Instrumentation & Control
Our latest E-mail campaigns for Instrumentation & Control
- E-Special: Instrumentation and Process Control Insights August 21, 2025
- E-Special: Instrumentation and Process Control Insights December 5, 2024
- Instrumentation & Control – E-Special – December 7, 2023 December 7, 2023
- Instrumentation & Control – E-Special – August 17, 2023 August 17, 2023
Experts for Instrumentation & Control

Carrie Hartford
Jenike & JohansonCarrie Hartford is the Director of Business Development and Senior Project Engineer in Jenike & Johanson’s office in California. For nearly 2 decades, 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. Previously, 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.

Gerard van Schoten
HethonGerard van Schoten is Managing Director at HETHON, a globally active specialist in powder dosing systems. With a strong technical background and hands-on experience throughout the company, Gerard combines strategic leadership with deep process knowledge in dry bulk handling. He is widely regarded for his expertise in handling and dosing poorly flowing powders, particularly in industries requiring high precision and reliability under challenging conditions such as ATEX environments. Gerard works closely with international customers, engineers, and agents to translate complex process challenges into custom-engineered, long-term solutions. Having grown within the company from a technical role into leadership, Gerard brings a unique combination of technical credibility and commercial insight. He remains actively involved in advising on system configurations, control integration, and customer-specific adaptations—ensuring that every solution HETHON delivers is both technically sound and practically applicable. Gerard regularly supports agents and customers worldwide and is a trusted point of contact for clients seeking high-performance dosing technology for demanding industrial applications.

Süleyman Salihler
PolimakSüleyman 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.

Robert Meirick
Material TransferRobert 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.

James Seagraves
Eastern InstrumentsJames 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.

Sylvain Bellamy
Tetra Pak Powder Process & TechnologySylvain Bellamy is currently the Commercial Director for Powder Process and Technology at Tetra Pak, based in France. With over 25 years of specialized experience in powder processing, handling, and packing, Sylvain has held various roles across the Americas and Europe, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of the global market. Sylvain's robust background in the food processing industry has sharpened his powder expertise during his years at Tetra Pak, where he contributed to developing innovative powder processing solutions. He leverages his extensive experience to drive strategic growth and operational excellence, always ensuring the delivery of cutting-edge technology and solutions that bring innovations to the market. Contact: Sylvain.Bellamy@tetrapak.com

Chuck Johnson
National Bulk Equipment, Inc.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.

Karen Van Aelst
Stuvex International NVKaren 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.

Pablo Balan
Boss Products, LLCDesign 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.

Nathan Grube
BinMaster Level ControlsNathan 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.

Neal Cass
Hydronix LtdAfter 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.
Instrumentation and process control for powder and bulk solids handling operations
All powder and bulk solids processing and handling equipment or systems require some degree of monitoring and control. The more complex an industrial process becomes, the more important it becomes that it is correctly controlled and monitored. This is where instrumentation and control systems are crucial.
Silo contents measurement is a key area. Because the bulk density of silo contents may vary, level indication and level detection instrumentation is vital to prevent overfilling. In other industrial processes, controls need to be able to react to explosions, system blockages, sifter screen breakages, metal detectors, over-heated mills, etc. and take the appropriate action to prevent system damage or compromise to product quality.