Astec Industries Inc. has appointed Brian Harris as chief financial officer, transitioning to equipment manufacturing from his recent post as executive vice president and CFO of Denver-based Summit Materials Inc. Heinrich Jonker will step down from the interim CFO role and continue with his vice president of Finance – Infrastructure Solutions duties at Astec.
“Brian Harris brings a valuable combination of executive experience and long-time participation in our industry,” says Astec CEO Jaco van der Merwe. “I am confident that his leadership will continue to help guide our strong and deep finance organization.”
Siddons-Martin Environmental Group, Houston, has joined the Revolution Concrete Mixers Authorized Service Provider Network, members of which provide warranty service for Revolution, McNeilus and London Machinery mixer trucks; use genuine and OEM parts exclusively; and, are backed with a factory support team. Siddons-Martin will serve ready mixed concrete producers in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada. It will provide comprehensive repair and maintenance coverage from Texas and Utah branches and through a mobile service technician network.
“This strategic partnership underscores our commitment to delivering the best service and support experiences to our valued customers. Siddons-Martin’s dedication to high-quality service aligns perfectly with our mission to provide fast, convenient, and reliable support,” says Revolution Concrete Mixers President Bryan Datema.
Command Alkon has appointed Austin Eanes as vice president of Global Customer Success. He arrives after a tour as head of Customer Success for Zoom Video Communications’ Mass Market segment, where he oversaw outreach efforts to 300,000-plus accounts. Prior to his tenure at Zoom, Eanes held significant Customer Success leadership roles at Juniper Networks, Convercent, and RingCentral.
“Austin Eane’s background and passion for cultivating relationships align perfectly with our mission,” says Command Alkon Chief Customer Officer Brett Bertz. “We are excited to welcome him to our team as we strive to elevate our customer experience and drive meaningful results for our customers.”
Separately, Command Alkon has announced Elevate Best of the Year Awards recipients, recognizing their performance within the Heavy Building Materials sector. Winners are selected based on nominations from industry peers, highlighting their significant contributions and achievements. By category, they are:
- Back Office of the Year: Shelia Rutherford, Wayne Davis Concrete
- Ready Mix Plant Operator of the Year: Jeff Ausloos, Carew Concrete
- Dispatcher of the Year: Rigo Cervantes, Alleyton Resource
- Outstanding Woman in Heavy Building Materials Industry: Lindsay Berthelot, Sorrento Lumber & Concrete
- Asphalt Plant Operator of the Year: Bruce Hurchick, Walter E. Earl Corp.
- Fleet Manager of the Year: Greg Wilson, Burnco
- IT Specialist of the Year: Mike Raineri, Breckenridge Materials
- Everyday Hero: Mike McCleod, Westside Ready Mix
- Aggregate Plant Operator of the Year: Tina Cato, Irving Materials
- Sales/Estimator of the Year: Kory Chapman, Ten Point Redi Mix
- Technical Services/QC Personnel of the Year: Shane Sullivan, Texcrete
- Ready Mix Driver of the Year: Roberto Hernandez, Lauren Concrete
- Innovator of the Year: Tom Pittman, Chaney Enterprises
“The exceptional leadership these outstanding individuals exhibit not only drives innovation, but also propels the Heavy Building Materials industry forward,” says Command Alkon Chief Revenue Officer Jeff Newlin. “It is an honor to recognize and showcase the incredible contributions they are making. Their dedication and commitment are inspiring, and we look forward to seeing how their achievements will continue to shape the future of the industry.”
Peterbilt Motors is once again supporting the American Trucking Associations’ Trucking U program, an educational initiative designed to empower the next generation of leaders through a deep understanding of the industry. As the program’s exclusive OEM sponsor for the second consecutive year, Peterbilt is dedicated to offering its industry knowledge and leadership, providing meaningful guidance to 24 select students as they embark on an opportunity in their academic and career paths.
“Trucking U is an important program in advancing the trucking industry and we are excited to continue our sponsorship,” says Peterbilt Assistant General Manager, Sales & Marketing Jake Montero. “As industry leaders, we see this as a key opportunity for student development, preparing the next generation for success in the commercial transportation industry.”
Calgary-based supplementary cementitious material and carbon capture & utilization technology developer Carbon Upcycling Technologies Inc. has named Juliane Kniebel-Huebner as chief operating officer. She brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors, holding senior roles across both established and growth-oriented energy companies. At Carbon Upcycling, Kniebel-Huebner will leverage her deep experience in project development, corporate structure and team building, plus strategy. She arrives as the company develops a first-of-a-kind commercial CCU system at the Ash Grove Cement Mississauga plant, one of Canada’s largest such operations. The project, which will enable a lower carbon cement to be used in the downstream concrete market, aligns with Canada’s national decarbonization plan.
Cyclonaire Corp., Nebraska-based bulk material pneumatic conveying solutions provider, has appointed Jay Anzelmo as vice president of Sales and Marketing. He will succeed Mike Colella, who will cap seven years with the company upon retirement this quarter. Anzelmo will be responsible for driving continued growth strategies across multiple business sectors. His leadership will play a pivotal role in advancing Cyclonaire’s commitment to excellence and innovation in pneumatic conveying technology, management notes. A Missouri State University graduate, Anzelmo arrives after serving in Wilson Manufacturing, CST Industries and Universal Dynamics leadership roles.
White Cap, Atlanta-based distributor of specialty construction supplies and safety products for professional contractors, has outlined a new organizational structure for its U.S. business, moving from seven to three regions, effective this month. East Region President Jason Joice, Central Region President Brian Bilderback and West Region President Bob Jacoby will report to Chief Commercial Officer Page Naftel, with the support of a vice president of Sales and vice president of Operations. All Districts are led by general managers, reporting to the Regional Presidents.
“White Cap has grown tremendously since becoming an independent company in 2020, doubling in size in only four years,” says CEO Alan Sollenberger. “This new strategic structure will help facilitate our continued growth, ensuring a strong focus on serving customers with our one-stop shop portfolio of products and value-added services, while providing even more career opportunities for our talented associates.”
“This simplified reporting structure helps us realize our company vision to Deliver a Seamless Customer Experience,” adds Naftel. “These combined geographic areas and aligned leadership teams will facilitate more streamlined execution of strategic initiatives and ensure clear accountability within each region to provide the highest levels of service to customers from coast to coast.”
Separately, White Cap has acquired ERSCO Construction Supply, a distributor of concrete accessory products and paving supplies serving non-residential, infrastructure and residential end markets in Michigan. The business is now part of the White Cap suite of brands, branches and value-added services.
“ERSCO’s team has immense industry expertise and broad product offerings that complement our existing portfolio exceptionally well,” says Alan Sollenberger. “Their footprint and customer relationships will allow us to further accelerate our growth in the Michigan market.”
“We take pride in consistently providing reliable products and support to help our customers’ projects succeed,” adds ERSCO President Josh Pasikowski. “I am excited for ERSCO to start a new chapter with White Cap, who not only shares this mindset but also provides an array of new and exciting resources and future growth opportunities for our people.”
COMBILIFT EARNS ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING HONORS
Global material handling solutions innovator Combilift led into the fourth quarter with a host of honors from the United Kingdom and Ireland business communities. At the UK Engineering & Manufacturing Awards 2024, it secured Design Team of the Year and Industry Leader recognition. The former award was presented to Combilift’s Heavy Equipment Team for work on the groundbreaking 12-Wheel “Combi-LC Blade,” specifically engineered to handle offshore wind turbine blades reaching up to 115 meters in length and weighing as much as 70 tonnes.
The machine’s design significantly enhances the ability to transport the large, non-uniform loads safely and efficiently from manufacturing sites to storage and deployment locations. The Heavy Equipment Team drew upon extensive experience in engineering complex transport systems, netting the precast concrete-grade Combi-SC Straddle Carrier and Combi-MG Mobile Gantry series. Combilift management credits the development and success of those machine to a customer-centric approach and ability to specifically tailor material handling solutions to customer needs.
In addition to the Design Team honors, Combilift Co-Founder and CEO Martin McVicar received the Industry Leader Award, recognizing visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to innovation. Those attributes have played a pivotal role in transforming a small Irish manufacturer into a global player in the material handling, with projected 2024 shipments approaching $600 million. Judges highlighted McVicar’s ability to navigate the company through a range of external challenges, from the impacts of the pandemic to global supply chain disruptions, while maintaining a forward-thinking approach that identifies opportunities for growth and transformation.
The UK Engineering & Manufacturing recognition dovetailed Combilift earning Exporter of the Year honors from the Irish Exporters Association. “In 1998, Robert Moffett and I co-founded the business with a unique forklift concept,” says McVicar. “We designed a truck that could move forwards and backwards like any regular forklift but, at the flick of a switch, could also travel sideways. Our first model, the multidirectional 4 ton C-Series, is still in production 26 years later. Its innovation in long-load handling, which can be risky with standard forklifts, made the concept and its advantages easy to visualize and sell—even before we had a prototype.
“Back then, we were a team of 13 engineers and fabricators. Today, we have 850 employees, including an expert team dedicated to handling exports. Our logistics team of over 30 people ensures that from pre-delivery inspections through final testing and shipping, everything runs smoothly. Our route to market is through a global dealer network with skilled service engineers. We provide comprehensive in-house training and also offer service training in local markets. Having professional local service on the customer’s doorstep is crucial along with rapid access to parts. Today, Combilift has more than 300 dealer distributors around the world.”
Beyond business success, McVicar is keen on fostering a strong corporate culture. With the largest factory under one roof in Ireland, Combilift headquarters serves not only as a manufacturing hub but also as ambassadors for corporate social responsibility.