Freightliner Trucks recently named Alex Bernasconi as manager of vocational sales. He will be based in Seattle and responsible for national sales and marketing of Freightliner Truck's Business Class and Class 8 trucks to the construction and refuse industries. Prior to joining Freightliner, Bernasconi was product development liaison for a heavy-truck manufacturer. He has more than 20 years of sales, engineering and product support experience in heavy duty trucks.

I&F Equipment, Inc. and Clay Warner + Associates, Inc. have merged to form IWI Group, LLC. I&F Equipment has been the major broker of used concrete products equipment in the industry, specializing in the concrete block area. Clay Warner + Associates brokers used pipe and precast equipment. Also, both companies perform appraisals and provide consulting services. This union combines over 70 years of knowledge and resources, which will allow IWI to better serve the entire concrete products industry.

Management of Springville, N.Y.-based T.L. Smith Machine/Ashford Concrete has announced the addition of a new director of engineering, Ian Clugston. Additionally, the company has appointed Charlie Schumacher and Jerzy Skrzyniarz to the company's sales team.

Clugston has been appointed the new director of engineering for the company's entire operation. In this capacity, he will be responsible for work produced by the company's project engineers and the design of its entire product line.He has over 12 years' experience working for several companies such as Jasco Tool, Dresser-Rand, Foster Wheeler Energy and Gunlocke. Clugston recently received his masters' degree in industrial engineering from the State University of New York College at Alfred.

Schumacher has been appointed the vice president of national accounts. In his new capacity, he will be responsible for building relationships with the industry's large ready-mix producers throughout the U.S. Schumacher brings T.L. Smith over 25 years of experience in the concrete industry.

Skrzyniarz has been appointed sales support engineer. In his new capacity, he will initially support the company's engineering department by assisting in the design of mixer truck booster modifications. He will also be responsible for direct sales of mixers and mixer packages in the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Indiana. Skrzyniarz has over 10 years of experience in the concrete mixer manufacturing industry.

T.L. Smith Machine/Ashford Concrete, a family owned and operated transit mixer manufacturing business, was established in the early 1900s in Milwaukee. The company's initial product line included the manufacturing of portable and tilting concrete mixers, though later the line was broadened to include in-plant turbine and tilting concrete mixers, laundry equipment and batch plants.

In 1962, the company was purchased by ATO Corp., and later to interests headed by Grover Riefler. With the purchase, Riefler moved the entire operation to Springville. The company continues to manufacture concrete truck mixers, mixer drums, chutes and related components for the ready-mix industry at the western New York facility. Units are sold, finished and distributed through the company's headquarters and Florida locations, and a network of factory and dealer representatives.

Ron Morgan has been appointed director of sales and marketing of Dover Conveyor by Joe Coniglio, president of the firm. Morgan has 25 years' experience in waste and bulk handling equipment industries and specializes in dealer representative education and development, marketing and sales enhancement. Morgan has returned from an 18-month project in Sydney, Australia with Phoenix Systems Australia Pty. Ltd. Phoenix Systems specialized in paper and metal scrap handling systems, engineering, equipment sales, service and installation.

Dover Conveyor, established in 1962, engineers and manufactures conveyors and other specialty bulk material handling equipment. Custom engineered conveyors from Dover are used in the brick and tile, cement, energy, mining, glass, coal, waste water treatment, sand and gravel, waste handling and recycling as well as the steel industries.

Synthetic Industries (SI) has announced the promotion of Charles Ragland to general manager of fiber reinforced concrete. He will manage all aspects of the fiber reinforced concrete business comprised of the Fibermesh Division, spanning polypropylene fibers, and Novocon International, SI's steel fiber unit.

According to Ted Koerner, vice president of SI's Construction/Civil Engineering Group, "With the acquisition of Novocon in March, our company is now in the unique position of managing two of the strongest product lines in the concrete reinforcement market, each with their own set of unique challenges. Charles Ragland's primary objective will be managing the integration of both of these product lines into a global reinforced fiber concrete business."

4B Elevator Components, a North American material handling components manufacturer, has started construction on a facility addition that will double the existing warehouse and office space. 4B is a supplier of polymer and metallic elevator buckets, elevator bolts, high strength forged conveyor chains, level detection systems and conveying machinery speed and hazard monitors.

Bellingham Marine has named Steve Reimer as its precast/prestress manager and Steve Taunton as its production manager for the Northwest division. Mitch Taylor, Bellingham president and CEO, made the announcements. For over 40 years, the company has designed, manufactured and installed cutting-edge waterfront dock systems.

Reimer's responsibilities include managing and coordinating all sales, estimating and production activities for concrete precast and prestress work. Some precast/prestress products include piling, girders and deck panels.

Taunton's duties involve running daily production, controlling purchasing and overseeing all division activities and production crews.

Both Reimer and Taunton begin their new positions with an abundance of Bellingham Marine experience. During his 28 years with the company, Reimer has worked in all aspects of manufacturing. Taunton has been with the company for 15 years working in purchasing, shipping and receiving and various production and project management positions.