Our Experts

Weighing Expert at Hense Wägetechnik GmbH. Know-How and experience: Extensive experience in development of different types of belt scales, solid flow meters and smart electronic systems for retrofit able weighing systems for silos on steal constructions and skirts. Describe your requirements to Andreas and he will assist you both in planning new systems and in improving the efficiency of existing processes.

Todd Messmer is the Product Manager for the Schenck Process Weighing and Feeding Product Line in North America. He has 21 years of Applications Engineering experience customizing and designing Screw Feeders, Weighbelts, Vibratory Feeders, Flow Meters, and Bulk Bag Unloaders into customers’ processes. Todd has worked with a diverse range of companies in the Food, Plastics, Chemicals and Pharmaceutical industries and has written several articles for key industry publications. He holds degrees in both Electronics and Marketing and currently manages a team of Applications Engineers for Schenck Process. Expert in Screw Feeders, Weighbelts, Vibratory Feeders, Flow Meters, and Bulk Bag Unloaders.

Nathan Grube is Regional Vice President of Sales for BinMaster covering the central United States including a ten-state area stretching from North Dakota to Texas. He joined BinMaster in 2001, already equipped with five years of experience in agricultural equipment. Grube has worked with end users, distributors, and OEMs across the US. His vast expertise covers many industries including agriculture, aggregates, cement, plastics, and mining, among others.

Chuck Johnson is the director of sales at National Bulk Equipment, located in Holland, Michigan. His professional experience includes over 25 years in the design, engineering, & sales of bulk material handling equipment & systems. Johnson holds a BS in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University.

As Bunting’s Technical Sales Engineer, Tom Higginbottom helps companies solve metal separation and detection problems. Since joining Bunting in March 2017, Tom has developed a reputation as a magnetic separation and metal detection equipment specialist, regularly visiting sites across Europe to advise on ways to improve metal separation and recovery. He is also a committee member of the British Metal Recyclers Association’s Young British Metals Recyclers (YBMR).

After gaining his degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Southampton in England, Neal spent 10 years developing and commissioning control systems for a major international food process system manufacturer. In 2007 he started working for Hydronix as a Customer Service and Software Development Engineer before becoming Sales Manager in 2011. Neal is very knowledgeable in the concrete and organic industry.

Dr.-Ing. Johannes Lottermann studied safety engineering before he worked for DMT GmbH & Co. KG, an independent engineering and consulting company. He managed the department of technical fire and explosion safety. In 2010 he started to work at REMBE GmbH Safety + Control and is in his role as Director Explosion Safety responsible for the (inter)national customer base with a focus on consulting and engineering. Johannes Lottermann is a member of numerous expert committees and international professional associations such as the VDI, VDSI and VGB.

Russell Grotto serves as the Director of Operations for the Toll Processing sector of Elcan Industries’ sieving business. He graduated from Union College with a BA in Managerial Economics. His father, Bob Grotto, is the founder of Elcan Industries and served on the board of PEMA for over a decade. Russ works closely with customers to help them develop catered sieving solutions to their specific products and needs. Before becoming the Director of Operations, Russ served as an operator in the toll processing plant and has hands on experience running screening machines. Russ also works closely with the manufacturers of the sieving equipment Elcan sells and was an integral part in bringing their newest line of equipment, the Hi-Sifter, to the US market place.

Chris Nawalaniec is Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Stedman Machine Company, the Aurora, Ind.-based manufacturer of size reduction equipment and systems, founded in 1834. Nawalaniec graduated from the University of Cincinnati (BSME, MBA) and has more than 30 years professional experience in size reduction and particle size separation. Nawalaniec oversees new machinery and system sales, as well as the full-service test plant that has been operating at Stedman for more than 90 years.

Carrie Hartford is the Technical Sales Manager and Senior Project Engineer in Jenike & Johanson’s office in California. For 15 years, she has been solving challenging bulk material flow related problems around the world. Typical projects include the analysis and design of bins, hoppers, feeders, and transfer chutes. From 2012 – 2014, she opened and established an engineering office and laboratory facilities in Perth, Western Australia. Internationally she publishes and presents technical papers, participates in conferences, and presents numerous short courses in the field of bulk solids flow. Carrie has a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA from Azusa Pacific University in California. She is a licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer in the State of California.

Tim is a distinguished Sales Director and Chemical Engineer with an illustrious career spanning 38 years at Winkworth Machinery, where he has honed his expertise and knowledge in mixing technology for solids and semi-solids mixing applications. Tim’s expertise encompasses a wide spectrum of applications, from pharmaceuticals and chemicals to food and cosmetics, demonstrating his versatility and adaptability in solving complex mixing challenges. He has actively contributed to industry organisations, sharing his knowledge and insights with colleagues and aspiring engineers. His dedication to mentoring the next generation of engineers is a testament to his commitment to the future of mixing technology.

Süleyman is General Manager of Polimak with more than 20 years of experience in design, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing of bulk solids handling systems. He leads the organization to provide problem-free solutions from single equipment to complete turnkey systems for a wide range of industries. Pneumatic conveying systems, dust collectors, rotary valves, big bag dischargers, batching & dosing systems, storage silos are some of the components designed and produced by a highly qualified engineering team in the organization. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Süleyman’s background includes software development, industrial automation, and IoT technologies. This facilitates Polimak’s vision of providing data-driven smart process technologies for the bulk solids handling industry in the new digital age.

Karen Van Aelst, ing., is a seasoned professional with a rich background in sales and engineering, particularly within the dry bulk handling and process industry. Over the course of 12 years, she honed her expertise in selling installations tailored for these sectors. In 2010, Karen transitioned to StuvEx, where she embarked on a decade-long journey as a sales engineer specializing in explosion protection. Her role encompassed managing sales activities in both BeLux and Germany, showcasing her proficiency in navigating diverse markets and establishing strong client relationships. Since 2019, Karen has assumed the position of Product Manager at StuvEx, where she is entrusted with the vital responsibilities of overseeing the development and market realization of explosion protection products. Her extensive experience in sales, coupled with her engineering background, positions her as a valuable asset in driving innovation and ensuring the safety of industrial environments. Karen’s dedication and expertise continue to play a pivotal role in the success of StuvEx in the field of explosion protection.

Since 2016, David Hyer has served as the President and General Manager of Thayer Scale and is responsible for daily operations. In 2013, he rejoined the company after serving as the division manager of the circuit-board test and inspection business at Teradyne. His professional experience includes senior management positions in sales and business development at Teradyne and two venture capital-backed startups. His first position was with Thayer Scale in 1985 as a college student writing machine-level code for the PI-164 instrument. David has expertise in the design and manufacture of market-leading conveyor belt scales and gravimetric feeders. With an unyielding focus on product line specialization and quality, the company’s portfolio of products and customized solutions are tailored to the unique requirements of its three key segments; Food, Energy & Building Products, and Chemical & Industrial. David holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University. He is married with three children and enjoys tennis, golf, and spending time on his boat.

Todd Allison is President of Progressive Products, Inc, where he spent 6 years being a sales engineer before moving into his current role. He is also a former adjunct professor in the Kansas Technology Center at Pittsburg State University, where he taught Innovation Engineering. Todd has spent most of his career in the pneumatic conveying industry and has almost 20 years of experience in industrial sales and product design. He is a graduate of SCAD design school and attended graduate school at the Kelce School of Business at Pittsburg State University. He serves on several advisory boards including the CEDBR Kansas Economic Outlook Team and the Mid America District Export Council.

Arie Srugo was born in 1960 to the late Yaakov Srugo, who established his first factory for the production of industrial machinery in 1954 in Argentina.Ltd. “. In the mid-1970s, the factory was moved to the southern town of Netivot. Arie Srugo was employed in the factory as a salesman from the age of 16 and “pumped” into it the knowledge regarding machines for industry from an early age. In 1981, after his release from regular service in the army, Arie Srugo joined the company and was appointed its VP of Marketing. As part of his role as VP of Marketing and as CEO of the company, Arie Srugo has accumulated vast knowledge regarding industrial equipment in general and mixing equipment in particular. The company under his management began to export its machines all over the world and gained a great reputation among the companies in Israel. As part of his extensive activity in the field, Arie Srugo engaged in consulting, characterization, process planning, and adaptation of various industrial equipment to the company’s many customers. In addition, the company engaged in the planning and management of entire projects that the PerMix company undertook. Here in fact began to accumulate vast knowledge and experience in the field of planning and management of projects in the field of process for industry. PerMix, headed by Arie Srugo, has also managed projects abroad in various and varied fields. Throughout PerMix’s years of operation, the company has grown from primarily manufacturing under OEM contracts, building some of the largest brands in the industry, to complete, turn-key processing lines under the PerMix name.

Doan Pendleton is Vice President of VAC-U-MAX located in Belleville, New Jersey. With over 20 years of professional experience in the design, engineering, manufacturing and marketing of dry bulk material transfer systems, Doan’s experience includes strong application knowledge of bulk ingredient handling systems for the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, as well as extensive experience with portable and central industrial vacuum cleaning systems. Mr. Pendleton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing/Marketing Management from Suffolk University. As Executive Manager, Mr. Pendleton manages Global Sales and Marketing.

Gareth Meese works as Regional Sales Director – EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, India, and Northern Africa) for Eriez-Europe, a global leader in several key technology areas, including magnetic separation, metal detection, and material handling equipment. With nearly 20 years of experience in continuously-evolving positions, Gareth is well versed in bulk material handling applications. When Gareth joined Eriez as an Export Sales Engineer, he led several Eriez teams tasked with expanding business throughout Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and the Czech Republic. Later, as Export Sales Manager, he concentrated on growing Eriez-Europe in Russia, Europe and Northern Africa. His recent promotion expands his geographic responsibilities further with the addition of the Middle East and India. Gareth has been instrumental in pursuing Eriez’ vision and holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Cardiff University. Gareth is more than prepared to discuss and recommend a tailored solution for any unique bulk material handling application.

Sharon Nowak serves as Global Business Development Manager for the Food and Pharmaceutical Industries for Coperion and Coperion K-Tron. Nowak works closely with the Research & Development and Engineering departments as well as worldwide customer requests to identify new applications and provide design and focus on the very specific needs of these industries. Nowak has a 30+ year background in the process equipment industry for food and pharmaceuticals as well as a degree in Chemical/Biochemical Engineering from Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. She has extensive experience designing and integrating feeders and material handling equipment including pneumatic conveying into continuous and batch processes for food and pharmaceuticals including blenders/mixers, mills/micronizers, extruders, granulators and coaters, and contained processes for potent pharmaceutical compounds.

Aristidis Melios is the General Manager at Vraykos & Associates Mechanical Ltd. He holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from National Technical University of Athens, and has more than 30 years of experience in design, engineering and manufacturing of bulk materials handling systems in food industry in Greece and Balkans area. Mr Melios is an expert in managing industrial projects that concern mechanical or pneumatic conveying, weighing & dosing, mixing, dedusting, screening and storaging of food bulk products. He has the experience needed to create a cost efficient turn-key solution for every bulk materials industry. The last years leads the Vraykos company engineering team with success, inserting new ideas and technologies in the field of bulk materials handling systems.

Kemutec B.V. was founded a few years ago, to enable dedicated service to Kemutec customers on the mainland of Europe. Johan Lucas, who is responsible for the Sales & Business Development of Kemutec in the Benelux, started his career 30 years ago as product manager of Kemutec. During these decades he created a long track record of projects and joint process developments in the Confectionary, Spices, Flavours, Dairy, Cereals and Bakery Ingredients. In addition to Beverages, Detergent, Pharmaceutical and the Chemical Industry with elements like feasibility studies, conceptual design, system integration, etcetera – delivering advice, components, systems or total solutions. Due to his cooperation with many leading suppliers, he developed expertise in Powder Process & Handling technologies such as sieving, classifying, breaking, crushing, milling, conveying, mixing/blending, feed/dosing & weighing. Johan’s specific knowledge in powder process applications includes crushing/de-agglomeration after dryers/spray towers, QA at filling & emptying – small/big bags, dry/wet cleaning – hygienic design, trouble-free feeding of liquid processes – dissolving & filtration. Johan enjoys a challenge to solve any kind of powder process problem. Contact him on +31 (0) 653 86 77 06, Johan.Lucas@schenckprocess.com

For over 60 years IEP Technologies have been providing market leading explosion protection solutions into industry. Matt Elliott has been part of that journey now for over three years and has had the privilege to draw on IEP’s wealth of expertise during that time. Matt is responsible for technical sales of active, and passive explosion protection systems in the southern half of the United Kingdom. His background as a fully qualified mechanical engineer, HNC education and subsequent ten years of experience in technical sales directly related to powder handling, which has provided a cornerstone of knowledge to address the challenges IEP Technologies face every day. If you were to ask Matt what his key attributes are he would say “to fully understand the application presented by the customer, but also competently design a viable solution to benefit the customer”. This statement is only made possible by listening carefully to a customer but also being proficient when it comes to designing explosion protection solutions in line with their stringent regulations and delivering solutions within IEP Technologies’ design guidance and current EN standards.

James is a veteran of solids flow measuring process design with over 27 years of experience under his belt. He is a recognized expert in flow-metering and feeding applications in a wide variety of sectors across a multitude of industries, including the food, chemical and building supply industries.

Jeff Lucke graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh with a degree in International Business. Jeff subsequently obtained a post college degree from Anoka Technical College in Import/Export. Jeff joined Solimar Pneumatics as their sole sales person in 1991. Along with a staff of engineers that have 20+ years of experience in powder handling, Jeff and Solimar Pneumatics are now widely known as leading experts in the industry. Through the years the company expanded their international presence through trade shows, travel, and advertising. Solimar now sells to over 75 countries worldwide. In 2019 Jeff and two partners became the owners of Solimar Pneumatics.

George Bougioukas, Plant Manager of Acmon systems has over a 20 years of experience in plant process design for both mechanical and automation engineering in a wide range of industrial sectors. He has gained a unique knowhow of cross-cutting technologies and applications bringing the organization to reach a new industrial value chain era. George’s expertise includes applications ranging from reception and storage of raw materials, pneumatic and mechanical conveying, sieving, weighing and dosing, mixing, up to bagging and final product dispatch. Behind George there is a dedicated team of engineers who like him are constantly striving to improve design and performance of all plants Acmon systems has been delivering all around the globe for the last 30years on a turnkey basis.

Travis has over 20 years of experience in the dry bulk solids industry and is the President at Vortex, an engineering and manufacturing company that specialises in process valves and loading solutions specifically for solids handling. Travis has worked on solution-driven installations across six continents and has a strong knowledge of market-specific regulations and requirements within the industry.

Matthias Hofmann is Technical Director at singold gerätetechnik gmbh. The company specialises in the development and production of pneumatic knockers and other products for the bulk solids industry such as flap shutters and double-flap sluices. As a Dipl.-Ing.(FH), Markus Hofmann initially contributed his extensive knowledge in plant construction and mechanical engineering as a design engineer at various mechanical engineering companies, including in the position of chief engineer. Since 2019, he has been further developing the product range at singold gerätetechnik gmbh and supporting customers in finding the optimal solution for their plant.

Calvin Ruddiman is the director of sales (Europe & Asia-Pacific) at Magnattack Global, specialists in metal separation solutions for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Calvin has over 10 years of experience working with the food industry and is an expert in finding solutions to metal contamination control issues. Having had a lifelong passion for engineering and a background in fluid and powder flow dynamics, he is equipped with a broad knowledge in stainless steel manufacturing and has expertise in meeting sensitive food requirements, as well as working with more challenging products for intrinsically safe applications. Calvin also has experience in how to capitalize on conformance to HACCP International and global ISO standards to help protect producers that are facing the real challenges in the field for magnetic fragment contamination risks. He can provide advice on product security needs on finished product, roles of metal detection and magnets, and the current status of technology for controlling magnetic contamination.

Design Engineer, Project Manager, Territory and Sales Manager with 40+ years of experience in capture at source designs, sales and installation projects for high and low vacuum and dust collection and filtration systems and explosion and fire mitigation in dust collection systems.

Sunny Nwadinma is the Senior Applications Engineer at Kason Corporation. He covers product lines of circular fluidized-bed dryers, coolers and moisturizers, circular vibratory and centrifugal sifters, and static sieve screeners. He studied Engineering Technology at Essex Community College and studied Mechanical Engineering and Science at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He holds certificates from the Dale Carnegie course on fluidized-bed technology from the University of Wisconsin, and the Effective Facilitator Course offered by the Leadership Strategies Institute.

As the Sales Manager at Foeth, Michel Terlouw possesses an enthusiasm for international trade and excels in identifying the perfect match for every customer. In a company like Foeth, individuals with a solid technical background are truly indispensable. Clients from across the globe visit to explore our extensive inventory of pre-owned machines, and it’s essential to collaborate closely with each customer to determine which machine best suits their intended application. Michel is impassioned by the collaborative process of discovering the ideal machine alongside the customer because it aligns with our mission. The pursuit of finding the perfect solution is not only gratifying but also contributes to advancing sustainability within the industry.

Maximilian Hofmann born in Germany, is Area Sales Manager of the ENVEA Group since 2019. After completing a dual study in economics with practical experience, learning about industrial engineering was the next big goal. Starting in Sales & Marketing with ENVEA Process GmbH, he soon became Area Sales Manager with the responsibility for several countries and key accounts. Working on many international projects with reputable companies such as Agricultural companies specialized in seeds and grains, Systems Engineering Companies, and Incineration Plant Manufacturers and Engineering, he gained all the experience required to give advice in industrial automation, emissions, and ambient air monitoring. While working on all these projects, customer-oriented solutions always remained in focus which helped to solve measuring tasks across very different applications for a wide range of companies. Currently working in around 20 countries worldwide, Maximilian advises customers of the best possible measuring device for their measuring tasks in Process, Emissions, and Ambient Air Monitoring.

Adrian is currently the President of MoistTech Corp and has been with MoistTech Corp. since 2010 starting as the Sales Manager. Bringing to the company many years of experience and expertise in multiple industrial moisture applications, Mr. Fordham has vast knowledge in Near-Infrared moisture sensing and detection technology.

Robert brings over 25 years of experience for bulk material handling and material processing equipment to Material Transfer. At MTS, he is responsible to fostering new business opportunities while nurturing account relationships. His depth of experience and industry knowledge allows our Team to meet the growing needs of our customers as we continue to provide the highest quality systems to the marketplace.

Chris has been working at Spiroflow for over 10 years and is currently in the role of technical sales manager. He handles all the technical drawings and specifications during the sale and aides our drawing office while the equipment is designed, he also assists the manufacturing department with the build. His vast knowledge of powder handling and mechanical design is why he is involved in every aspect of designing our powder handling solutions.

More than 30 years’ experience in development and realisation projects as a project manager for feed, aqua feed and petfood. Working at Dinnissen for 20 years as account manager in feed, aqua feed and petfood division. Specialist in developing major projects with added value focussing on pneumatic conveying, mixing, drying, grinding and coating with liquid and powder systems.

Steve Massman received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Steve has been with General Kinematics for over 20 years, starting as a Design Engineer, holding several other titles before reaching his current title of Technical Director. Since his start at General Kinematics Steve has been a member of the General Kinematics R&D Committee since 2011, designed over 200 pieces of equipment, and has 9 assigned and pending patents. He is instrumental in the development of GK’s grinding technologies. When Steve is out of the office he spends his time with his family in the great outdoors; kayaking, windsurfing, and snorkeling. Contact GK for more at info@generalkinematics.com

Rob van Zetten is Senior Account Manager Benelux, Scandinavia, and the Baltic states at DMN-WESTINGHOUSE. With over 30 years of work experience in bulk solids, he knows all the ins and outs of the industry: from complete processes to working with components. His broad market and industry knowledge is second to none. Due to his experience with numerous system integrators in various technical and commercial roles, he is perfectly capable of calculating a clear ROI and TCO. In his current position at DMN-WESTINGHOUSE this experience comes in very handy. He advises which rotary valve or diverter valve to place in which situation and takes both the sustainable and the financial side of the solution into account. His knowledge of the process ‘up- and downstream’ is of great added value. Rob is a specialist in the field of Aquaculture and also has demonstrable knowledge in the field of Food, Pharma, Petfood, Chemicals, Plastics, non-woven materials, and minerals.

Matthew is a mechanical engineer holding an honours degree from the Auckland University of Technology and has been responsible for BFM® Global’s product development, testing and compliance programme for almost 5 years. Matt’s experience is centered on the powder handling industry with a specific focus on flexible connectors, and all the compliance requirements around them. From food to pharmaceutical and all industries in between, Matt works with our Distributor partners, end users and OEMs from Europe, Asia and the Americas to solve application challenges. He regularly attends industry tradeshows around the world and understands the complex requirements of each different market.