HF Mixing Group plans for major restructuring

FREUDENBERG, Germany—HF Mixing Group is planning a number of organizational changes in order to improve its offerings to meet growing market demand for automation and integrated auxiliary products.

To that end, the company said that it had joined forces with another German company B&K Waege & Anlagentechnik in order to increase its competency in upstream material handling equipment.

B&K has a focus on weighing, storage, feeding, dosing of raw materials and liquids that are tailored to system requirements.

Based on the know-how of company Steimel-Fix (1925), the strategic cooperation with B&K will allow the HF to expand its product portfolio and in the future have access to their upstream equipment and plant engineering resource.

The two companies, in the medium term, will cooperate on research and development to address technological challenges in the field of material weighing and dosing.

The company also has acquired 100 percent shares of Mesabi Control Engineering Ltd., a St. Paul, Minn.-based industrial automation company as part of its reorganization bid.

Explaining the rationale behind the acquisition, HF said systems automation was one of the "fastest growing segments in the rubber compounding industry" and that its customers were increasingly demanding strong local support for its products.

"In many markets there is a strong customer demand for a customized automation solution, taking care of the local customer's special requirements. Bringing Mesabi into the HF Mixing Group gives HF a strong presence in the US market," said the HF statement.

Mesabi's management team of John Beaudoin and Nora Hahn will continue to manage the business post acquisition.

The Freudenberg-based company also has established a sales unit, introducing a new vice president sales & marketing position to improve its costumer focus.

As of Oct. 1, Ian Wilson will take over the role at HF Mixing Group, with the task to coordinate all sales activities as well as sales-related services such as marketing.

Wilson has more than 30 years of experience in internal mixer design, engineering, sales and product management.

Since 2010 Wilson had managed the HF Mixing Group's Tangential Business Unit Farrel Ltd., based in Rochdale, England.

Polymer processing equipment manufacturers Harburg-Freudenberger, Farrel and Pomini Rubber & Plastics have been working together as part of the HF Mixing Group since 2010.