Bosch Rexroth makes management changes
Bosch Rexroth AG, Stuttgart/Lohr, Germany, parent company of Bosch Rexroth Corp., Hoffman Estates, Ill., has announced new management changes effective February 1.
Dr. Albert Hieronimus will take over as chairman of the Bosch Rexroth AG board of management, replacing Manfred Grundke, who is leaving to become managing director of a privately owned German company. Hieronimus is currently managing director of Motor Industries Co. Ltd. (Mico), a Bosch subsidiary headquartered in Bangalore, India. In addition, Dr. Karl Tragl, who is responsible for Bosch Rexroth's Electric Drives and Controls division, will be appointed to the company's board of management. He will be responsible for sales.
Investment firm acquires bearings maker
Tonka Bay Equity Partners, Minnetonka, Minn., recently acquired the AST Bearings division of Axsys Technologies Inc., Montville, N.J. AST supplies high-precision bearings and related products. Tonka Bay will manage AST as an independent company to allow it to invest in product and worldwide growth.
IEC alliance leverages global standards
Yaskawa Electric America Inc., Waukegan, Ill., recently signed a contract with KW-Software that makes KW the sole supplier of IEC software used in Yaskawa's MP2000 series of machine controllers. The KW-Software will be an integral part of Yaskawa's Automation Solution for customers leveraging a “global standard.”
KW-Software supplies solutions and technologies in the field of industrial control and safety technology. KW-Software is an independent company in the Phoenix Contact Group. Yaskawa manufactures mechatronics products including variable speed ac drives, servos, machine controllers, and robots.
Thirty-year anniversary celebrated
Advanced Micro Systems Inc., Nashua, N.H., recently marked its 30th anniversary designing and producing precision step motor control and step motor drive products. Product configurations range from single chip microcontrollers and integrated driver-controller boards to complete standalone systems (driver-controller-power supply) with a selection of full step, half step, or variable resolution microstepping control.
Bishop-Wisecarver president named to NAM board
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) appointed Pamela Kan, president of Bishop-Wisecarver Corp., Pittsburg, Calif., to its board of directors.
Established in 1895, NAM is comprised of more than 200 manufacturing executives. Through advocacy, research, and lobbying, the association enhances competitiveness of manufacturers by influencing legislative and regulatory environments conducive to economic growth.
As a board member, Kan will influence the group's policies on Capitol Hill. She will continue her work with NAM's Employment and Workforce working group, which drives education and job training initiatives brought before congressional leaders. Kan will also join a policy subcommittee, which she says will likely focus on education and workforce development.
Bearing maker acquires injection molding firm
GGB Bearing Technology, formerly Glacier Garlock Bearings, an EnPro Industries company, of Thorofare, N.J., acquired Böhringer Kunststofftechnik GmbH, Sinsheim-Hilsbach, Germany. The company specializes in precision injection molding of high-performance plastics, including tool- and mold-making and rapid prototyping. GGB has been sourcing its solid-polymer offerings from Böhringer for the past two years. It will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of GGB Heilbronn GmbH and will be renamed GGB Kunststoff-Technologie GmbH. Rainer and Wolfgang Böhringer, who founded the company in 1991, will be retained in key management positions.