
PLASTICS releases statement after passing of Plastics Academy president Jay Gardiner
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) released the following statement from president and CEO Tony Radoszewski in reaction to the passing of Jay Gardiner. “On behalf of the entire plastics industry, I express my deepest sympathies to the family of Jay Gardiner. Jay was a legend, both in the business and in his community. His foundational contributions to the growth of the plastics industry in the United States rightfully earned him a place in the Plastics Hall of Fame, an organization he served with characteristic dedication in recent years. Beyond his life in plastics, Jay was also a pillar of his community, where he served in the local fire department for over three decades and taught at a local community college. Jay will be sorely missed.”
Port of Long Beach honored for Excellence in Messaging
COVID-19 outreach campaigns capture 13 trophies The Port of Long Beach collected the most awards from the American Association of Port Authorities for 13 outstanding communications campaigns that were adapted or designed to meet the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The haul included nine AAPA “Awards of Excellence,” the equivalent of first-place trophies. For the second consecutive year, the Port received an award for every entry it submitted in the communications competition. The Port’s entries were recognized for achievements in special events, videos, advertisements, and other categories judged by the AAPA, which represents more than 130 seaports in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. Long Beach competed in a class composed of the larger seaports. Additionally, the Port of Long Beach earned the AAPA’s Lighthouse Award of Excellence for Environmental Improvement: Mitigation, for its efforts to lessen the environmental impacts of goods movement through the Community Grants Program. The program was created to help those in the community who are most vulnerable to port-related impacts. The current $46.4 million program is the largest voluntary effort of its kind by any seaport in the nation. Combined with a previous program started in 2009, the Port of Long Beach has set aside more than $65 million. To date, $33.1 million has been committed for local programs. The Port previously received the award in 2015 and 2016. “Our communications and environmental programs persisted in serving the community while driving home the message that the Port of Long Beach remained open and operating during the unprecedented challenges resulting from COVID-19,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, who also is serving as chairman of the AAPA through 2022. “These efforts solidify the Port’s standing as an industry leader capable of connecting with a diverse audience of labor, industry and community stakeholders.” “For a second year in a row, the Port’s team has demonstrated creativity and strength through its communications and community relations efforts, in addition to an industry-leading Community Grants Program that has supported efforts by local schools and health care facilities to reduce port impacts related to air, noise, water, and traffic,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission president Steven Neal. “It’s always an honor to be recognized by our industry peers, but this year was particularly special given the seamless productivity our staff has demonstrated while working primarily from home.” The Port of Long Beach earned the AAPA’s Award of Excellence in nine categories: The Port’s COVID-19 outreach was honored in the Overall Campaign category for employing several wide-ranging outreach initiatives, some of which drew upon the skills of various Port divisions. The programs and projects launched in response to the worldwide pandemic included advertisements, opening a COVID-19 testing site, distributing 300,000 pieces of personal protective equipment, creating a COVID-19 webpage, relaying Port activity to business partners, and adapting popular community-focused programs to account for social-distancing protocols. Additionally, six members of the Port’s Communications staff were temporarily reassigned to assist the City’s Emergency Operation Center’s Joint Information Center, Equity Office, and Contact Tracing Unit. The Port’s partnership with the City of Long Beach for its COVID-19 Response Campaign was honored in the Advertisements category. The advertising series was prominently placed in local print and online publications and on social media to reinforce the message that both the Port and the City were open for business despite the challenges of the pandemic. Opening a drive-up COVID-19 testing site within the Harbor District earned the Port an award in the Community and Education Outreach category. Almost 27,000 tests were administered at the site. The Port’s conversion of its annual Scholarship Program from an in-person to virtual format was also honored in the Community and Education Outreach category. In 2020, $125,000 in scholarships was awarded to 94 students. The virtual grand opening ceremony for the completion of the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project was recognized in the Special Events category. Because completion of the high profile, eight-year, $1.5 billion bridge construction project came in the midst of the pandemic when no public gatherings could be held, the Oct. 2, 2020, event was designed as a program that members of the public could enjoy from their homes while a small, limited number of officials carried out the opening ceremony in a safe, socially distanced manner. The highly successful culmination event started with a one-hour prerecorded broadcast with 17 speakers, followed by a 30-minute live broadcast that featured simultaneous clean truck, vintage car, and boat parades punctuated by a flyover of five historic Tiger Squadron aircraft. (In 2021, the state Legislature proposed “Long Beach International Gateway Bridge” as the name for the new span.) The Twilight Cinema drive-in movie program was also honored in the Special Events category for providing a safe and socially distanced opportunity for Long Beach residents to sit in their vehicles and watch family-friendly films in local parking lots. The Port’s 2021 State of the Port – “The Year of Recovery” also received an award in the Special Events category by moving from an in-person event to an online program that delivered a high-quality video presentation with dynamic footage and graphics. The Port’s annual in-person PHOTO Program evolved to become the PhotoWorks Program, a virtual photography class that was honored in the Social/Web-Based Media category. Held in partnership with the Arts Council for Long Beach, the free program drew about 660 participants who joined a private Facebook group to view instructional videos on various photography topics. The first instructional video within the PhotoWorks series was recognized in the Video category, featuring photographer Tim Rue carrying out an assignment to produce an image for the cover of the Port’s widely circulated annual Tidetables and Reference Guide publication. The Port of Long Beach also collected the AAPA’s Award of Distinction – the equivalent of second-place wins – in three categories: A full-color advertisement featuring the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge illuminated with red and green lighting and wishing readers “Happy Holidays” was honored in the Advertising category. Embark!, a 20-page,
Parker Burke named president of Industrial Scientific
Industrial Scientific, a global provider in gas detection and safety-as-a-service, is pleased to announce that Parker Burke has been promoted to president. Parker will be responsible for forming and executing the company’s strategy toward preserving human life and ending death on the job by 2050. For the past two years, Parker has led the business as senior vice president and general manager. Prior to joining Industrial Scientific in 2019, Parker was vice president and general manager at Anderson-Negele in Fultonville, New York. Before leading Anderson-Negele, Parker held a number of commercial and operations roles at Gilbarco Veeder-Root. “Parker delivers impressive results, but even more impressive are his humility, thoughtful approach to leadership and service to others,” said Justin McElhattan, group president, EHS Platform at Fortive. “We are pleased to recognize Parker’s strategic role within Industrial Scientific and look forward to his continued leadership.” Parker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Following graduation, he served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for over six years. Parker also holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Raymond’s Jennifer de Souza named a Supply and Demand Chain Executive 2021 Women in Supply Chain award winner
Jennifer de Souza, senior director of energy solutions, procurement, and leasing for The Raymond Corporation, has been named a Supply & Demand Chain Executive 2021 Women in Supply Chain award winner. This award recognizes female supply chain leaders and executives whose accomplishments, mentorship, and examples set a foundation for women in all levels of a company’s supply chain network. “I am incredibly honored to have received this award,” de Souza said. “Continuing to mentor and educate individuals and companies about the benefits of alternative energy solutions, including lithium-ion batteries, will lead to a more efficient workforce and sustainable future.” De Souza currently holds management responsibility for energy storage solutions and leads Raymond’s alternative energy initiatives. Her experience maximizing efficiencies in manufacturing, warehousing, and global supply chain operations have supported the growth of Raymond’s energy solutions portfolio. De Souza has leadership over the Energy Essentials Distributed By Raymond™’s line of lithium-ion batteries that provide operations with fast-charging power solutions housed in a denser footprint. This offering enables complete and unique integration between the truck and battery, giving full visibility to operational data elements that include state-of-charge and fault codes. By introducing the new line of lithium-ion batteries, de Souza has helped Raymond’s supply chain customers achieve significant productivity enhancements, including increased uptime and reduced electricity costs. De Souza has a passion for educating operations regarding the benefits of lithium-ion batteries, which has led her to contribute to articles, in a variety of material handling publications, that highlight how alternative energy solutions drive increased productivity while generating significant cost savings. De Souza was selected for the Women in Supply Chain award from a field of more than 200 professionals in the industry. The winners appeared in the September issue of SDCE.
Seegrid ranked No. 1 Autonomous Mobile Robot provider in the US by Interact Analysis
The new report also highlights Seegrid’s position as a global leader in mobile robotics for material handling Seegrid Corporation, a provider in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for material handling, has announced it’s been named #1 for all mobile robots in the United States and #1 in market share worldwide for automated tow tractors in the 2021 Mobile Robot report by Interact Analysis, an international market research authority for the supply chain automation industry. The report evaluates 2020 data and is focused on material handling applications in manufacturing and logistics environments. Interact Analysis’ recognition comes during a year of continued breakthrough technology development for Seegrid. The company announced the expansion of its product portfolio with the launch of its first Palion Lift AMR, further extending the end-to-end capabilities of the company’s fleet of mobile robotic solutions. The company plans to continue to expand and strengthen its global market foothold across manufacturing, distribution, and e-commerce fulfillment. “For nearly five years, we have been closely following the tremendous growth in the AGV and AMR market across the globe, and this report reinforces that Seegrid has successfully capitalized on this opportunity as the largest mobile robot vendor in the US market,” said Ash Sharma, Managing Director and Robotics and Warehouse Automation Division Lead for Interact Analysis. “Our research indicates that the mobile robot market will only continue growing given supply chain trends and the need for businesses to reduce costs, improve safety, and address labor shortages.” Seegrid Palion AMRs have been performing and reporting on tasks safely and productively for more than 5 million autonomous miles in dynamic and high-traffic customer environments without a single personnel safety incident. Earlier this year, the company released upgrades to the Palion Tow Tractor and the Palion Pallet Truck, enabling the robotic fleet to better comprehend and make decisions using Seegrid’s AI-based algorithm with proprietary vision technology. “The Interact Analysis report findings are further validation that our mobile automation and software solutions are the proven, trusted choice,” said Jim Rock, Seegrid’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our customers have come to count on us to help solve their supply chain and workflow issues by deploying some of the world’s best autonomous mobile robots and intelligent automation solutions.” With a rapidly expanding AMR portfolio and capabilities, Seegrid recently added a Robots as a Service (RaaS) subscription model, providing customers with an alternative to facilitate access to the latest Seegrid Palion AMR fleet and enterprise software solutions. The company will continue the rapid advancement of its mobile automation technologies through Blue Labs, Seegrid’s recently-formed in-house innovation acceleration team of world-class experts who are dedicated to identifying new technologies to build on its strong technical advantage. Blue Labs continues to conduct dedicated research and development efforts that will keep Seegrid positioned as a global AMR leader well into the future.
AIT Worldwide Logistics surpasses fundraising goal, donates more than $63,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Walk/Run sponsor, transportation management leader tops fundraising goal for the fifth year in a row More than three dozen fundraising teams from across AIT Worldwide Logistics’ global network came together during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. Including the company’s promised match, AIT handily overshot its original $30,000 goal for a total donation of $63,749. “I’m so proud to see AIT teammates show up year after year, and in such a big way, to support the children of St. Jude, and all the kids around the world who are helped by the hospital’s critical work,” said AIT Worldwide Logistics President and CEO, Vaughn Moore. Since first partnering with St. Jude in 2017, AIT’s supply chain solutions experts have worked together to raise more than $288,000 to support the hospital’s efforts, which include sharing lifesaving, cutting-edge research with doctors and medical institutions all over the world. Moore added that AIT initially selected St. Jude as the company’s flagship alliance because not only does the hospital treat pediatric cancer patients, but they also never charge a dime for their services. In keeping with pandemic safety precautions, team members took part in one communal, virtual walk—versus traditional in-person events around the world. Runners and walkers also used St. Jude’s innovative, contactless app in combination with their social media presences to raise both money and awareness. “We are grateful for the partnership of AIT Worldwide Logistics, whose employees around the world teamed up to support the life-saving mission of St. Jude during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. “Support from individual donors and partners like AIT helps fuel St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s recently announced $11.5 billion strategic plan,” Shadyac added. “That plan triples St. Jude’s global investment to impact more of the 400,000 children worldwide who will get cancer each year and accelerates research and treatments for the deadliest forms of childhood cancers and other catastrophic diseases.” St. Jude has spent the past five decades leading the charge in putting an end to childhood cancer, caring for patients, and creating treatments that helped increase the overall childhood cancer survival rate from just 20% to more than 80%. Learn more at www.stjude.org/together.
Industrial Scientific welcomes Pronitha Shankarananda as Vice President of Product Management
Pronitha Shankarananda, formerly of Fluke, joins the Industrial Scientific leadership team Industrial Scientific, a global provider in gas detection and safety-as-a-service, is pleased to announce that Pronitha Shankarananda has joined the company as vice president of product management. Pronitha will be responsible for leading the Industrial Scientific product management and applications engineering teams while developing and executing the business and product strategy at a global scale. Pronitha joins Industrial Scientific from Fluke, where she spent the last six years in product management, product marketing, strategy, and leading some of Fluke’s largest business units. In these roles, she delivered key wins for both the business and customers across devices, IOT, and software, resulting in a product strategy aimed at solving real customer problems and generating significant growth for the business. Before joining Fluke, Pronitha held roles in enterprise sales, software consulting, and engineering at a variety of companies around the world. “Across Pronitha’s career, she has demonstrated a unique ability to lead and develop teams towards product and business strategies that are truly transformational to both customers and industries,” said Parker Burke, president of Industrial Scientific. “I am eager to see how she accelerates our strategy in pursuit of Our Vision of eliminating death on the job by 2050.” Pronitha holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the National Institute of Technology in Karnataka, India, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Delhi, and a Master of Science in Management Studies from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Fairchild Equipment and Polaris announce new agreement
Distribution, sales, and service includes Polaris’ GEM and Pro XD lines of commercial vehicles Fairchild Equipment has signed a dealer agreement with Polaris Inc. to represent Polaris’ GEM and Pro XD utility task vehicle (UTV) lines of commercial vehicles. The two companies share a business strategy to provide customers with a breadth of products without sacrificing the quality of service and depth of product knowledge. While Fairchild Equipment has been a trusted Taylor-Dunn distributor for many years, this new agreement expands the dealer’s territory from their Green Bay, Marinette, and Stevens Point, Wisconsin branches to the entire states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota as well as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Northern Illinois. “We are very excited to partner with Polaris given the breadth of their product portfolio and the value of their name and market presence,” Fairchild Equipment’s President, Van Clarkson, stated. “It gives us access to products and customers in markets we don’t play in today and having it cover our entire trade area made sense for both parties. I know our team is excited to start selling products and parts, and servicing existing Polaris customers immediately!” “We are proud to have Fairchild Equipment in our dealer network and excited for our customers that they are expanding their offerings to include Polaris GEM and Pro XD vehicles,” said Jamie Juliano, director of sales North America, Polaris Commercial. “We appreciate that Fairchild Equipment provides customers with a one-stop-shop by focusing on customer training, service, and post-sales support above and beyond the team’s product line knowledge and sales.” Polaris GEMs are all-electric, street-legal low-speed vehicles (LSVs) designed to move people and goods safely and efficiently across campuses. GEM vehicles help reduce fleet operating costs, increase vehicle utilization, and reduce the CO2 footprint of a fleet in a real, actionable, and affordable way. GEMs meet the safety classification of LSVs by having 3-point seat belts, four-wheel brakes, safety glass windshield, and backup camera standard, as well as meets rollover occupant protection systems (ROPS) roof crush certification. GEM vehicles can be customized to meet specific needs for shuttle service, campus transport, maintenance, repair and operations, construction, technician, delivery, housekeeping, grounds crew, safety, and security. The Polaris Pro XD is built to withstand tough worksite conditions and enhance productivity. Pro XD is designed specifically for durability, serviceability, and safety and has two and four-seat, gas, and diesel models offering up to 2,075 pounds payload and 2,500 pounds towing capacities, heavy-duty driveline components, and up to 200-hour maintenance intervals. The vehicles also feature puncture-resistant Kevlar-backed vinyl seats, all-new jobsite tires for longer life on hard-packed surfaces, as well as multiple standard safety features like horn, reverse beeper, and vehicle fault alarms which notify users of potential issues that could cause serious damage to the vehicle. Backed by 65 years of Polaris innovation, Polaris Commercial offers a comprehensive line of durable, versatile, and customizable work vehicle solutions for transporting people and hauling equipment in urban and industrial applications. GEM, Pro XD, and Taylor-Dunn vehicles are engineered with the customer’s needs in mind to be dependable, safe, sustainable and to increase productivity. The dedicated Polaris Commercial team provides customers and dealers with resources and support capabilities designed for all types of organizations.
Manitowoc Board of Directors elects Amy R. Davis and Robert W. Malone as new Directors
The Manitowoc Company, Inc., a global manufacturer of cranes and lifting solutions has announced that Amy R. Davis and Robert W. Malone have been elected to the Company’s board of directors effective immediately. Additionally, the Company increased the size of the Board of Directors from eight members to ten members. Ms. Davis has served as the Vice President and President – New Power Business of Cummins Inc. (“Cummins”) since July 2020. Prior to her current role, she served as Vice President of the global Filtration business, and served on the Board of Directors for two sizeable Cummins joint ventures; Shanghai Fleetguard in Shanghai, China, and Fleetguard Filtrum LTD in Pune, India. Prior to that, Ms. Davis was President of the Cummins Northeast distributor as an owner, where she transformed a small business into a high-growth, customer-driven operation, achieving significant revenue and profit increases. Ms. Davis spent the early years of her career moving through a variety of global sales, strategy, and general management roles at AT&T, NCR, and Cummins. She has lived in multiple U.S. cities and in Europe. Ms. Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Northwestern University and completed the Executive Program for Marketing Strategy at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Mr. Malone has served as the Vice President and President – Filtration Group of Parker-Hannifin Corporation (“Parker”) since December 2014. Mr. Malone joined Parker in 2013 serving as Vice President of Operations for the Filtration Group where he was responsible for five of the group’s divisions and the group sponsor for four of the seven global filtration platforms. Prior to Parker, Mr. Malone served as President and CEO for Purolator Filters with responsibility for the engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and sales of branded and private label filters to North American OEM and aftermarket customers. Prior to Purolator Filters, Mr. Malone held senior leadership positions with ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Aftermarket and Arvin-Kayaba, LLC. Mr. Malone holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and a joint Master of Business Administration and Engineering from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. “Both Amy and Rob are seasoned executives who bring a wealth of global expertise and operational experience and will provide valuable perspective to our board and management team, particularly related to the strategic growth of Manitowoc,” said Kenneth W. Krueger, Chairman of Manitowoc’s Board of Directors.
ALL names Kasey Stephens new GM of Geismar, La., branch
15-year crane lifer helms ALL Crane Rental of Louisiana “Some kids played with Malibu Barbie. I played on a crane parked in my backyard.” That’s how Kasey Stephens explains her introduction to “living the crane life,” lifetime love of the crane business, which has culminated in her being named the new general manager of ALL Crane Rental of Louisiana, a member of the ALL Family of Companies. It’s a familiar story when a love of cranes is passed down from one generation to another. That’s how it happened for Stephens, whose father was in the business for more than three decades, beginning as an operator before transitioning into sales. Stephens began her own career 15 years ago, first working for the same southern-based chain of crane rental companies where her dad spent his career. “I started in an entry-level accounts payable and receivable position and then expanded that experience by touching just about every aspect of the crane rental business,” said Stephens, citing her time in human resources and safety training. In 2012, Stephens joined the ALL branch she now manages, starting out handling contracts, insurance, and collections. By 2017, she was working in sales, having gained a well-rounded record of experience in virtually every facet of branch administration. “I joined ALL because I knew it was a place with no ceiling, where I could grow my career in cranes.” Stephens is excited about the growth opportunities throughout the branch’s footprint, which also touches Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas in addition to Louisiana. “This is the heart of oil country, so refinery work is a significant part of our project mix,” said Stephens, adding that industrial plant work and cell tower erection are also key markets. Crawlers remain in high demand at the branch, along with rough terrain cranes that are out for rent virtually non-stop. Stephens notes the increased customer demand for all-terrain cranes. “More customers are asking us to supply ATs and operators to work at their job sites for extended periods,” said Stephens. “It’s been a growth business for us.” In this part of the country, the weather has a major impact on workflow and fleet management (even now, the region is recovering from the recent landfall of Hurricane Ida). This unpredictability is significant because jobs in progress obviously halt in severe weather, but when the weather clears and work could theoretically resume, cranes then need to be dispatched for recovery work due to the storm. “It’s something we’re used to handling in this region,” said Stephens. During those times, the branch can rely on the ALL Family’s national fleet to augment its localized offering. Stephens is ready for any challenges ahead. “We have a fantastic team here,” said Stephens. “Everyone works together for the greater good and truly embraces ALL’s ‘family’ philosophy. That extends to each other, our customers, and the communities we serve.” Stephens is the first woman to head an ALL branch, and likely one of the few women industry-wide to reach a general manager position. “It’s not something I think about,” said Stephens. “But I hope it shows other women that there is definitely a place for them in the crane industry. ALL have women in the field as operators and oilers, working in administration where I got my start, in sales, and elsewhere. It’s a place where, if you have the drive and talent, you can go as far as you want to go.”
Lindmeyer joins Felling Trailers as Great Lakes Regional Sales Manager
Felling Trailers Inc., a national provider in industrial and commercial trailers, has appointed Joel Lindmeyer as their Great Lakes Regional Sales Manager. In this role, he will be responsible for all sales development, activity, and dealer support within Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. As the regional manager for the Great Lakes, Joel’s primary responsibilities will be to achieve region market share objectives with the existing dealer base and develop new dealers in the assigned territory, providing training and product support. Joel will be taking over the Great Lakes region once served by Daniel “Boone” Larsen, who retired in May of 2021. Lindmeyer brings over twenty-five years of experience in the truck and trailer industry with a strong emphasis on sales and customer service. “Joel has a strong knowledge of the recreational trailer and commercial/municipal truck industries. I believe he will be an asset to our team as we continue to support and grow our market share in the Great Lakes region,” said Nathan Uphus, Felling Trailers’ sales manager. Joel gained his knowledge of the commercial and municipal truck industry while working with Monroe Truck Equipment for a period of nine years in sales and service. From there, he spent the next seventeen years working in the trailer industry in the role of Regional Sales Manager for Big Rivers LTD, a wholesale equipment distributor specializing in trailer and waterfront equipment, selling trailer lines like Triton Aluminum Trailers, Shorelander, and Karavan. After his time with Big Rivers, he took on a role as Director of Sales with a sporting goods company for a few years. During that time, Joel realized his heart was in the trailer industry and seized the opportunity to apply for Felling Trailers’ sales position. “I am happy to get back into the trailer industry; this is where my passion lies. I always knew I would one day get back to the industry in some capacity. I am grateful for that opportunity to be with Felling Trailers,” said Joel. “Joel is the “full kit”, he brings a great amount of experience and enthusiasm to the position, and I am excited that he is a part of our Felling Trailers Sales team,” said Patrick Jennissen, Felling’s SVP of sales & marketing.
H&E opens new branch in Ogden, UT
Effective October 11, 2021, H&E Equipment Services Inc. (H&E) announces the opening of a new rental branch just north of Salt Lake City in Ogden. It is the company’s third Utah facility. The branch is located at 1723 West 1350 South, Ogden, UT 84401-0328, phone 385-405-7200. The 8,350-square-foot facility sits on 3-acres with a fully fenced yard area, offices, parts warehouse, and a separate repair shop with six service bays. It is capable of handling a variety of construction and general industrial equipment for customers in northern Utah, southeast Idaho, and Western Wyoming. “H&E has been established in Salt Lake City for over 50 years, and expansion to Ogden was a natural step, creating a cluster approach for equipment availability. Our new location will allow us to respond to our customers to the north more efficiently, with interstate access west of I-15,” says Branch Manager Chris Baron, who also leads the Salt Lake City branch. “This area has been one of the strongest in the nation post-pandemic, and the projected construction market forecast of nearly $5 billion over the next five years means that our business is expanding in the right place at the right time. Surface infrastructure and education projects are strong, and we are moving in new rental machinery to prepare to meet the needs of customers working in the area.” The Ogden branch specializes in the rental of aerial lifts, telescopic forklifts, earthmoving machinery, compaction equipment, generators, compressors, and more and represents the following manufacturers: Allmand, Atlas Copco, Bomag, Case, Club Car, Cushman, Doosan, Gehl, Generac Mobile, Genie, Hilti, Husqvarna, JCB, JLG, John Deere, Kubota, LayMor, Ledwell, Lincoln Electric, Link-Belt Excavators, MEC, Miller, Multiquip, Polaris, Skyjack, SkyTrak, Sullair, Sullivan-Palatek, TAG, Taylor, Towmaster Trailers, Wacker Neuson, Yanmar, and others.
Regal Completes merger with Rexnord PMC, creating Regal Rexnord Corporation
The new company brings an expanded range of product and digital solutions aimed at helping increase customers’ efficiency and productivity Regal Beloit Corporation, a global provider in the engineering and manufacturing of electric motors and controls, power generation products, and power transmission components, has announced it has completed the merger with Rexnord Process and Motion Control (PMC) to become Regal Rexnord Corporation. The company’s new name signifies bringing together the complementary strengths of two strong businesses and highlights their now common future as a leader in the engineering and manufacturing of power transmission solutions and high-efficiency electric motors and systems. The new company will be comprised of four distinct business segments: Motion Control Solutions, Climate Solutions, Commercial Systems, and Industrial Systems. Together, these enable air moving and HVAC solutions that keep people comfortable; agricultural and food service equipment that keeps the world fed; mining and manufacturing operations that keep the world moving; and conveying solutions that help keep e-commerce flowing. Combining these two companies creates an expanded range of products to serve customers across the entire industrial powertrain. This new portfolio includes highly regarded brands from both Regal and Rexnord PMC, including Regal’s Browning, Grove Gear, Hub City, Jaure, Kop-Flex, McGill, ModSort, Sealmaster, and System Plast brands, as well as PMC’s Berg, Cambridge, Centa, Falk, Rexnord and Stearns brands, among others. In addition to more robust solutions across the industrial powertrain, Regal Rexnord will have opportunities to provide customers world-class industrial internet of things (IIoT) and digital solutions by harnessing the combined capabilities of Regal’s Perceptiv™ and Rexnord’s DiRXN® digital platforms. By integrating hardware, software, and human-ware, Regal Rexnord will be well-positioned to deliver best-in-class solutions optimized for reliability, performance, and efficiency. At a time when global supply chains are constrained, the combined company will leverage manufacturing facilities on five continents to help increase reliability, quality, response time, and product availability. Louis Pinkham, CEO of Regal Rexnord, commented “For over 125 years, Regal has consistently provided our customers with reliable, high-quality powertrain products and solutions. Now, with the addition of Rexnord PMC, we are taking a tremendously positive step forward in Regal’s ongoing transformation, positioning the new Regal Rexnord company to create significant value for all our customers. We will provide more robust industrial powertrain solutions — comprised of our motors and critical power transmission components — to enable a range of efficiency and productivity gains for our customers. By providing more energy-efficient solutions, developed with greater intention, especially when it comes to leveraging the voice of the customer, Regal Rexnord is also now in a better position to fulfill our business purpose: creating a better tomorrow by energy-efficiently converting power into motion.”