INDUSTRY NEWS

Wixon, a Leading International Food Ingredient Manufacturer, was Purchased by its top Management Team, Ending its 24-year Ownership by Foreign Investors. new Owners of the Nearly Century-old Firm are Peter Gottsacker, President; Chuck Ehemann, Executive Vice President; and Peter Caputa, Chief Financial Officer. the Company, Located Near Milwaukee, Began in 1907 as a Provider of Custom-ground Spices to Area Sausage Manufacturers. From its Campus, Wixon has Developed Into a Fully Integrated Food Ingredient Company That Handles all Aspects of Research and Development, Production, and Packaging for the Food, Beverage, and Consumer Products Industry. Since 1980, When Wixon was Acquired by a Foreign Investment Firm and Renamed Wixon Fontarome, the Company has Undergone Significant Expansion of its Facility, Capabilities, and Personnel at its Seven-acre Campus to Accommodate its Growing Business.
Industrial and commercial flooring specialists, the Flowcrete Group plc, is looking to expand across America after announcing the launch of a new operation in Texas. The company has formed a new company, Flowcrete North America, based in Houston, to tap into the massive resin flooring market in the United States. Previously, the company operated in the United States under a licensed manufacturer and distributor agreement. The Flowcrete Group currently stands No. 1 in Europe and No. 2 globally in the manufacturing of specialist industrial and commercial flooring.
Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys Systems Inc., has teamed with Woodhead Industries Inc., to offer the latest ArchestrA plant/factory floor connectivity technology with Woodhead’s popular industrial hardware and software communication products. Wonderware will feature the WSE DAServer as part of its standard Wonderware software distribution. These new, native ArchestrA connectivity offerings include support for Schneider, GE, Omron, and Mitsubishi PLCs, along with Profibus and other protocols. Wonderware already offers native ArchestrA connectivity support or Rockwell and Siemens PLCs. The DAServer, based on WSE’s entire applicom range of software and intelligent network interface cards, enables Wonderware customers to connect with an obtain data from more than 30 different types of controllers or their related industrial communications protocols.