SUPPLIERS 2017 BUSINESS FORECAST tween Philadelphia and Wilmington, Del. For 2017, Hoffmann says the company is looking to build on last year’s work and focus on the company’s relationships with manufacturers who use CPV valves in their projects. BRIAN HOFFMANN PRESIDENT AND CEO
ELEET CRYOGENICS
Having built the business on repairing and renovating cryogenic tanks, Eleet Cryogenics, of Bolivar, Ohio, shifted gears a bit in 2016. The company added new tanks from TaylorWharton to its product mix, says Garry Sears, president. “It’s increased our offerings,” he says. For 2017, the company is expanding its line again in the first quarter, adding new CO2 tanks that have coldstretched stainless steel inner tanks. Sears says the company will expand its sales force in the first quarter as GARRY SEARS well, to be able to reach out to more PRESIDENT customers. Eleet also is working with a Texas company to set up a satellite depot to deliver to that market.
CRYOVATION
Ric Boyd, president of Cryovation, says 2016 found the company building major fill plants domestically and overseas. The plants were customized and the work highlighted the company’s abilities, he says. For 2017, Boyd expects the Hainesport, N.J., company will continue to refine its products, aiming to make them, “safer, better, faster.” He explains that the company is always asking how to make fill-plant equipment RIC BOYD PRESIDENT more efficient for the owner.
EXOCOR
Joining GAWDA in 2015 helped Exocor to have a good year in 2016, says President and COO Paul Kinsella. “We made some great relationships with independent distributors” through the GAWDA experience, he says. During the year, the company also added some items to its Executive line of filler metals. 72 • Winter 2017
More of the same pattern is on tap for 2017, Kinsella adds, noting, “We’re continuing to fill out our product line so we can be a one-stop source for anyone looking for a complete line of filler metals.” In addition, the company, which is headquartered in St. Catharines, Ontario, and has a facility in nearby Amherst, N.Y., is looking to widen the area it PAUL KINSELLA PRESIDENT AND COO serves in the United States this year.
KAPLAN INDUSTRIES
In 2016, Kaplan Industries expanded into a new 16acre facility in Harrison, Ohio. That allowed the company to improve its turn times and consistency, says Jim Johnston, senior vice president. He says the company’s performance has been helped by the new physical plant and by the 55-person work force the company was able to hire in Ohio. For the year ahead, Kaplan says he expects to increase inventory since the company now has space for it, and continue to focus on keeping turn times reasonable. “When our customers need something, they need it,” he says. He is counting on JIM JOHNSTON more inventory and a broadened supply SENIOR VICE chain to help make that happen. PRESIDENT
WELDING ALLOYS
A 15,000-square-foot expansion to its main production facility capped off 2016 for Welding Alloys, says President Jeffery P. Watkins. The Florence, Ky., maker of welding wires and electrodes plans to do some hiring in 2017 to put that space to work. Watkins says the company is also on the lookout for “good technical sales people to help expand our business.” Though they were occupied withfinishing the expansion, Watkins says the company’s workforce still took JEFFERY P. care of their customers. For one, the WATKINS crew stayed late on the last work day PRESIDENT before Christmas. They needed to complete a rush job for a distributor whose client forgot to order 10,000 pounds of wire. Watkins says that kind of conscientious service has helped the company triple sales in the past five years.