Movers & Shakers: Siemens inaugurates wind turbine blade factory in UK

Awards, expansions & milestones

Siemens inaugurates wind turbine blade factory, presents first customized turbine transport vessel in Esbjerg, supplies components for 5 Sudanese power plants, names competition winners

Blade factory:

Siemens Corporation inaugurated the new rotor blade factory for offshore wind turbines in Hull, U.K., in an event attended by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark and representatives of the local community. The site at Alexandra Docks has been transformed in under two years from a derelict industrial wasteland to a busy high-tech manufacturing hub. Now, the state-of-the-art factory has completed the first 75-meter-long blades which are currently stored on racks on site. Shipping to the first offshore wind project Race Bank is expected in early 2017.

Turbine transport:

Sea transportation and Roll on-Roll off-loading (Ro-Ro) are both key in Siemens’ new offshore logistics concept launched in 2015. Now the company has commissioned its first specialized transport vessel, the Rotra Vente. It fulfills the needs for cost effective transportation of the large nacelles used in Siemens’ direct drive offshore wind turbines. The 141-meter long vessel can carry multiple 8- megawatt nacelles per trip and will connect Siemens’ coming manufacturing site in Cuxhaven, Germany with installation harbors in the North and Baltic Seas. Siemens and logistics partner deugro organization celebrated the delivery of the ship with customers and representatives of the European offshore wind industry, in the Danish harbor of Esbjerg. A sister ship is expected to be delivered in spring 2017.

Sudan:

Siemens signed an agreement in Berlin with Sudan’s state-run energy provider Sudanese Thermal Power Generating Company (STPGC) to supply five SGT5-2000E gas turbines. These machines will deliver a combined electrical generating capacity of some 850 megawatts for the Sudanese national grid. All five power plant units are scheduled to already commence commercial operation at the end of 2017.

In addition to the five E-class gas turbines, Siemens’ scope of supply also comprises five associated SGen5-100A generators as well as Siemens’ SPPA-T3000 control systems. Three of the machines are destined for Garri Power Station in the North of the Sudanese Capital Khartoum, while the remaining two units will generate electric power further east in Port Sudan on the country’s Red Sea coast. All five of these turbine-generator sets will be initially commissioned as simple-cycle gas-turbine power plant units. However, later add-on of steam turbines is planned to expand the units to combined cycle configurations.

Competition winners:

Several students have been named National Finalists in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology after earning top spots in regional competitions, the nation’s premier science research competition for high school students which seeks to promote excellence by encouraging students to undertake individual or team research projects.

For the 2016 Siemens Competition, 2,146 students (1271 individuals, 304 2-person teams, 89 three-person teams) submitted applications from 46 states plus the District of Columbia and 7 countries with more than 1,600 projects submitted for consideration. A total of 498 students were named Semifinalists and 96 were named Regional Finalists. The students present their research in a closed, online forum, and entries are judged at the regional level by esteemed scientists at six leading research universities which host the regional competitions: Georgia Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, University of Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Texas at Austin.

• Alexander Kirov of Evans, Georgia, earned top individual honors and a $3,000 scholarship for research on uncovering the mechanism of the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Research on replacing injured dental tissue and restoring function to a tooth after severe damage earned Jasmin Gao of Suwanee, Georgia, and Rose Hong of San Diego, California, the $6,000 shared team scholarship. They were among 96 students overall selected to compete in regional competitions across the country this month out of a pool of more than 1,600 projects submitted for the competition this year.
• Manan Shah of Los Altos, California, earned top individual honors and a $3,000 scholarship for developing a computational model that will help pathologists more rapidly and accurately assess the severity of breast cancer tumor growth and spread.
• Yoshihiro Saito of Ellicott City, Maryland, and Lauryn Wu of McLean, Virginia shared the $6,000 team scholarship for research that allows a new material called two-dimensional topological insulators to be used at room temperature and opens the door to a new generation of electronics, potentially making even quantum computing more efficient and powerful.
• Vineet Edupuganti of Portland, Oregon, earned top individual honors and a $3,000 scholarship for developing a biodegradable battery that can power ingestible medical devices.
• Nikhil Cheerla of Cupertino, California, and Anika Cheerla of Cupertino, California, shared the $6,000 team scholarship for developing a tool that automates the process of diagnosing and measuring cancerous tumors, which could save the time of pathologists who currently count tumor cells manually. They are among 96 students overall selected to compete in regional competitions across the country this month out of a pool of more than 1,600 projects submitted for the competition this year.
• Pranav Sivakumar of Tower Lakes, Illinois, earned top individual honors and a $3,000 scholarship for his research studying Almost Dark Galaxies (ADGs), masses that are mainly composed of dark matter, in hopes of learning more about this substance and the history of the universe.
• Katherine Cao of Mequon, Wisconsin; William Hu of Saratoga, California; and Alice Wu of Dix Hills, New York, shared the $6,000 team scholarship for developing a novel technique for growing dental pulp stem cells, which could potentially improve bone and teeth regeneration. They are among 96 students overall selected to compete in regional competitions across the country this month out of a pool of more than 1,600 projects submitted for the competition this year.

These top regional winners are now moving on to the final phase of the Siemens Competition to present their work at the National Finals in Washington, D.C., December 5-6, 2016, where $500,000 in scholarships will be awarded, including two top prizes of $100,000.

Volvo launches largest bus to reduce fleet sizes, emissions

Billions of people worldwide are exposed to dangerous air, and more than 3 million are killed by air pollution annually. Volvo is responding to this global concern by supplying 3,000 hybrid and electric buses globally and the number continues to rise with the highest number of vehicles circulating in the U.K., Colombia, Sweden, Spain and Germany. The brand also recently unveiled the world’s largest bus at FetransRio which has capacity for up to 300 people. The vehicle is 30 meters in length and was designed to cater for the needs of Bus Rapid Transit systems (BRT) and provide more efficient transportation in addition to reducing fleet sizes and emissions.

State environmental prize awarded to Huber

Peter Huber Kältemaschinenbau AG, of Offenburg, was awarded the Environmental Prize for Companies 2016 for manufacturing companies by Environmental Minister Franz Untersteller. Huber is a pioneer in the development of environmentally friendly chillers and temperature control devices. He switched to CFC-free refrigeration machines at an early stage and has advanced the distribution of natural refrigerants such as CO2, propane and isobutane.

The 2016 Environmental Prize was awarded in the categories of Trade and Services, manufacturers, and industrial enterprises with less than 250 employees and more than 250 employees. In addition, the jury prize, Corporate Responsibility – Regional Commitment, was awarded, as was, for the first time, a special prize for non-profit organizations. A jury composed of representatives from economic organizations, environmental and climate protection associations and ministries of the state decided the winners.

Schaeffler-Thumann  receives Global Leadership Award

German entrepreneur Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler-Thumann, shareholder of Schaeffler Group, was awarded with the Global Leadership Award in New York. The award is one of the highest distinctions within the German-American relationship. As a successful entrepreneur, Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler-Thumann has developed the company into a significant global player, and has greatly contributed to the German-American relationship.

Since 1994, the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS) – a non-profit policy institute affiliated with Johns Hopkins University – has awarded the Global Leadership Award to outstanding business leaders who contribute to cementing the German-American relationship through their entrepreneurial work. Award winners in previous years include Dr. Dieter Zetsche (Daimler), Michael Diekmann (Allianz) and Virginia M. Rometty (IBM).

Corbion starts construction of 75 kTpa PLA bioplastics plant

Corbion started construction of the new PLA bioplastics polymerization plant at the existing Corbion site in Rayong, Thailand. Upon completion in 2018, it will be able to produce the complete Luminy portfolio of PLA neat resins: from standard PLA to innovative, high heat resistant PLA.

The new 75 kTpa PLA plant will be constructed using Corbion’s and Sulzer’s proprietary polymerization technology, and key equipment will be supplied by Sulzer Chemtech Ltd (Switzerland). In addition to the construction of this new PLA polymerization plant, Corbion will expand its existing lactide plant in Thailand by 25 kTpa. With this expansion, Corbion will be able to serve its current and future lactide customers. The lactide expansion will also enable the production of a wider range of lactides than is currently possible.

SVPGlobal puts UK packaging group Linpac up for sale

Buyout group SVPGlobal put U.K. food packaging group Linpac up for sale in a potential 500 million euro ($556 million) deal led by investment bank Rothschild, Reuters reported.

SVP took control of Linpac, makers of plastic boxes, trays and films for vegetables, meat, cake and frozen food, in late 2014 after buying up large chunks of debt related to a 2003 takeover of Linpac by private equity group Montagu for 860 million pounds ($1.1 billion), which had been backed by a 600 million pounds loan. Linpac supplies over 70 countries worldwide and has 2,500 employees.

PepsiCo and Feed the Children feed Fort Lauderdale families in need

Eight hundred Fort Lauderdale families in need will receive enough food to supplement meals for a week plus daily essentials, thanks to a partnership between PepsiCo and Feed the Children. The distribution event is part of a larger initiative between the two organizations to help feed communities in cities throughout the U.S. and is the third annual event PepsiCo and Feed the Children have hosted in the Fort Lauderdale community, where more than 20 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. The receiving families have been identified and preselected by Joshua’s Heart, a local nonprofit organization.

Viega hosts annual Nashua Educational Facility Open House

Viega LLC hosted and trained more than 200 industry professionals at its 2016 Nashua Educational Facility Open House event in Nashua, New Hampshire. The annual open house provides attendees the opportunity to see Viega’s Nashua training facility where thousands of professionals in the plumbing, HVAC and pipe-joining industries receive training each year. Attendees participated in a Viega technical services team meet-and-greet, a training and services event offering an overview and discounts toward future training packages.

Appointments

OMEGA Engineering appoints new president

OMEGA Engineering Inc. has moved its world headquarters to a new high-tech facility in Norwalk, Connecticut, representing a major transition for the firm, which for five decades had been headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The move coincides with the recent appointment of Joe Vorih as President. These exciting twin developments are ushering in a new era for the firm—an era that’s deeply rooted in OMEGA’s rich, pioneering history.

Vorih’s priority will be to transform OMEGA from the best-known direct provider of process sensors into a web-based global partner for complete process measurement and control solutions, including innovative wireless and IIoT-ready offerings. A manufacturing and technology industry visionary, Vorih has a proven track record leading businesses to new levels of growth. As President of CLARCOR Engine Mobile Solutions, he transformed the organization with a focused effort to serve the needs of original equipment manufacturers, launched several breakthrough programs, and opened a new manufacturing and sales presence in India.

Siemens appoints new CEOs

Siemens Corporation announced that Eric Spiegel, CEO of Siemens in the U.S., is retiring and leaving the company at the end of the year. Lisa Davis was appointed Chair and CEO of Siemens Corporation, effective January 1, 2017. Judith Marks was named Siemens CEO U.S., effective the same date.

Marks began her career at Siemens in 2011 as President and CEO of Siemens Government Technologies, Inc., where she led the company’s approach to the federal market. Before coming to Siemens she spent 27 years with Lockheed Martin and its predecessor companies. She will assume the CEO U.S. role in addition to her current position as executive vice president at Dresser-Rand, a Siemens business.

Global Shop Solutions names director of customer services

Global Shop Solutions a developer of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software simplifying manufacturing for 40 years, has named Nick Knight as the firm’s new Senior Director of Customer Services. A Global Shop Solutions employee for more than a decade, Knight previously served as a member of the Service Team, Consulting Project Manager and most recently as Director of Consulting. In these positions, he helped drive record growth in successful ERP implementations and consulting services revenue while leading the company’s global expansion into China, Asia-Pacific, Mexico, Australia and Canada. As Senior Director of Customer Services, Knight will oversee the consulting group, custom group, account representatives, and four international offices totaling nearly 70 employees.

Serialization expert Supply Chain Wizard ramps up executive team

Supply Chain Wizard (SCW) a leading full-service global consulting firm specializing in serialization and traceability as well as supply chain strategy and operational transformation programs, bolstered its high-level executive team in response to significant growth.  The hires come during a banner year of expansion that included a move into a larger U.S. headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey.

Alper Derici, was named Director of Product Development, where he is charged with coordinating, strategizing and executing all activities related to software products, an indication of Supply Chain Wizard’s deep commitment to investing in such "teachable" supply chain solutions.

In addition to directing day-to-day operations in Germany, Aytac Atac, Ph.D, was named Manager of Digital Innovation, exemplifying Supply Chain Wizard’s recognition of the ever-increasing importance of superior digital supply chain performance and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Julien Faury, was named Manager of Strategic Initiatives, and is charged with driving both internal and external strategic initiatives for Supply Chain Wizard, and strengthening the management capabilities of the fast-growing company.

Singer Valve Inc. boosts engineering department with two new hires

Singer Valve added two new members to its engineering department – Justin Arseneault as Instrumentation & Automation Engineer and Marc Li as Applications Engineer. With the growing need for automation and innovative design in the water industry, both Arseneault and Li are meeting a much-needed demand at Singer.

As Instrumentation & Automation Engineer, Arseneault designs and programs Singer’s UL-approved industrial panels, provides customer support for electronic products, is involved in training and R&D and does much of the technical manual writing.

As Applications Engineer, Li is focused on designing and implementing the optimal valve solution for specific customer requirements. Li goes into the field to understand the full scope of the project from which he designs the engineering solution and works with the production team to provide the best solution.

NewAge Industries announces new board members

NewAge Industries majority owner and CEO, Ken Baker, appointed several new members to its Board of Directors, including Matt Sullivan, Cecil Ursprung and Pat Sacco.

Sullivan, who joined the board last year, is president and CEO of the Dunmore Corporation, a family-owned business specializing in engineered films for coated, metallized and laminated products.

Ursprung joined the board in early 2016. His background includes positions as president, CEO and board member for Reflexite (now Orafol), a manufacturer of products that focus reflected light. He has been a board member for five other ESOP companies and brings a great deal of knowledge about employee ownership to NewAge’s board. Ursprung is currently on the board of the National Center for Employee Ownership, an organization of which NewAge is a member.

Sacco has more than 30 years of experience in the life sciences and biopharmaceutical industries and understands the challenges of manufacturing, engineering, quality, and technical operations. He held positions as senior vice president of manufacturing and vice president of engineering, among others, at Shire. Sacco also has experience with guiding organizations through rapid change and growth, developing long-term supply strategies, and the talent and human capital management of large organizations.

Asset Guardian solutions appoints business development manager

Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd (AGSL) specializing in managing and protecting companies’ "hidden assets" such as process critical software, appointed Mark Steel to the position of Business Development Manager for the U.K. Steel addition the business development team is part of AGSL’s plans to further strengthen its market niche in the U.K. as the leading supplier of process control software asset protection.

In his new role, Steel cultivates relationships with existing and prospective clients in the U.K., and is fully committed to increasing the profile of AGSL’s complete portfolio of capabilities, software products/solutions, and professional consulting services.

IDEC’s MicroSmart FC6A receives Good Design Award

IDEC Corporation’s MicroSmart FC6A PLC received the Good Design Award from the Japan Institute for Design Promotion, a public interest foundation. Its precursor, the Good Design Selection System (or G Mark System), was founded in 1957 by the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (the current Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), and has been engaged in design evaluation for about 60 years. Japanese products are synonymous with high quality and good design worldwide, and only the best of the best receive this award.

The FC6A MicroSmart PLC received this award because it combines the power of a PAC (programmable automation controller) in a low-cost controller with a small form factor, making it an ideal fit for demanding applications. Before the FC6A was introduced, designers often had to choose between expensive PACs and micro PLCs lacking in features. The FC6A solves this dilemma by offering many of the features formerly found in PACs in a micro PLC.

TrendMiner announces key senior management positions

TrendMiner which delivers big data search and advanced predictive analytics tools to the process industry, announced the appointments of John Miller to Vice President of Strategic Accounts and Edwin van Dijk to the role of Vice President of Marketing. Miller will be based in Houston, the company’s U.S. headquarters, and Van Dijk will support global marketing efforts from TrendMiner’s European headquarters in Belgium.

Miller’s primary focus is to support current accounts and manage the company’s growth strategy by working closely with prospects, new accounts and by supporting the expansion of successful pilot programs launched by TrendMiner’s largest customers.  Miller has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, joining TrendMiner from PAS where he was the Senior Director of Strategic Accounts.

Van Dijk will be responsible for TrendMiner’s global marketing strategy, which includes a focus on educating the market on the benefits of data analytics in the process industry and the opportunities available with TrendMiner’s solutions.  His team will also focus on corporate positioning, driving customer acquisition, loyalty and retention programs, and helping to increase global brand recognition.

Prior to joining TrendMiner, Van Dijk gained more than 20 years of market expertise in various roles; all related to asset information management and related business processes for owner operators. Starting at BlueCielo ECM Solutions as business development manager for the integration between IBM Maximo and BlueCielo Meridian, Van Dijk had various positions that lead to the role as Director of Global Marketing.