PEOPLE CORNER

who’s on the move in the industry

A restructuring of the leadership team by M. Holland Company has led to two key personnel changes. Marc Fern has been named president and COO. Fern, a company veteran of 26 years, has risen through the ranks from account manager to sales manager to vice president of sales and, most recently, executive vice president, commercial. He has been a member of the company’s board of directors for several years. He replaces Ed Holland, who will retain the position of CEO and chairman of the company’s board of directors. Monica Christler will step into Fern’s former role of executive vice president, commercial, where she will oversee the distribution and resale business units, and serve as a member of M. Holland’s executive leadership team. She joined the company in 2012 after the acquisition of Christler Chemical & Plastics, Inc,. and most recently served as director, distribution sales. Michael Foldvary has been promoted to vice president, distribution. He will be responsible for sales and sourcing within the U.S. and Canada. He joined the company in 2019 as director, distribution sourcing. He previously worked at BASF, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. Based in Northbrook, Illinois, M. Holland is a leading global distributor of thermoplastic resins and ancillary materials.

FENN reported two new hires. Michael Koba is the company’s new controller. He has more than 30 years of manufacturing experience, including 15 years as a control- ler, including for a company that manufactured specialty copper alloy strip products. He will be responsible for accounting and finance. Josh Maxwell recently joined the FENN team as a field service technician. He has 10 years of manufacturing experience, including high-precision laser parts, running CMMs, working as a stock clerk, the quality department and on a production line, among other duties. He will work on Torin spring coilers and other company product lines. Based in East Berlin, Connecticut, FENN is a global supplier of customized metal forming machinery for sectors that include the wire industry.

Dean Hatley has been promoted to vice president of sales and engineering for Liberty Engineered Wire Products. He started with the company in 2022, after serving as director of sales for Davis Wire Corporation. He had worked for 34 years for Insteel Wire Products Co. Part of the Liberty Steel Group, Liberty Engineered Wire Products. produces a range of steel fabricated wire products.

SIKORA International Corp. has promoted Jeff Terrell from business development engineer in the wire and cable division to head of training and equipment lab coordinator. He joined the company in 2014. Based in Peachtree City, Atlanta, SIKORA International Corp. is the U.S. business of Germany’s SIKORA AG, a global supplier of testing and measuring equipment. 

NIEHOFF modernization.

During the design and manufacturing of its equipment, NIEHOFF focuses on advanced technology, quality, reliability, robustness and durability. That is the reason why NIEHOFF machines that have been in operation for decades are also worth a modernization performed by NIEHOFF specialists.

These professionals have access to well-maintained and original documentation, and thus to all pertinent data. Because of their experience and expertise, NIEHOFF specialists can handle all customer-specific particularities. This applies practically to all NIEHOFF machines including any modifications made to them by customers. The spare parts needed for reconditioning are produced in house on cutting-edge machining centers to OEM quality, and thus meet the same high requirements as parts for new machines.

Our technicians inspect the machine or line in question on site and analyze the specific increase in efficiency, which can be achieved by a modernization. The measures will then be done at either the customer’s site, on the shop floor at NIEHOFF facility or at a NIEHOFF subsidiary with its own manufacturing. After completion of the modernization measures, the machines or lines are not only “in mint condition”, but often show higher productivity than before. In most cases, modernizing NIEHOFF machines even after decades of use is therefore worthwhile. Allow us the opportunity to evaluate your modernization needs.

Maschinenfabrik NIEHOFF GmbH & Co. KG

Walter-Niehoff-Strasse 2, 91126 Schwabach, Germany