©iStockphoto.com/DNY59
Global Highlights North America
10.88”
WAFIOS AG has announced the appointment of Markus Arnold as the new managing director for its American subsidiary, WAFIOS Machinery Corporation (WMC). Arnold replaces David Purcell, who died after a tragic accident in April 2020. In making the announcement, WAFIOS executive board spokesman Dr. Ing. Uwe-Peter Markus Arnold Weigmann noted that Arnold is an experienced manager from the parent company. “He knows the company well, identifies with WAFIOS AG, knows the corporate philosophy and comes with a good in-house network of contacts,” said Dr. Weigmann. Dr. Weigmann said the appointment of the new managing director was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. He said the interim management of the parent company, in cooperation with the management in the U.S., was able to bridge this period well. Arnold joined WAFIOS AG in 2011 and has extensive experience in various positions, most recently as head of the Tool Center at the company’s headquarters in Reutlingen, Germany, making him well acquainted with the WAFIOS product line. Arnold was scheduled to relocate to Connecticut with his wife, Lucy and their three daughters, Martha, Elena, and Lowenna in the summer of 2021, and to assume active management at the Branford, Connecticut headquarters of WMC beginning in September. “I‘m excited to join the great team of passionate people at WMC serving the wire and tube industry across North America,” said Arnold. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and The Manufacturing Institute (MI)—the workforce development and education partner of the NAM—have created many episodes in its Creators Wanted virtual series. A recent episode, “A Family Tradition: Building a Legacy in Manufacturing,” highlighted how family-owned businesses are the heartbeat of manufacturing in America. The episode explored how manufacturing businesses passed down through generations have helped to shape the industry and how family-run businesses continue to invest in their workers to build momentum for the future.
“So much of manufacturing in America is about family— not just the generations of owners and workers, but also the relationships built on shop floors or after the workday ends,” said MI executive director Carolyn Lee. “I was raised in one of those families, seeing from a young age that manufacturing can have a tremendous positive impact on communities and the men and women who help build them. The potential and opportunity that manufacturing produces is what drives our work every day, so this episode is very close to my heart.” To view the latest videos in the series, visit the NAM’s YouTube channel, at live.creatorswanted.org and through the MI’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages. For more information on the manufacturing industry and exciting career paths, visit www.nam.org or www.themanufacturinginstitute.org. Capstone Partners, a leading middle market investment banking firm, released its July 2021 Precision Manufacturing Industry Update, reporting that the precision manufacturing industry has continued to recover after enduring unprecedented supply chain disruptions, volatile raw material prices, and depressed demand associated with instability in downstream markets due to COVID-19. Precision manufacturers that have demonstrated resilience throughout COVID-19 are expected to benefit from galvanized demand as the pandemic continues to subside. “Companies that have proprietary capabilities and provide critical roles within their client's supply chains remain in strong demand and are likely to command premium valuations. End market outlook is also critical, and for many it was temporarily masked in 2020,” said Capstone managing director Ted Polk, a lead contributor in the newly released report. Also included in this report: • An exclusive interview with Kyle O’Meara, vice president of corporate development at MW Industries • Why merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has surged in 2021 • How the recovery of advanced end markets will impact demand for precision manufacturing services and engineered components • How precision manufacturers are improving supply chain visibility To access to full report, see https://www.capstonepartners.com/ insights/precision-manufacturing-july-2021/.
SPRINGS / Fall 2021 / 7
