MT News

News of people and events important to the maintenance and reliability community

WITSOE APPOINTED NEW CEO AT LINEAGE POWER CORPORATION

Lineage Power Corporation, a Gores Group company known for its energy-efficient AC/DC and DC/DC switching technologies, has named Craig A. Witsoe as its new CEO. Witsoe will be based at the company’s Dallas headquarters and report to the board of directors. He most recently had been serving as president and CEO of Tyden Group, a leading producer of product identification and cargo security technology. Prior to joining Tyden, Witsoe spent 16 years in various executive positions at General Electric. Word of Witsoe’s appointment comes shortly after Lineage’s recent announcement that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Cherokee International, a provider of custom power solutions for datacom, telecom, medical and process control applications. Under this agreement, Cherokee will become a division of Lineage.

COASTAL TRAINING ACQUISITION GROWS DUPONT SAFETY BIZ OFFERING

DuPont has acquired Coastal Training Technologies Corporation, a leading global producer and marketer of cutting-edge training programs, headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA. The transaction is expected to fuel significant growth for DuPont Safety Resources, a consulting business within the DuPont Safety & Protection segment. Terms of the agreement, which includes transfer of all customer agreements, patents, copyrights, brands, equipment and personnel, were not disclosed. The acquisition will allow DuPont, an established global leader in industrial safety services programs, to provide a broader mix of delivery systems to a growing global audience. Coastal Training Technologies, with offices in the United States, Mexico, Europe, Brazil, India and the Philippines, will gain access to DuPont’s broad customer network for its extensive library of training products.

The Coastal deal is part of DuPont’s strategy to expand its presence in emerging markets and safety industries. It complements the corporation’s current safety training and consulting business, creating a single-source training leader with the greatest variety of safety programs for companies, governments and organizations seeking training and consultation.

Founded in 1984, Coastal Training Technologies Corporation has developed and markets an extensive offering of award-winning DVDs, e-learning products, print materials and instructor-led courses available in 29 languages. About one third of the company’s 600 employees reside in the United States.

CARTER IS NEW EXECUTIVE EDITOR AT APPLIED TECHNOLOGY PUBLICATIONS

Rick Carter has joined Applied Technology Publications (ATP) as executive editor. Bringing more than 25 years of magazine experience to his new position, he is expected to play a key role in shaping the organization’s electronic editorial products, as well as its growing seminar and Webinar offerings. He also will support the overall editorial missions of Maintenance Technology and Lubrication Management & Technology magazines. Over the course of his career, Carter has served as editor-in-chief of both Advanced Design and Manufacturing and Industrial Maintenance and Plant Operation magazines, and as editorial director of Reed Business Information’s Manufacturing and Processing publishing group.

COOPER INDUSTRIES UNVEILS NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART TECH CENTER

Cooper Industries is helping to celebrate its 175th anniversary with the grand opening of the Cooper Technology Center in Houston. This first-of-its-kind, 35,000-square-foot facility features an auditorium, conference room and multiple training rooms designed to help facilitate industry-specific education and demonstrate the entire line of industrial solutions the company offers. Products of all eight Cooper divisions are represented in the Technology Center via dedicated displays and products used in the building design itself. A replica of an industrial operation helps complete the learning experience with more than 250 of Cooper’s industrial offerings installed as they would be in an actual refinery. Coupled with hands-on classrooms and curriculum reflecting the corporation’s vast expertise and global product offering, the model refinery has been designed to serve as a highly practical learning environment for end-users, distributors and engineering and procurement professionals.

According to Cooper CEO Kirk Hachigian, the corporation’s vision for the Technology Center came from industry’s thirst to keep current with the latest technology and products that facilitate increased productivity, enhanced energy efficiency and maximum safety for both workers and facilities. “Now,” he says, “professionals who design and build industrial facilities can see our entire industrial offering under one roof, from the newest lighting technologies and electrical fuses to transformers and energy automation solutions to mass notification systems.” In the past, Hachigian notes, a person would have to visit different Cooper facilities located across the country, including those in Syracuse, NY; Milwaukee, WI; Atlanta, GA; and Raleigh, NC, among others, to see the breadth of the company’s offering.

ITT PARTNERS WITH MERCY CORPS FOR WATER-RELATED DISASTER RELIEF

ITT Corporation has announced a strategic partnership with Mercy Corps as part of ITT Watermark, the industrial giant’s corporate philanthropy program. Mercy Corps, a global relief and development agency, collaborates with the United Nations to implement water and sanitation solutions during worldwide disasters. The new partnership includes a three-year, $1 million commitment to help provide safe water during emergencies created by natural catastrophes such as floods, droughts and earthquakes. Under the arrangement, ITT, a leader in the transport and treatment of water, will support Mercy Corps’ relief and recovery efforts, which include the provision of dewatering and water purification equipment. In addition, ITT will aid Mercy Corps’ on-the-ground staff with rebuilding and recovery of water and sanitation infrastructure long after disaster strikes. As part of the its Watermark initiative, ITT has established an Emergency Response Committee responsible for the coordinated deployment of the corporation’s resources directly to disaster sites during water-related emergencies. The committee will work with Mercy Corps during the balance of 2008 to develop a plan for reducing risks and implementing turnkey emergency response protocol. MT