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Marmon Group

Leadership Transition and Expansion at Marmon Rail’s North American Leasing Business

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Marmon Rail, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, is witnessing significant leadership changes and expansion in its North American railcar leasing operations. Kate Suprenuk has been appointed as the President of Railcar Leasing North America for Marmon Rail. In this new role, Suprenuk will spearhead the leasing activities of Union Tank Car Company (UTLX) and Procor Limited, covering all railcar leasing endeavors under Marmon Holdings in North America. Notably, Randy Pocrnick, the President of Procor Leasing, will continue in his current role and report directly to Suprenuk.

Suprenuk’s promotion aligns with the announcement of the impending retirement of Bill Constantino, who currently serves as the Group President of Marmon Rail Leasing. Effective January 1, 2024, Constantino will transition into the role of Senior Vice President of Advisory Services, with plans to retire later in the year.

Mark Carrier, the Executive Vice President of Marmon Rail & Crane Groups, expressed confidence in Suprenuk’s abilities, stating, “Kate has been an integral part of Marmon Rail during her seven years with the company. Her experience, enthusiasm, and leadership make her the ideal candidate to assume this critical role.”

Kate Suprenuk expressed her honor and eagerness to lead the organization, stating, “I am honored to lead this exceptional organization and look forward to working with our dedicated employees to continue to provide excellent railcar products and services across North America.”

Suprenuk has a wealth of experience, having served as President of Leasing at UTLX since January 2022. Her impressive 30-year career spans various business functions, including nearly two decades in GE Capital’s Intermodal and Railcar Leasing divisions, where she held the position of Chief Financial Officer.

Bill Constantino, who has had a successful 45-year career with the company, will retire in 2024. During his tenure, Constantino played a pivotal role in leading the business through multiple economic cycles and shaping the industry. His invaluable contributions and industry knowledge have been a cornerstone of Marmon Rail’s success.

Marmon Rail’s North American railcar leasing business combines the leasing units of Union Tank Car Company (UTLX) and Procor Limited. These two entities are North America’s premier designers, builders, and full-service lessors of railroad tank cars and specialized railcars. UTLX and Procor jointly own a fleet of approximately 120,000 railcars, serving customers in industries such as chemicals, petrochemicals, energy, and agriculture/food. UTLX manufactures tank cars in the United States and, in collaboration with Procor, provides railcar maintenance services at over 100 locations across North America.

Both UTLX and Procor are integral parts of Marmon Holdings, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company.

© 2023 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Marmon Group

EcoWater and Phyn Sign Exclusive Partnership

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s EcoWater has signed an exclusive partnership with Phyn, the leader in AI-powered leak detection technology, to offer Phyn’s award-winning smart water monitoring solutions to EcoWater’s extensive North American dealer network.

Phyn’s AI-powered leak detection technology measures and analyzes microscopic changes in water pressure 240 times every second to learn and categorize each water fixture in a home. This unparalleled view into a home’s plumbing system allows Phyn to alert homeowners the second a leak is detected, mitigating costly water damage. From drip leaks to catastrophic pipe bursts and everything in between, Phyn monitors a home 24/7 and gives homeowners the tools to ensure that their home is watertight.

Homeowners will now have a suite of product options through EcoWater that both protect against water-related damages and enhance their home’s water in one integrated water solution. Combined, they can potentially lower their insurance costs up to 15% with a Phyn product, while saving money on hard water related costs by prolonging the lifespan of water-using appliances, soaps, and detergents.

Phyn has been widely recognized for its innovation, including honors from the Red Dot Awards, SXSW Innovation Awards, Core 77 Design Awards, IoT World Awards, CES Innovation Awards and GreenBuilder’s Sustainability Awards among others.

Founded in 1925, EcoWater is part of Berkshire Hathaway’s Marmon Holdings.

© 2023 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Marmon Group

Marmon Industrial Energy & Infrastructure Joins Forces With Concora to Streamline the Specification Process

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Marmon Industrial Energy & Infrastructure and Concora have created a new partnership to provide a digital experience transforming the way designers and engineers source and specify Marmon IEI’s products.

Concora Spec is powering Marmon IEI’s new website, www.marmoniei.com, which integrates six of its brands (RSCC, Comtran, Kerite Pump Cable, Harbor Industries Canada, Dekoron Wire & Cable and Dekoron Unitherm) into one central platform. This online product experience, found on the Technical Resources tab, will make it easier for specifiers and design engineers to access and specify Marmon IEI’s scope of products and services. Concora Spec provides a centralized content platform and helpful tools, such as product categories, spec compare, and submittals, to enhance the user experience (UX) for AECs.

“We are honored to partner with Marmon IEI and help them improve engagement with designers and engineers by improving their online user experience and access to Marmon IEI’s comprehensive range of products.” -Eric Snyder, CEO of Concora

“In addition to the ease of use and time savings for designers/specifiers, Concora Spec also empowers Marmon IEI’s sales and marketing teams with access to up-to-date analytics and actionable steps that enhance our customer’s journey.” – Crysta Abell, Marketing Manager for Marmon IEI

Berkshire Hathaway’s Marmon Holdings comprises 11 major business groups that vary from medical care, food services to heavy industry, transportation, construction and more. These groups share expertise, knowledge, and resources with and within each other with a singular focus: the customer. With Marmon’s backing, Marmon Electrical was derived to support energy exploration and production with specialized wire and cable. Within Marmon Electrical, the development of what is now called Marmon Industrial Energy & Infrastructure, uniting 6 various entities known for their high-performance wire, cable and tubing products installed all over the world in some of the harshest environments.

© 2023 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance.

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Marmon Group

Marmon Aerospace & Defense Begins Construction of New Facility

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Marmon Aerospace & Defense has broken ground on a new 80,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Hooksett, New Hampshire.

Upon completion, by the fall of 2023, the plant is expected to bring an additional 20 production jobs to the area. The company will invest $30 million in the new facility, which will house a state-of-the-art manufacturing operation producing large shipboard power cables to support the U.S. Navy and its ship-building network.

4659358 new facility scaled

The new operation will complement the company’s current product line at its plants in nearby Manchester, New Hampshire, and in Naples, Florida.

“This new facility will broaden Marmon’s military shipboard cable product offerings, which already include power, data, instrumentation, control, and communications cables,” said Robert Canny, Marmon Aerospace & Defense Group president. “We are pleased to make this investment in service to our customers, our team, and our community.”

Marmon Aerospace & Defense, is wholly-owned by Berkshire Hathaway under its Marmon Holdings division. The company has locations in Manchester, New Hampshire and Naples, Florida that manufacture wire and cable solutions for the key defense markets of land, air, sea, and space.

© 2022 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Acquisitions Marmon Group

Berkshire Hathaway’s Precision Edge Surgical Products Acquires Eva-Lution

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Precision Edge Surgical Products Company, a manufacturer of orthopedic and medical device instruments, has announced its asset acquisition of Angola, Ind. based Eva-Lution.

Eva-Lution has specialized in the manufacturing of medical instruments since 2015.

“The addition of the Eva-Lution operation will enhance Precision Edge’s continued growth in service to our strategic customers,” says Todd Fewins, Precision Edge president. “The demand is there, and this new site in Angola will provide added capacity, manufacturing equipment, and a talented group of people who deliver high-quality medical products.”

With its manufacturing headquarters located in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, and a second Michigan manufacturing site in Boyne City, Precision Edge has served the medical industry since 1989 by focusing on surgical cutting tools. Precision Edge recognized that most manufacturers focused on the basic design of an instrument, but not the precise cutting edge. The focus at Precision Edge has been, and continues to be, on supporting customers as they develop the most complex designs and provide the most accurate and precise cutting edge on medical tools, while also manufacturing non-cutting instruments.

The acquisition of Eva-Lution’s more than 60,000-square-foot site will support continued growth in a geographical area that is well known for orthopedic original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), as well as accelerate Precision Edge’s implant manufacturing capabilities.

“We are being very intentional in how we grow and where we grow,” says Kenneth Ross, Director of Sales at Precision Edge. “We have many exciting opportunities in our pipeline that will expand our offerings in both technology and services, allowing us to remain a leader in this great industry.”

Precision Edge is a member of Colson Medical, LLC, which is majority a company under the  Marmon Holdings division of Berkshire Hathaway.

© 2022 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Acquisitions Marmon Group

Marmon Retail Solutions Acquires Two Companies

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Marmon Retail Solutions has acquired Big Red Rooster Flow and Project CSI, effective November 18, 2021. The acquisitions were just announced and the terms were not disclosed.

Together, BRRF and Project CSI are one of the largest providers of end-to-end program management and construction services to the retail fuel, retail drug and quick-serve restaurant channels. Their services include retail site surveys, site branding and remodeling, procurement of all necessary materials for project execution, and overall management of strategic brand programs.

Based in Northfield, Illinois, BRRF uses a proprietary software program that integrates with its customers’ systems to help retailers track programs and manage their brands. Based in Fishers, Indiana, Project CSI manages installation of interior and exterior branding and remodeling programs at retail sites throughout the U.S. using contracted crews. The company also provides ongoing audit services to ensure brand accuracy and overall program execution.

Rob Mead at BRRF and Chris Pratt at Project CSI will continue to lead their respective companies.

“We are excited to have BRRF and Project CSI join our group of companies,” said Jason MacGregor, Group President of Marmon Retail Solutions. “Both have earned outstanding reputations for providing innovative and dependable services. Together, they will significantly bolster the offerings of Marmon Retail Solutions and help us continue to grow in service to our valued customers.”

Marmon Retail Solutions provides retailers and brand marketers worldwide with comprehensive products and services for an array of retail environments. The group includes L.A. Darling, DCI Marketing, Trade Fixtures, Eden, Retail Space Solutions, Commercial Zone, Store Opening Solutions, Unarco Industries, Artform Creative, and Cannon Equipment.

Marmon Retail Solutions is part of Berkshire’s Marmon Holdings, Inc., which comprises 11 groups and more than 100 autonomous businesses with total annual revenue of $10 billion. Marmon’s 20,000-plus team members serve diverse industries and markets worldwide.

© 2022 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Marmon Group

Berkshire Hathaway’s RLS LLC Moves Headquarters to St. Louis

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s RLS LLC is moving into a new 80,000-square-foot headquarters in St. Louis. The company was formerly located in rural Northeast Missouri.

Owned by Berkshire through its Marmon Holdings division, RLS designs, develops, and proudly manufactures in America its patented fittings engineered for high-pressure connections in the air conditioning and refrigeration industries. By replacing the time-consuming and demanding conventional practice of manually brazing copper joints, RLS’s fittings allow for faster, more consistent connections that reduce total installed cost while enhancing safety.

RLS is the manufacturer of the Rapid Locking System line of flame-free press-to-connect fittings for HVAC and refrigeration systems, has announced it will be moving into a new 80,000 square foot multipurpose facility in St. Louis, Missouri, which will serve as its corporate headquarters and will include a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, training center and showroom.

RLS will be relocating manufacturing from Shelbina, Missouri, where it has been sharing a plant with its sister company, Cerro Flow Products. Both are part of the Plumbing & Refrigeration sector of Marmon Holdings, a Berkshire Hathaway company. All RLS operations are planned to be consolidated into the new building by the end of 2021.

“We’re very excited to have manufacturing, office staff and training all under one roof,” said Paul Schubert, president of RLS. “The larger, upgraded facility will significantly increase our production capacity to meet the growing demand for our products. And the new training center will allow us to regularly educate HVAC/R contractors and distributors on our patented press technology, which is easily identified by our unique double circular press and flares.”

After originally introducing its press fittings in 2015 under the ZoomLock brand through a private-label agreement with Parker Hannifin, RLS has experienced tremendous growth since relaunching under its own brand name at the end of 2019. To support this continued growth, RLS has recently added more than 10 new positions in sales, marketing and engineering across the U.S., and is currently hiring.

“As more and more contractors discover the many benefits of using press fittings over the traditional brazing process, they continue to choose the time-tested and field-proven technology provided by RLS,” said Schubert. “As a result, we are continuing to invest in the facilities, equipment and people needed to meet demand.”

RLS press fittings connect in 10 seconds using a battery-powered tool and jaws, replacing the time-consuming process of manually brazing HVAC/R joints. The fittings result in faster, more consistent connections that reduces total installed costs, while also increasing jobsite safety by eliminating the use of an open flame.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Acquisitions Marmon Group

Berkshire Hathaway Acquires Tenn-Tex Plastics

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Marmon Fastener Group has announced the acquisition of Tenn-Tex Plastics Inc., adding it to its lineup of construction fastener companies. No financial terms of the deal were released.

Based in Colfax, North Carolina, Tenn-Tex manufactures plastic injection molded parts for kitchen and bath cabinetry.

The company’s products include: speciality drawer slide brackets designed for easy installation, a patented QuikTray Rollout System, Shelf Clips, Shelf Supports, Institutional Shelf Supports, Corner Braces, Glue Blocks, False Front Clips, Glass Door Retainers, Slide Brackets for Undermount and Side Mount Slides, Brackets for Ball Bearing Slides, Cover Caps, Shipping Clips, Spacers, Inset brackets, Toe Kick Endcaps, Paint Caps, Furniture Glides and much more.

“Tenn-Tex is a great fit for the Marmon Fastener Group as we grow and innovate in both existing and adjacent markets to meet customer needs,” said Group President Steve Semmler. “Tenn-Tex is particularly well aligned with Pan American Screw.”

“We look forward to growing in service to our customers and markets through the excellent synergy of Pan American / Deerwood Fasteners and Tenn-Tex,” said Pan American President Phil Lail.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Marmon Group

Volvo North America Teams with Berkshire’s Fontaine Modification

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Volvo North America has partnered with Berkshire Hathaway’s Fontaine Modification to develop the Volvo Auto Hauler (VAH) 300, Volvo Trucks’ signature day cab in the North American market. This reduced-height cab option is currently the lowest in the industry by 1.5 inches, offering auto haulers best-in-class versatility for local and regional automobile transport applications. The 300 is now available for order at an unladen 94.5-inch height.

“At Volvo Trucks, we pride ourselves on building strong partnerships to solve our customers’ business needs,” said John Felder, product marketing manager at Volvo Trucks North America. “Through extensive research, testing and engineering in collaboration with Fontaine Modification, the new VAH 300 model with a 94.5-inch height represents a new standard of excellence for trucks in the highly specialized auto hauler market.”

The company notes that over the last 10 years, the height of vehicles hauled has significantly increased as the demand for more SUVs versus sedans rises. As a result, auto haulers are now in need of a solution that maximizes freight capacity, while also delivering optimal efficiency. The lower overall height of the VAH 300 offers the flexibility to position a larger vehicle over the truck’s cab to maximize payload. A clean top-of-frame behind the cab also allows for easier body mounting and trailer hookup.

“At Fontaine, we are proud of our recent changes that will provide about three more critical inches of room for hauling larger vehicles above the VAH 300 day cab,” said Paul Kokalis, president of Fontaine Modification Company. “We’re pleased to help Volvo Trucks deliver this best-in-class, reduced-height cab option to meet the demands of the North American auto hauler market.”

In addition to this new model, Fontaine also modifies a full range of Volvo Trucks models to service the needs of all customers for any auto hauling application or load size.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Marmon Group

Berkshire Hathaway’s Railserve, Inc. Creates Strategic Alliance With USD Group

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Railserve, Inc., a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway company, and USD Group have announced a strategic alliance to develop rail-centric solutions that enhance growth, efficiency and capacity for all sectors of the rail industry.

“We recognize the unique environment that railroads and shippers currently operate within,” said Dan Borgen, USDG’s CEO and President. “In an industry that is increasingly capacity constrained, our strategic alliance with Railserve is one of many ways USDG is continually pursuing growth and promoting efficiency. We believe USDG and Railserve can leverage our respective organizational capabilities to tailor unique solutions.”

The alliance between USDG and Railserve is born from a long history of collaboration and shared values. USDG and its affiliates are engaged in designing, developing, owning and managing large-scale multi-modal logistics centers and energy-related midstream infrastructure across North America. Railserve is a leading provider of on-site rail services, including third party rail switching, in-plant logistics, locomotive service, track maintenance, locomotive sales and leasing, air brakes as well as a host of car repair inspection, cleaning and maintenance services through Union Tank Car. The alliance will allow the companies to more seamlessly provide customers with new service options, such as car inspections, car repairs and car washing.

“We believe this alliance creates a wide range of services and capabilities for rail shippers and receivers,” said Tim Benjamin, Group President – Railyard Products and Equipment. “Our longstanding relationship with USDG makes this a natural partnership for our respective companies. The current dynamic rail environment continues to evolve and both companies understand the efforts around Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), storage in transit (SIT), First and Last Mile, truck to rail transload, ports, and efficient growth solutions. Our collective team of experienced industry experts are uniquely qualified to assist in all these areas.”

The alliance is currently coordinating activities and railroad and energy industry partners will have immediate opportunities to benefit from these new initiatives.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.