There is much going on in the world of fluid power and motion control, from technology introductions and industry advancements to new trends and industry leaders. Each week the Power & Motion team collects some of the latest industry news to help keep our readers up to date on what's happening in the industries in which they work.
Trelleborg Facilities Receive IATF Certification
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has received International Automotive Task Force (IATF) Certification at four of its U.S. locations. It certifies the locations are appropriately equipped to perform subassembly work for automotive manufacturing customers and Tier 1 suppliers.
The company's following ServicePLUS Centers received the certification:
- Menomonee Falls, WI
- Vancouver, WA
- Ontario, CA
As explained by Trelleborg in its press release announcing the certification, IATF 16949:2016 is the International Standard for Automotive Quality Management Systems. It emphasizes the development of a process-oriented quality management system that provides for continual improvement, defect prevention, and reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.
"IATF certifications are important to the automotive industry for more than just quality assurance. When suppliers meet these standards, they directly help original equipment manufacturers reduce their costs and potential costs to the final consumer," said David Kaley, Business Development Manager, Auto, Truck & Transportation, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, in the company's press release. "While many suppliers have IATF certified facilities, few also offer value-added custom manufacturing services to customers. Trelleborg’s IATF certified locations do custom assemblies for multiple part streams that decrease operational costs."
NFPA Selects Nominees for Board of Directors, Receives New Donations for Fluid Power Education
Each year new members are appointed to Board of Directors for the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA). The NFPA Nominating Committee has recommended several members for the next term which begins July 1, 2023; the election will take place during the NFPA Annual Business Meeting held as part of the Annual Conference on Feb. 15.
Nominated officers include:
- For Chair: Tom Hunter, Vice President, Global Business Development, Husco
- For Vice Chair: Keith Simons, President & CEO, OEM Controls
- For Treasurer: Jim Slone, Executive Vice President, Business Development, SunSource
- For Secretary: David Price, Vice President of Business Development, QCC
In addition to the board's officers, director nominations have also been made with various term lengths:
Terms expiring June 30, 2026
- Greg Gumbs, Regional President & CEO, Bosch Rexroth North America
- Scott Meldeau, Commercial Vice President, Norgren
- Andrew Smulski, Senior Vice President of Global Distribution Sales, Danfoss
Terms expiring June 30, 2025
- Patrick Green, VP of Sales and Marketing, Kraft Fluid Systems
- Chris Kolbe, VP Sales & Marketing, HYDAC
- Markus Rauchhaus, Chief Executive Officer, Nott Company
- Ben Wallis, Enterprise Account Executive, eShipping, LLC
Terms expiring June 30, 2024
The NFPA has also recently announced donations to the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund — which is administered by the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation — has to date received donations exceeding $30,000. Reaching this milestone qualifies the fund for a matching gift of $25,000 from the NFPA to help support fluid power education, something Wanke was passionate about during his over 50 years in the industry before passing 2022.
READ MORE: Fluid Power Industry Mourns Passing of Tom Wanke
Annual awards will be given through the fund to help students interested in studying fluid power as well as educational institutions to continue improving the quality of their fluid power curriculum.
Additional donations are still being accepted.
Volvo CE Investing in Electric Wheel Loader Production
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is planning to increase production of electric wheel loaders to meet growing global demand for electric-powered machines. Its parent company Volvo Group is investing SEK 65 million (about $6.3 million) into the Arvika factory in Sweden. The facility specializes in production of medium and large wheel loaders and will be expanded to enable phased introduction of new electric wheel loaders.
The investment plans come shortly after those previously announced regarding updates to the company's articulated haulers production facility which will accommodate the manufacture of electric and other alternatively powered vehicles there.
Development of electrified and other alternatively powered equipment is a key goal for Volvo CE along its path toward becoming fossil free by 2040; it also aims to have 35% of sales by 2030 be comprised of electric machines.
The company is well on its way with this initiative, having recently announced plans to show new electric machines at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023. This further growth of electrified heavy equipment will continue to impact the various components and systems vital to these machines, such as the hydraulics which Volvo has said is an area of development efforts for the electric machines.
READ MORE about the new investment from Construction Equipment, an affiliate brand of Power & Motion.
Triumph Awarded Contract from Airbus
Triumph Group Inc., a developer of components for aerospace and defense including actuators and other motion control technologies, has received a contract from Airbus. Through this contract, the company's Actuation Products and Services business will provide A220 On Wing Emergency Exit Door (OWEED) control cables.
"The OWEED cable is just one of the many solutions TRIUMPH provides to Airbus and we are delighted to further strengthen our relationship with this contract extension," said Mike Boland, President of TRIUMPH Actuation Products & Services, in the company's press release announcing the contract.
The Actuation Products and Services business designs and manufactures electro-hydraulic and mechanical systems including actuators, pumps, motors, control valves, reservoirs and more which are used by customers in the commercial and military aircraft business like Airbus.
