news & facts 160 th
news & facts 160 th anniversary of Gleason Corporation This year marks an important milestone as Gleason Corporation celebrates its 160 th anniversary. Founded in 1865 by William Gleason, the company has transformed from a small workshop to a global leader in gear technology, offering comprehensive solutions that encompass design software, manufacturing and metrology equipment, tooling, aftermarket services and an extensive training program. Gleason’s journey began with the invention of the first bevel gear planer in 1874, a pivotal development that significantly propelled the gear manufacturing industry forward. This innovation was the first of many that established Gleason as a pioneer in gear technology, contributing to many historical technology milestones. Gleason products helped shape the Panama Canal in 1903, invented the spiral bevel gear in 1913, a few years later the hypoid gear, provided transmissions for the famed WW II Sherman tank, Curvic® couplings and critical geared components for the Apollo space missions, and the highly successful breakthrough technologies like the Phoenix® and Genesis® machine series. Over the years, in addition to organic growth, Gleason has expanded its reach and capabilities through the strategic acquisitions of Hurth Maschinen und Werkzeuge in Munich, the Hermann Pfauter Group in Ludwigsburg, Germany, and adding metrology systems, automation solutions and plastic gears to its product range. These strategic additions have not only expanded its product offerings but also its geographical footprint, establishing manufacturing and service sites in major industrial hubs across the globe, including state-ofthe-art factories built in Suzhou, China, and Bangalore, India. In 2017 Gleason acquired Swiss KISSsoft AG, integrating leading gear design and simulation software into its portfolio, becoming the first company in the industry to combine design, manufacturing and metrology elements across virtually all gear types into a gear technology ecosystem. “We are proud of our rich history and the groundbreaking innovations we have driven in the past 160 years”, says John J. Perrotti, chairman and chief executive officer of Gleason Corporation. William Gleason “Celebrating 160 years is not just about looking back with pride, but also about looking forward to continuing our commitment to excellence, customer focus and technological leadership.” Gleason continues to advance the industry with high-precision, innovative solutions that meet and exceed the challenging demands of its customers worldwide. Gleason is celebrating this significant milestone and at the same time is gearing up for the future of gear technology. The company is a global leader in gear technology. The “Total gear solutions” range from gear and transmission design software to the development and production of gear manufacturing machines and related accessories, gear metrology equipment and automation systems. The products are used by customers in the automotive, commercial vehicle, aerospace, agricultural, mining, energy, construction, power tool, marine and many other industrial equipment markets. Gleason has manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, India, China and Japan, and operates sales and service offices in North and South America, Europe and Asia Pacific. further information: www.gleason.com New CEO at Erasteel Erasteel announced the appointment of Sophie Haan as chief executive officer (CEO), effective February 1, 2025. With over 25 years of experience combining strategy and execution, Sophie Haan has extensive expertise in the industrial sector, particularly in multicultural and international environments. She has acquired precious know-how in managing strategic transformations and leading complex projects on a global scale. “It is with a lot of enthusiasm and determination that I take up my duties as CEO of Erasteel. I’m delighted to be joining this company, with its wealth of talent, history and recognized expertise, which make it a key player in the markets it serves. Together with the entire Erasteel team, we will pursue an ambitious strategy aimed at meeting today’s challenges while shaping the future. Innovation, sustainability and operational excellence will guide our actions to continue offering our customers Sophie Haan, new CEO high-performance solu tions that meet their industrial and technical challenges, while actively contributing to building a more sustainable industry.” Sophie Haan, Erasteel CEO. further information: www.erasteel.com 20 no. 2, May 2025
New perspectives for innovation and growth news & facts H.I.G. Capital is taking a significant stake in the HELLER Group. This partnership will ensure the success of the transformation and open up many new opportunities for HELLER in the areas of investment, efficiency improvement, product development and international market development. HELLER CEO Dr. Thorsten Schmidt says: “The partnership with H.I.G. is a milestone for our company. H.I.G.’s additional financial resources and global network will enable us to more rapidly achieve our strategic goals. Our aim remains clear: to secure and expand our innovation leadership in the market, to reach new industries and customers.” Nürtingen New opportunities for HELLER: innovation, growth and global presence The partnership with H.I.G. Capital represents a significant development step for HELLER and opens up numerous prospects for the future: 1. Investments in pioneering technologies HELLER and H.I.G. plan to invest the additional funds in the development of innovative technologies. The focus will be on: ▶ Digitalisation and automation The expansion of digital solutions will enable HELLER customers to organize their production even more efficiently and flexibly. These include artificial intelligence on the machine, the digital twin and other simulation and analysis tools, combined with the continued expansion of automation solutions for the networked production environment. ▶ Sustainable production technologies HELLER will continue to invest in environmentally friendly and resource-efficient production technologies to meet the growing demand for sustainability. This also includes the development of energy-efficient machines and processes. Dr. Thorsten Schmidt 2. Expansion of the product portfolio HELLER will expand its existing product portfolio to address new industries. HELLER’s high-precision machines are specifically designed to meet the needs of diverse industries, including mechanical engineering, aerospace, energy, defense, commercial vehicles and e-mobility (structural components). The integration of additional manufacturing modules and flexible production systems meets the increasing demand for customization and batch size flexibility. 3. Expansion of the global market presence With H.I.G. Capital as a partner, HELLER will be able to continue its international expansion. The plan is to: ▶ Develop new markets H.I.G.’s global network will give HELLER access to previously untapped markets and industries ▶ Strengthen global sales HELLER will continue to expand its sales and service subsidiaries to increase customer proximity in strategically important regions ▶ Foster local partnerships Regional partnerships and joint ventures will be used to provide customized solutions for specific market needs ▶ Cooperate with industrial customers Close cooperation with leading companies in a variety of industries will help to develop customized solutions 4. Improving efficiency and competitiveness H.I.G. brings extensive experience in operational improvement to companies. HELLER will benefit from this expertise to: ▶ Optimize processes Targeted measures will be taken to make internal processes more efficient and increase the company’s agilit. ▶ Increase competitiveness Investments in state-of-the-art production methods and the digitalization of internal processes will further increase competitiveness further information: www.heller.biz no. 2, May 2025 21
