San Antonio-based Simem America has named Greg Viland national sales manager, responsible for the NAFTA region. A graduate of Ohio University with a degree in Industrial Engineering, he started his career in 1990 with Master Builders Technologies and has been in the concrete industry since.
Grace Construction Products Southeast Regional Manager Matthew Offenberg, based in Canton, Ga., has received the 2014 ASTM International President’s Leadership Award, recognizing individuals who early in their careers have advanced the society’s mission. An ASTM member since 2007, Offenberg serves on Committees C01 on Cement and C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates.
As Subcommittee C09.49 on Pervious Concrete chairman, he has worked to advance the global application of ASTM pavement standards, and served as the primary author of the pivotal ASTM C1747, Test Method for Determining Potential Resistance to Degradation of Pervious Concrete by Impact and Abrasion. Previous committee honors include the C09 Katharine and Bryant Mather Member Contribution Award.
Offenberg joined Grace & Co. in 2007 as a technical services manager and was promoted to his current post last year. Prior to that, he was district technical services manager at Rinker Materials, Bonita Springs, Fla. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. Outside ASTM, Offenberg has received the American Concrete Institute’s the Delmar Bloom Distinguished Service Award and Watson Medal for Most Meritorious Paper, and was named ACI Fellow earlier this year.
Highlighting a focus on quality training programs fostering better customer solutions, the Mack Trucks Academy recently received Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) accreditation from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). The Academy was evaluated against established industry standards to ensure that continuing education training meets best practices.
Notes Mack Trucks North American Sales and Marketing President Stephen Roy, “Meeting CASE standards shows Mack’s commitment to developing exceptional training programs to help increase the service and support for our customers while continuing to support our dealers.”
Training programs play an integral part in Mack’s customer support strategy and prepare dealer technicians and service personnel to support customers in each area of Mack’s Pedigree Uptime Protection service and support suite—service management, maintenance plans and vehicle diagnostics. Mack Trucks Academy provides extensive training for 14 different dealership job roles, including sales, parts, service and technician, as well as training for drivers. Courses are available through e-learning and instructor-led classes conducted at seven locations in the U.S. and Canada.
ASE is a non-profit organization established to improve the competence of automotive technicians through voluntary testing and certification. ASE established CASE Accreditation as a voluntary program after perceiving the need for ongoing training of experienced service technicians to keep up with increasingly complex technology.
Mack Trucks has named Kent Thompson U.S. Southwest Region vice president, responsible for driving sales and increasing market share and profitability. Thompson has served in the region as district sales manager the past eight years, joining Mack Trucks from Nissan Diesel America, where he was sales manger and national sales trainer.
Lafarge North America’s Presque Isle Quarry in northern Michigan celebrated its 60th anniversary by hosting an inaugural Stoneport 5K Quarry Run/Walk to benefit the Cancer Center at Alpena Regional Medical Center. With nearly 300 walkers and runners, plus sponsorships, donations and raffles, the event netted the Cancer Center $35,000. After the Stoneport 5K, the producer hosted an open house celebration for the community at the landmark limestone deposit—one of the Great Lakes’ richest active sites.
“The result surpassed our expectations in terms of runners participating, money raised and community members attending our post-race anniversary celebration,” said Presque Isle Quarry Manager Allan Idalski. “We couldn’t be happier for the Cancer Center and more grateful to the community for supporting Lafarge and this quarry over the years, and helping us contribute to building better [Michigan] cities and communities.”
“Congratulations to Lafarge Presque Isle on their 60th anniversary. We are honored that they chose the Alpena Cancer Center as a beneficiary of this event,” added Alpena Regional CEO Karmon Bjella. “The Center is a valuable asset to the communities in northeast Michigan and this substantial contribution will assist in providing the best technology to continue our quality care.”
State Representatives Andrea LaFontaine and Peter Petallia joined the 1,000-plus participants who attended the open house following the race/walk, and presented the Presque Isle Quarry with a special tribute on behalf of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in recognition of the quarry’s 60 years of community contributions.
Mixer drive manufacturer Bonfiglioli USA, a Hebron, Ky.-based subsidiary of Italy’s Bonfiglioli Riduttori S.p.A., has been named to the 2014 Inc. 5000 list, as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America. With three-year revenue growth of 87 percent, Bonfiglioli USA is ranked 3,690 out of 5000 companies. From 2010 to 2013—the window determining this year’s Inc. 5000 rankings—Bonfiglioli USA revenue grew 87 percent, from $70 million to $129 million, adding 21 to a payroll now approaching 80. Company officials project a 30–50 percent headcount gain with the addition of a gearbox manufacturing line at the Kentucky headquarters operation.
Virginia-based precast producer and technology licensor Smith-Midland Corp. reports that its J-J Hooks proprietary concrete safety barrier has surpassed the 12 million linear foot threshold, with road construction and security installations across the country. Currently selling at an average pace of 1 million feet annually, the product is North America’s most widely used safety barrier connection design.
Smith-Midland developed and patented J-J Hooks in 1990, designing the product for quick installation without additional hardware or tools. “This product was successful from day one. As more and more people heard about it, J-J Hooks’ popularity spread further and further,” says Chairman Rodney Smith. “Over the years, we’ve continually upgraded the product to ensure that it meets and/or exceeds the current test levels. A three-man crew can set or remove more than one mile of J-J Hooks during an eight-hour shift.”
The barrier connection system can be used either as a temporary or permanent installation. It incorporates self-aligning, identical ended connectors that allow for quick installation. With no loose hardware, a single section of J-J Hooks can be easily removed without disturbing adjacent sections, thus eliminating the possibility of lost, stolen, or damaged parts. Approved for use in 41 states and nine countries as an alternative to standard barrier designs, J-J Hooks are sold through nearly 40 licensed precast concrete producers in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and Trinidad-Tobago through agreements with Easi-Set Worldwide, a wholly-owned Smith-Midland subsidiary.
Nacco Materials Handling Group in Greenville, N.C., has appointed Brett Schemerhorn as president, Big Trucks Americas. The Big Trucks team emerged from a recent reorganization to enhance the company’s focus on meeting the specialized materials handling needs and challenges of end-users.
“This new group is evidence of our company’s knowledge of and commitment to driving value and reducing operating costs for these critical market segments,” says Schemerhorn, who joined NMHG as an inventory analyst in 1995, progressing to his most recent post—vice president of Marketing—prior to the Big Trucks appointment.
American Crane & Equipment Corp., Douglassville, Pa.-based manufacturer of overhead electric cranes and hoists, has promoted Karen Norheim to executive vice president. She joined the company in 2002 and has served as vice president of Marketing and Information Technology the past six years.
During her American Crane tenure, Norheim has increased product sales through expanding distribution channels and implementing innovative marketing strategies. In her new role, she will support the president in overseeing all company operations with emphasis on expansion and long term strategy.