Motion promotes two to executive VP roles

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Motion Industries Inc. has promoted two company veterans with a combined 70 years time with the distributor of maintenance, repair and operational parts.

Joe Limbaugh, who has been with Motion for 40 years, has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operations officer; and James Howe has been elevated to executive vice president and chief commercial officer/chief technology officer.

Both promotions take effect June 1. Limbaugh and Howe will report to Motion President Randy Breaux.

"These are two richly deserved executive promotions," Breaux said. "Over the years, both Joe and James have proven to be exceptional leaders for Motion in their respective areas of the business.

Breaux noted that Limbaugh and Howe have built strong relationships in the industry.

"These changes will certainly enhance the value Motion delivers to our customers, employees and stakeholders," Breaux said.

Limbaugh will continue in his responsibilities leading marketing, supply chain, DC/FC operations, real estate and enterprise excellence, and the promotion brings responsibility for operations in the Mi solutions businesses, including Mi Conveyance Solutions, Mi Fluid Power Solutions, Motion Ai and Mi Repair and Services.

Howe was named executive vice president in 2021, charged with leading eCommerce, pricing, and corporate accounts.

With annual sales of more than $8 billion, Motion distributes bearings; mechanical power transmission products; electrical and industrial automation components; hose, belting, and gaskets; hydraulic and pneumatic components; process pumps; industrial and safety products; seals and accessories; and material handling products and solutions.

Motion on the move in 2022

Motion North America expanded its footprint in 2022 to include Kaman Distribution Group and now has more than 600 service locations and 19 distribution centers.

KDG, purchased for $1.3 billion Jan. 3, 2022, by Motion, is based in Bloomfield, Conn., has about 220 North American locations, providing electro-mechanical products, bearings, power transmission, motion control and electrical and fluid power components to MRO and OEM customers.

Motion also opened a new, 105,000-sq.-ft. facility in Eden Prairie, Minn., last summer, giving the company a larger footprint in a regional setting.

The state-of-the-art, automated facility opened June 1, 2022.

The company said it needed a larger space for its growing business, as this space is nearly double that of an older location in Eden Prairie.

By putting capital money into automation and robotics solutions, Motion is looking to expand capacity by up to 30 percent in the coming year in Eden Prairie.

The larger space boasts a regional sales and support center, classrooms for training, a regional fulfillment center, assembly and fabrication shops, design area, and engineering labs.