By Liz White, UT editor
Lotte, Germany-Frimo Group has added a new agent in the UK and Ireland. With effect from 1 Oct 2006, Barry Oliver now represents the Lotte, Germany-based manufacturer of moulding and tooling equipment in these two regions.
Frimo's intention is to intensify its local presence and improve customer service in the region, said a statement from Franz Niedermeier, vice president of sales for Frimo Group.
Oliver, who has several years experience in the automotive sector to draw on, will be the first point of contact for customers in the UK and Ireland. He will work out of offices in West Malling in Kent.
New PURe division
Meanwhile, Frimo, which earlier this year spread its wings into polyurethane processing by buying a supplier of PU dispensing equipment in North America, has set this business up as a separate division, called PURe Technology. For Frimo, this "strengthens the [group's] more than 40 years of experience and core competence," in the PU sector, said a statement from Hans-Günter Bayer, ceo of Frimo (pictured above).
The group also opened a new technology centre at its Aschaffenburg, Germany, site, which it says offers the complete range of mixing/metering machines, plants and polyurethane manufacturing and processing solution.
Frimo has two additional new units: plastics joining technology and automation.
Bayer went on to point out that there has been "speculation in the market," about Frimo taking over Konal Kunstofftechnnik GmbH & Co. KG in Aschaffenburg. In fact, Bayer explained, the shareholders of Konal decided to liquidate the company and withdraw from the European market.
"Frimo decided to adopt the employees affected by this decision," continued Bayer, pointing out that extension of its polyurethane activities is "part of Frimo's global strategy."
Jens-Jürgen Härtel will be managing director of the new PURe Technology division, which combines all Frimo's polyurethane activities in Aschaffenburg and Lotte in one business unit, Bayer continued.
In addition, Jürgen Lause will be technical director of tooling, and Armin Daniel technical director for machinery and plants, while Klaus Schnarre is sales head and Jörg Menkhaus is commercial director.
This "experienced, specialised and competent management team," will develop the division, with a focus on meeting customer needs, concluded Bayer.
"
