Equipment Report

Komatsu acquires American Battery Solutions

In a move designed to bolster its presence in the battery- and electric-powered heavy equipment market, Illinois-based Komatsu America Corp. has agreed to acquire American Battery Solutions Inc. (ABS), a lithium-ion battery manufacturer based in Detroit. The wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea-based Komatsu Ltd. closed the acquisition Dec. 1, 2023.

ABS is a developer and manufacturer of heavy-duty and industrial battery packs, using lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for commercial vehicles, transit buses and on- and off-road vehicles. ABS, according to Komatsu, provides “standard and custom battery systems optimized to each customer’s needs.”

“We are excited to join the Komatsu family with its global presence,” says Subhash Dhar, founder and CEO of ABS. “This partnership will position ABS as a leading partner for electrification of industrial equipment and commercial vehicles globally. Komatsu’s acquisition of ABS is a testament to the intellectual and manufacturing assets ABS has developed in the span of four years.”

The acquisition is intended to allow Komatsu to accelerate the development of battery-powered electric vehicles by using ABS’ battery-related technology, along with other initiatives Komatsu is pursuing with its partners, to further contribute to the electrification of construction and mining equipment.

The first equipment produced with ABS’ batteries will be mining equipment in North and South America, where the company says demand for electrification has been increasing. Komatsu says it aims to expand the use of batteries in construction equipment and to establish a global supply system.

Procedurally, ABS will operate as a stand-alone business entity within Komatsu and will continue its current and prospective customer programs in the commercial vehicle segments. Komatsu will continue to support ABS’ battery business to further develop the electrification business postacquisition, according to the company.

“The mining and construction opportunities provided through Komatsu will enable ABS to position itself as one of the world’s leading providers of battery systems in both on-highway and off-highway markets," Komatsu adds.

JCB to build Texas plant

United Kingdom-based construction and mobile material handling equipment maker JCB is preparing to build a new factory in San Antonio. The planned 720,000-square-foot facility would be the company’s second in the United States, joining one in Savannah, Georgia, that opened in 2001.

JCB North America, based in Savannah, currently employs 1,000 people in the U.S., and another 1,500 jobs could be created in Texas.

“North America is integral to the growth and success of JCB’s business in the future, and the time is now for JCB to expand its manufacturing presence there,” says Graeme Macdonald, CEO of JCB. “Texas is a vibrant and growing economy, and the state offers great advantages in terms of a central location as well as good highway and port access.

“The city of San Antonio also has a well-established skills base, which makes it a very attractive place to set up a factory.”

JCB Board Chair Anthony Bamford says, “JCB has come a long way since selling its first machine to the U.S. market in 1964. This new investment [in Texas] is good news for our North American customers and is a fantastic platform on which JCB can build.”

Richard Fox-Marrs, president and CEO of JCB North America, says, “The growth we’ve experienced in the past few years in North America has been extensive and demand for our products continues to grow.”

He continues, “The decision to expand our manufacturing footprint will bring us even closer to our customers and will allow us to further capitalize on market opportunities in North America.”

JCB, which was founded in 1945 by the late Joseph Cyril Bamford, has 22 factories around the world, including 11 in the U.K. and others in Brazil, China, India and the U.S. The company manufactures construction and agricultural equipment.

Eriez announces new president, CEO

Eriez, a separation technologies provider based in Erie, Pennsylvania, has appointed Jaisen Kohmuench president and CEO, effective Jan. 1. He succeeds former President and CEO Lukas Guenthardt, who retired at the end of last year.

This appointment is the “culmination of a carefully planned succession strategy,” Eriez says, adding that Kohmuench has been working closely alongside Guenthardt and the Eriez board of directors to ensure a seamless transition of responsibilities.

“Lukas has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s transformative growth, fostering innovation and achieving remarkable success during his tenure,” says Eriez Board Chairman Richard Merwin of Guenthardt. “Under his visionary leadership, Eriez achieved record revenues and strengthened its global market presence.”

After a comprehensive selection process that considered internal and external candidates, Merwin says Kohmuench emerged as the clear choice to succeed Guenthardt. With more than two decades of service to Eriez, Kohmuench has held various executive-level roles within the organization, most recently as chief operating officer (COO).

Kohmuench’s journey at Eriez has taken him from his initial role in research and development as a process engineer to directing and expanding the U.S. flotation group. He later assumed an expatriate position as managing director for Eriez-Australia before returning to the U.S. to manage all of Eriez’s international businesses as vice president of international operations and then COO.

“Jaisen’s career path reflects a distinctive fusion of technical and financial responsibilities that have helped him develop into the versatile and accomplished leader he is today,” Merwin says.

During his tenure at Eriez, the company says Kohmuench has been instrumental in shaping global business strategies and driving profitable growth in magnetic, flotation and service operations business segments.

“His depth of expertise is demonstrated through his prolific authorship of numerous technical papers and contributions as an inventor with over a dozen patents,” Eriez states in a news release announcing Kohmuench’s appointment as CEO.

Kohmuench received bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in mining and minerals engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Merwin says Kohmuench truly embodies the company’s core mission and values. “His commitment to nurturing a positive corporate culture and supporting initiatives within the community ensures Eriez’s enduring impact, paving the way for promising opportunities for future generations,” he adds. “Jaisen’s extensive technical and international experience, proven leadership qualities and philanthropic spirit will serve as a guiding force propelling Eriez into a prosperous future.”

Established in 1942, Eriez provides magnetic separation, flotation, metal detection and material handling equipment to the mining, food, recycling, packaging, aggregate and other processing industries. The company designs, manufactures and markets on six continents through 12 wholly owned international subsidiaries and its sales representative network.

Photo courtesy of Ecoverse

Ecoverse adds aggregate division

Ecoverse, an Avon, Ohio-based dealer of environmental processing equipment to the North American market, has created a new aggregate processing division to meet the needs of the recycling, demolition and aggregate industries, signing an exclusive distribution agreement with Roco to market its line of crushing and screening products in North America.

“We’re thrilled to introduce our new aggregate processing division to our existing dealers and excited to bring on new dealers with a focus on the aggregate processing industry,” Ecoverse President Hugh Fagan says. “We’re building on our extensive experience bringing innovative and efficient machines to market and leveraging our world-class dealer support, including training, parts and service, to build new customer relationships.”

Roco, founded by CEO Shane Connolly in 2020, is a family-owned equipment maker headquartered in Northern Ireland.

Providing support, service and replacement parts, Ecoverse will offer North American customers the Roco line of hybrid rock crushers and screens, including the Icon 1100 Impact Crusher, Ryder 1000 Jaw Crusher and Sprinter 1500 Scalping Screen.

“We are absolutely overjoyed to enter into a partnership with Ecoverse, a company that truly embodies professionalism, reliability and a proven track record,” Connolly says.