The new facility will allow the company to produce at least 15,000 meters of sidewall belt per year.

Specialised Belting Supplies Ltd. (SBS) has completed the final phase in an investment program to open an improved production facility in Thetford, U.K. SBS is a producer of sidewall conveyor belting, which is used in applications requiring steep angles and vertical conveying.

SBS says the new production facility has allowed the company to produce at least 15,000 meters of sidewall belt per year, giving clients the flexibility of selecting a cold-vulcanized profile assembly or a hot vulcanized profile assembly, which is popular in various installations where hot materials are conveyed.

The company adds that its production is based fully on a U.K. manufactured product, with the base-belts selected from European manufacturers.

This new facility also enables SBS to enhance greater quality control of the product at all stages of production.

For more information on the product line, go to http://www.sbsbelting.com/

Sennebogen company founder dies at age 79.

 Erich Sennebogen Sr., who founded an equipment manufacturing company that now employs 1,000 people throughout the world, has died at age 79.

Ron Morgan will serve as project manager at new Winchester, Ky. office.

The U.S. Shredder and Castings Group, Trussville, Ala., has hired Ron Morgan as a Project Manager.   In his new role, Morgan will be involved in sales and will assist the company in project management and systems design. He will work from a new U.S. Shredder office to be located in Winchester, Ky.

“Morgan brings a vast array of experience and skills to U.S. Shredder,” the company states in a news release.

According to the news release, Morgan has spent more than 25 years in sales, application engineering and project management for companies including Dover Conveyor and IPS Balers and also recently served as project manager for the installation of a 120-inch shredder.

The US Shredder and Castings Group offers scrap shredders, control systems, downstream systems, nonferrous recovery, air systems, scrap shears, balers, and loggers, shredder  castings, service, engineering and consulting to the scrap industry globally. More information on the company can be found at www.usshredder.com.

Manufacturer hires Jason Lind as director of sales.

J.V. Manufacturing Inc., a Springdale, Ark.-based manufacturer of recycling equipment, has hired Jason Lind as director of sales.   Brian LeBlanc

In his new position, Lind will oversee the company’s sales and marketing activities. Lind’s previous work in the solid waste industry earned him WASTEC’s (Waste Equipment Technology Equipment Association) Production Employee of the Year award in 2003. J.V. Manufacturing also announced the promotion of Brian LeBlanc to the position of director of manufacturing. In his new position, LeBlanc will plan, direct and coordinate the operations of all production departments as well as manage regulatory compliance and process improvements. LeBlanc has been with J.V. Manufacturing for 10 years as plant superintendant.

J.V. Manufacturing is a manufacturer of Cram-A-Lot solid waste and recycling equipment.  

IP expects to acquire up to 75 percent of Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Ltd.

International Paper (IP) has entered into an agreement with L.N. Bangur and related family members and affiliates to purchase about 53.5 percent of the outstanding shares of the Indian paper company Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Ltd. (APPM) for about $257 million. In addition, IP has agreed to a $62 million non-compete payment to the sellers. Bangur is executive chairman of the Bangur Group. APPM is a part of the Bangur Group. Pursuant to Indian securities law, IP also will launch a mandatory public tender offer to acquire an additional 21.5 percent of the outstanding shares of APPM for about$104 million in cash. IP anticipates acquiring up to 75 percent of APPM's outstanding shares through the two transactions. According to a release, once completed, the transaction will position IP as the first global paper and packaging company with a significant position in India. "APPM is an established and highly respected company in India and is an excellent platform for International Paper to grow with the Indian paper and packaging markets," says John Faraci, IP’s chairman and CEO. "Both APPM and the India paper and packaging industry are growing at substantial rates, and we believe that IP's global operations and technical expertise can accelerate that growth and create value for customers as well as IP and APPM shareholders." Bangur says, "We have built a strong business in India, and the next phase of growth requires a different set of resources and capabilities. International Paper is the right company to take the business forward and deepen maturity of the sector in India." APPM has two mills in India with combined capacity of about 250,000 metric tons of uncoated freesheet paper per year.