Jennifer Bronson has joined Tampa-based Meadow Burke to oversee the Quality Assurance/Quality Control program, bringing 25-plus years’ experience in quality management, engineering and customer service. Her certifications and achievements include Six Sigma Black Belt, Quality Auditor, and Quality/Organizational Excellence Manager. Bronson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Tampa.
The Swiss parent company of New Jersey-based Sika Corp., Sika AG, recently acquired the remaining shares of Addiment Italia from joint venture partner Buzzi Unicem. The company is active in the production and sale of concrete admixtures and cement grinding aids; full ownership will strengthen and extend Sika’s presence in Italy. Addiment Italia reported 2014 sales of $15.5 million. Sika AG and Buzzi Unicem formed a joint venture to own and operate Addiment Italia in 2003.
To help customers around the world optimize parts performance and further understand the health of their equipment, Caterpillar Inc. has entered into a strategic alliance with Modustri, a provider of service and measurement technologies for use in the field. The companies will target innovations that enhance equipment and machine operators’ abilities to measure parts wear like never before.
“Our parts monitoring and management tool has been a leader in the industry for 75 years, but we’re always looking for ways to step up our game,” says Caterpillar Reman, Components and Work Tools Division Vice President Doug Hoerr. “Our relationship with Modustri will allow us to take advantage of emerging technology that gives customers more information on parts and components to maximize uptime.”
By utilizing web-based and mobile platforms, the companies will deliver simplified processes that provide customers accurate, immediate access to useful, real-time data while still in the field. The technology could save customers hundreds of hours and millions of dollars by proactively helping Cat dealers and customers better measure wear rates and manage wear parts replacements—including those from other suppliers. “We’ve seen how mobile technology can change the behaviors of customers; now we can see groundbreaking hardware and software that can help dealers interact with customers, build trust and plan ahead for maintenance and parts replacements,” notes Brian Steketee, founder and CEO of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Modustri.
“We are at the forefront of a revolution in the heavy equipment industry,” contends Greg Folley, vice president of the newly formed Caterpillar Analytics & Innovation Division. “Emerging technologies are changing the way we can help customers maintain a competitive advantage and achieve new levels of equipment productivity and profitability. Our alliance with Modustri will be key in making this happen.”
The Manufacturing Leadership Council of management consultant Frost & Sullivan has recognized Peterbilt Motors Co. in the areas of employee leadership development, manufacturing innovation and operational efficiency. Manufacturing Leadership Awards honor a wide range of companies throughout many industries.
Peterbilt was recognized in the Operational Excellence Leadership category for its Cab Trim Line project and North Texas Lean Consortium initiative. In the Next-Generation Leadership category, the company was awarded for its Emerging Leaders program. The Cab Trim Line project integrated Peterbilt’s cab interior production into one assembly line. The Lean Consortium was formed with local companies to share and benchmark manufacturing practices and production systems; it focuses on increasing efficiencies through lean manufacturing strategies that reduce cost and waste. Peterbilt leads the Emerging Leaders program by guiding next generation management candidates through training and hands on experience at Paccar Inc. divisions in the Southwest region. Frost & Sullivan also recognized the company with three Manufacturing Leadership Awards in 2014.
Mack Trucks recently enhanced its Uptime solutions by expanding its partnered services offering, enabling faster, more accurate diagnostics and improved communication so customers can get their vehicles back on the road quicker. Partnered services allows Mack to integrate innovative service providers into its customer support environment. Improved diagnostics result from the integration of Mack ASIST, a web-based fleet service management platform developed by Decisiv, with Truck Diagnostics System (TDS), a JPRO-based software solution from Noregon that diagnoses engine, transmission, aftertreatment systems and all vendor components. Once TDS or JPRO software identifies a vehicle fault, a service case is automatically opened in ASIST and the customer has a quicker diagnosis of truck functions.
Customers will also know the severity of the problem and how long servicing will take, enabling them to make critical business decisions about what they need to do to handle the issue. “The further integration of our Uptime Solutions offers customers an overall better experience,” says Mack Trucks North America President Stephen Roy. “Customers receive faster, more accurate information so they can make a repair decision, and the repairs are also started sooner because the case is automatically opened.”
The faster diagnostics expedites the dealer check-in process and complements GuardDog Connect, Mack’s proactive diagnostic and repair planning telematics solution. GuardDog Connect has been standard on Pinnacle, Granite and Titan models since 2013 and TerraPro concrete pumper models since early 2015. The solution monitors fault codes that could potentially shut down a truck or lead to an unplanned dealer visit. GuardDog Connect enables quick diagnosis of issues, proactive scheduling for repairs and confirmation that needed parts are in stock and ready to install—all while the truck is still on the job.
GuardDog Connect now monitors more than 25,000 Mack models and has maximized customer uptime by reducing diagnostic and repair times by 70 percent and 21 percent, respectively. The Uptime Center opened near Mack’s Greensboro, N.C., headquarters in 2014, housing personnel from every customer support function and tying them to vehicle owners and dealers through Mack ASIST.
An online marketplace for buying and selling big ticket rolling stock has entered an exclusive partnership with Enverto Investment Group, an equipment finance company, to provide financing for equipment purchases made in the Proxibid Marketplace, via its Express financing.
Powered by Enverto, Express eases financing: the application process is fast and easy, meaning buyers in Proxibid’s Commercial Trucks, Heavy Construction Equipment, Farm Machinery and Implements, and Industrial Machinery and Equipment categories can gain quick access to capital and maximize the purchasing powers. Notes Enverto CEO Charles Anderson, “Whether the buyer is an individual or business owner, our goal is to provide them with access to capital so they can get the equipment they need to finish a project or grow their business.”
Proxibid’s Marketplace is backed by its proprietary, bank-quality risk management system, designed specifically for high value transactions like commercial trucks, heavy construction equipment, farm machinery and implements, and industrial machinery and equipment. No other online platform offers a sophisticated fraud prevention system that monitors the Marketplace 24/7 to ensure buyers are safe when making high dollar transactions online, and also guarantees sellers will get paid for their items.
“Proxibid’s vision is to make purchasing easier and safer than ever,” says Proxibid CEO Ryan Downs. “Providing Proxibid equipment buyers with fast and easy access to capital means more business for sellers in our Marketplace as buyers increase spending. We look forward to working with Enverto to bring more buyers into the Marketplace through this financing program.” — www.proxibid.com
Dana Holding Corp. has named James Kamsickas president and chief executive officer effective this month. He has served in the same roles since 2012 at supplier International Automotive Components Group since 2012, after heading the company’s North America and Asia businesses since its 2007 founding. Kamsickas succeeds the retiring Roger Wood, who will continue as a member of the company’s board of directors through a transition period.
Heavy-haul trailer and transportation equipment specialist Talbert Manufacturing has promoted Troy Geisler from Great Lakes area sales manager to vice president of Sales and Marketing. He will be responsible for developing strategies to achieve the company’s long-term goals, as well as leading the sales team and dealer channel to support customers with quality products and a high level of customer service.
Geisler brings more than 10 years of trailer industry sales and marketing experience. In the Great Lakes region post, he worked with dealers to promote, specify, customize and sell trailers that meet customer application needs. Prior to that, he was a trailer sales and leasing representative at ILoca Services, Inc., Naperville, Ill., and sales and marketing coordinator at Vanguard National Trailer, Monon, Ind.
NACCO Materials Handling Group (NMHG) participated in a series of events related to the second annual National Forklift Safety Day, sponsored by the Industrial Truck Association and serving as a focal point for manufacturers to highlight proper equipment use and importance of operator training. In addition, the event provides an opportunity for the industry to educate customers, policymakers and government officials on forklift operating safety practices to encourage safer behavior.
NMHG Americas President Chuck Pascarelli, Vice President of Counterbalance Solutions Bill Pfleger, Division Environmental, Health and Safety Manager Don Buckman attended National Forklift Safety Day activities in Washington, D.C. Director of Training Jay Costello was among featured presenters at the Summit Meeting, where he stressed the importance of creating, implementing and supporting effective operator training programs to address common safety-related violations and vulnerabilities, plus safety and maintenance best practices.