August 2010 Vol. 65 No. 8
Business
August Business News
News from Ritchie Bros., Wacker Neuson, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Utilicor Technologies, Ditch Witch Midwest, Driver Pipeline, LAN, ISCO Industries, Ernst & Young, Volvo and Takeuchi-US.
Ritchie Bros.
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers has submitted a Special Use Permit (SUP) to Lewis County officials in efforts to continue to make the state of Washington home to the company’s Northwest operations. For more than two years, Ritchie Bros. has performed a search to find a suitable site that met company criteria to relocate from a location in Olympia. This search also included the evaluation of expansion opportunities at its current location, which resulted in no achievable or viable options. In doing this search, the company has identified a proposed relocation site in Lewis County, which meets its criteria. This site is situated just south of Napavine on the west side of Interstate 5, which is accessible via Exit 68.
Ritchie Bros. has been holding unreserved public auctions in the state of Washington for more than 38 years. Moving the company’s Northwestern operations to Lewis County would signify the continuing growth of a well-established relationship between the state and Ritchie Bros. and would also serve to continue with the company’s long-standing customer relationships in the region.
“We really hope that we can continue to call the state of Washington our home for many years to come,” said Scott Lennon, Ritchie Bros. real estate manager. “Our hope is to hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the new property by the end of this year and hold a grand opening auction – inviting the community and our new neighbors – by the end of 2011.”
One of the more outstanding features of the Lewis County property plans proposed by Ritchie Bros. is the design of a storm water system that meets – and in some cases exceeds – county and state requirements for stormwater control. Robert Balmelli, president of Lewis County-based RB Engineering, will be leading the proposed water system project at the potential property.
“We will be using a higher standard of storm water design than the county requires so that there is no damage to the downstream off-site drainage ways or streams,” said Balmelli. “Additionally, we will be installing a state-approved water system on-site that uses a year-round water supply of approximately 750 gallons per day.” www.rbauction.com
Wacker Neuson, Caterpillar
Caterpillar, Peoria, IL and Wacker Neuson SE, Munich, Germany, have signed an alliance agreement under which Wacker Neuson will design, manufacture, sell and support Caterpillar mini hydraulic excavators in the under three-ton category.
The alliance agreement calls for Wacker Neuson to leverage its manufacturing and product development capability to produce Caterpillar mini hydraulic excavators in the under three-ton category at its production plant in Linz, Austria. Caterpillar currently offers three models in this size range. The machines will be produced to Caterpillar’s specifications and will be distributed and supported via Caterpillar’s global dealer network, with the exception of Japan. All Caterpillar models will be clearly differentiated from comparable Wacker Neuson models in the same product range.
Komatsu
Komatsu plans to celebrate its 90th Anniversary in May 2011, which will include several anniversary commemorative projects designed to promote further growth of the company’s technology and work force.
These projects include the establishment of a new training center on the former Komatsu Plant site in Komatsu City, Japan; the construction of a new development center on the Osaka Plant site, Hirakata City, Japan; and the establishment of a KC Techno Center in Changzhou City, China.
In March, the company transferred and consolidated production of its large presses from the Komatsu Plant to the Kanazawa Plant. The company plans to open the new training center in May 2011 and consolidate its in-house training programs and training of service engineers there. Komatsu says it is working to develop new programs and training materials for its service engineers and the new center will play the important role as a globalized training base. A conference building under construction adjacent to the new training center will accommodate a diverse range of multi-national meetings.
In addition to developing and manufacturing its PC200 and other medium-sized and large hydraulic excavators and bulldozers, the company says its Osaka Plant will provide information concerning global technology development and manufacturing process reforms. www.komatsu.com
Utilicor Technologies, Ditch Witch Midwest
Utilicor Technologies has announced the appointment of Ditch Witch Midwest as the distributor of its full line of truck and skid-steer mounted rotary coring equipment and Utilibond-based keyhole reinstatement technology in the Midwestern United States. Ditch Witch Midwest has locations in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. 416.391.3901, www.utilicor.ca
Driver Pipeline
Pipeline construction company, Driver Pipeline, headquartered in Dallas, TX, announced the addition of Anthony (Tony) Perot to its management team as senior vice president of operation. In his new position, Perot will be responsible for operations in all five divisions of Driver Pipeline and will report directly to Driver Pipeline President Jim Shaffer.
Perot has held senior management positions with several major oil and gas companies in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. His extensive experience includes numerous large projects in most of the major oil and gas fields in the South and Southwest.
Perot has degrees in both business and construction management from Northeast Louisiana University to go with his 40 years experience in pipeline construction and construction management. That experience includes both onshore and offshore pipelines, natural gas compressor stations, oil pumping stations, meter and regulator piping facilities. 281.482.4019, www.driverpipeline.com
LAN
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) has relocated its Tampa office to the Rocky Point area. The Tampa office, which is the firm’s fourteenth location in the country and one of two in Florida, focuses on municipal infrastructure improvement and transit projects. Daniel Glaser, P.E., serves as the director of engineering for infrastructure services while John Hengs serves as the transit services director for the Tampa office. The Tampa office is located at 7650 Courtney Campbell Causeway, Suite 275, Tampa, FL 33607. The telephone number is 813-288-8221.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar Emissions Solutions has signed a definitive agreement to purchase CleanAIR Systems Inc. Upon completion of the transaction, CleanAIR Systems will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. within the Customer Services Support Division.
CleanAIR Systems is a privately owned company in Santa Fe, NM, and is a leader in designing and manufacturing customized stationary after-treatment solutions for internal combustion engines. The broad product line includes California Air Resources Board (CARB) verified particulate filters, oxidation catalysts and silencers as well as an innovative hybrid selective-catalytic-reduction/particulate-filter/silencer system. These products and CleanAIR’s engineering expertise have seen especially strong use in retrofitting engine-powered generators, and they have application in diverse industries.
Caterpillar Emissions Solutions will provide marketing and engineering support to CleanAIR Systems, assist with CARB and EPA Verification, and jointly develop next-generation products for Caterpillar customers.
The acquisition was expected to close by July 1, pending final regulatory approvals. CleanAIR Systems will remain headquartered in Santa Fe and will be known as CleanAIR Systems Inc.- A Caterpillar Company.
ISCO Industries
ISCO Industries, a Louisville, KY-based distributor and fabricator of piping products, recently received a workplace safety award from its insurance company for being in the top five percent of its safest companies.
ISCO’s safety and health program is centered on all employees, providing monthly safety training at not only work but also home safety, such as ladder safety and fire safety. In addition, the more than 20 ISCO distribution and fabrication facilities hold weekly safety meetings. Each week, the facilities’ safety leaders receive a new safety topic to discuss during the meetings.
A group captive insurance company consisting of more than 275 member companies presented the award. Award criteria included workman’s compensation losses over the last three years, risk assessment by an independent safety auditor and participation in risk control workshops. 800.345.ISCO, www.isco-pipe.com
Ernst & Young Awards
Now entering its 24th year, finalists of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year regional awards were recognized at award galas across the U.S. throughout the month of June. The program recognizes business leaders in over 135 cities in 50 countries throughout the world.
According to Ernst & Young LLP, the awards program recognizes chief executives who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
American Water Works Company, the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company, announced that President and CEO Don Correll was honored with the Lifetime Achievement award at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 Awards in Greater Philadelphia.
Correll was recognized for his more than 30 years of leadership in the water industry and his most recent accomplishments as American Water’s chief executive since 2006. Correll has led American Water through its initial public offering and re-introduction to the communities it serves; the subsequent divestitures of stock by a single exiting stockholder; and his leadership in the areas of customer service, innovation, efficiency, company growth, industry expertise, employee development, and the launch of the company’s corporate responsibility program.
As a regional award winner, Correll is automatically entered into the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur of the Year national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala on Nov. 13. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.
Coble Trench Safety, Greensboro, NC, has announced that company president, Tom Coble, is a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 Award in the Carolinas, marking the second year he has received this acknowledgement.
Coble feels that the acknowledgement further recognizes what Coble Trench Safety has been able to accomplish since 2002. With headquarters in Greensboro, NC, the company opened its tenth location this January in Atlanta. www.amwater.com, www.cobletrenchsafety.com, www.ey.com
Volvo Financial Services
Volvo Financial Services announced that Leo Hawkes has been appointed president of its Region the Americas operations, with responsibility for the North America, Latin America and South Africa markets. Hawkes has been with Volvo Financial Services since 2001 and has over 26 years in financial management experience. Hawkes replaces Martin Weissburg, who has been appointed president of Volvo Financial Services global operations.
In his new position, Hawkes will be located in Volvo Financial Services Greensboro, NC, headquarters and report to Weissburg. 877.865.8623, www.us.vfsco.com
Takeuchi-US
Takeuchi-US has appointed Bill Step to the position of regional business manager for the Southwest territory. Step will be responsible for all development and activity in his assigned region as well as dealer recruitment, development and management, including inventories, forecasting, program promotion, sales planning, goal setting and performance evaluations. Step has more than 27 years of experience in retail and wholesale equipment sales. www.takeuchi-us.com
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