Category: Company News

Hale Products, which produces firefighting pumps and equipment, collaborated with IDEX Fire & Safety sister company Godiva to create a new line of Hale “FLEX Series” pumps, which were launched in November.

Adding to the non-manifold pump portfolio, this new line provides OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and fire departments with much more “FLEXibility.”

The team demonstrated all aspects of the IDEX Difference, starting with “Great Teams” that collaborated across time zones. Through “Customer Obsession,” they understood the difficulties fire departments had in configuring and maintaining Hale’s current pumps. And using 8020, they sought to take complexity out of the product line, resulting in a more focused offering.

Prior to the development of the Flex Series, Hale’s “Booster Series” offered nine gearboxes with 24 gear sets, making it difficult for users to configure brackets to their ratio needs. With the development of the “FLEX Series,” Hale and Godiva engineering teams developed standardized installation practices, reducing their offering to just one Gearbox with eight gear sets.

“Our engineering efforts focused on enhancing the overall durability of the pump and seal designs to add increased efficiency, while making them easier to perform routine maintenance and service when in the field,” said Jeff Van Meter, Product Manager for pumps at Hale.

Along with standardized installation, Hale team members made several improvements to address “pain points” for fire truck manufacturers and fire departments. These improvements include:

o More gearbox orientations and mounting surfaces;
o Stainless Steel Pump Shafts for corrosion resistance;
o Sight glass for oil level management;
o Secondary seals for redundancy and safety;
o Aluminum Gearboxes for reduced weight; and
o Helical gears for quieter pumps.

Hale has already started to accept orders and began shipping on January 7, 2019

Akron Brass, celebrated its 100th Anniversary by hosting a dinner for employees and their guests at the Shisler Conference Center in Wooster, Ohio last month.

With over 250 people in attendance, several stories of product innovation, excellent leadership and reinvestment practices were shared throughout the evening. Past presidents and current customers extended their congratulations through video messages shared at the event.

As the night came to a close, President of Fire Suppression Bill Simmons and Vice President of Akron Brass Danny Teixeira presented the company’s achievements and goals for the future.

“To reach 100 years in business requires a strong sense of purpose, balanced conservatism with risk, careful innovation,” Teixeira said. “Most importantly, however, are the people within the company that make all of these things possible. Each of you have been a part of the Akron Brass family and have forged this company into what it is today through your hard work and dedication.

By continuing to build upon the history and legacy of what has made Akron Brass the great company that it is today and leveraging the additional strength of IDEX and the people in this room, we will undoubtedly see another 100 years as a company,” he said.

In its 2018 Annual Report , the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA), recognized the Micropump team in Vancouver, Washington, for their extensive volunteer efforts.

Micropump, which manufactures magnetic drive gear and low-flow gear pumps, has been supporting CCA since 2007 to aid children battling cancer. This year, Micropump employees volunteered at 12 different volunteer events totaling over 400 hours of volunteer work.

In addition to maintaining CCA’s Caring cabin — a retreat center for kids and their families to spend time away from the hospital during treatments – Micropump employees also assisted the Meals Program, LEAP Program, Hope for the Holidays and provided aid at the Annual Ball and Silent Auction.

“The recognition in CCA’s Annual Report is so appreciated by many on the Micropump team who have given their time and resources to support the CCA,” said Alan Ruth, General Manager of Micropump. “I am grateful to be a part of this great team, which really cares about giving back and strengthening our community.”

Knight LLC in Irvine, California, collected gifts last week and delivered an IDEX Foundation donation to support the nearby Eli Home for abused children.

Knight employees decorated a tree for a silent auction, and collected and wrapped 50 gifts to benefit the Eli home’s holiday toy drive. Adding to the cause, Knight and The IDEX Foundation also presented the organization with $2,500.

“I am happy to have my colleagues supporting the efforts”, said Laura Gnewuch, Knight Credit Manager and 5-year board member for The Eli Home. “They said it takes a village to raise a child. Also, it takes a village to care for a child. I believe we can all give back to our communities in small ways. We just have to do it. ”

The Eli Home has served victims of child abuse and violence for over 30 years. Providing support to over 1,000 abused children every year, the organization now operates two shelter homes with professional counseling and therapy staff.

With 90 percent employee participation during their second year, Knight – which manufactures chemical dispensing systems for commercial warewashing, laundry, and dairy farm applications – aims to continue growing its partnership with the Eli Home.

In appreciation of their ongoing support, students from The Vale of Evesham School surprised Matcon employees with handmade Christmas ornaments .

The school, located near Matcon’s headquarters in Worchester, England, specializes in cognition and learning for students between two and 19 years of age. Matcon, which provides Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) technology for powder, granule and tablet processing, began their partnership during the school’s Playground Project Appeal in 2016.

Since then, Matcon employees have supported the school through events, including bake-off competitions, quiz events and a static bike challenge fundraiser. In addition to these events, employees volunteered over 80 hours to lay foundation, relocate a summer home and paint playground equipment in the school’s sensory garden area.

To date, Matcon employees have raised over £4,500 to go along with a substantial donation from the IDEX Foundation. Matcon employees will continue to support the school’s efforts to improve their AAC technology (Alternative and Augmentative Communication), which offers non-verbal students better opportunities to communicate.

Trebor, an IDEX company that manufactures quartz heaters for deionized water and chemical applications, in addition to high purity, plastic pumps for chemical applications, forged a new charitable relationship with a local elementary school in Utah this month.

Riverside Elementary, a government-assisted school near West Jordan, received sponsorship of $12,500 from Trebor and The IDEX Foundation to form a Junior Achievement (JA) program at the school.

JA is a non-profit education organization dedicated to teaching work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Taught by Trebor employees, spouses, and volunteers, JA will reach all 750 students during their years at Riverside Elementary.

The sponsorship of the JA program will allow students to learn the skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures and make smart academic and economic choices.

In addition to partnering with Junior Achievement, Trebor employees assembled Thanksgiving dinner boxes for families at Riverside Elementary last month. Trebor departments competed against one another and provided 27 Thanksgiving dinner boxes containing turkey, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables and much more to families in need.

Employees from the Lake Forest and Downtown Corporate offices volunteered to serve Thanksgiving dinner at The Chicago Boys & Girls Club last week.

The Chicago Boys & Girls Club, located near North Side Chicago, hosts over 300 students and their families for a free meal every year. Twenty-three IDEX Employees from Finance, Human Resources and Legal departments helped set-up, serve, and clean up the event, while also providing desserts for attendees.

In addition to volunteering at the dinner, the IDEX Foundation donated $5,000 to support additional programming throughout the rest of the year. IDEX plans to continue working with the Chicago Boys & Girls Club, and has done so for the past five years.

 

Liquid Controls (LC) recently expanded its LC Salutes series to include new videos honoring career fuelers, drivers, and ground support agents who use LC products on a daily basis and have dedicated their careers to safe, on-time fueling, rain or shine.

LC develops products that solve mission critical problems for customers in the oil and gas custody transfer business. Industries like LPG, home heating oils, refined fuels and commercial and military aviation depend on Liquid Controls to safely sense, measure and move high value fluids and fuels.

LC Salutes honors the hard-working men and women in the fueling industry, recognizing them as real people with real lives who make strong personal commitments to their jobs and the customers they serve while keeping the world fueled.  

To see the documentaries and learn more about LC Salutes, visit:  www.LCmeter.com/LCsalutes

Or visit the LC Salutes playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7RHMlRKkhw&list=PLeb5htP-Z2dfpfpEmCVN-yjlMscphedr0

New York Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul joined IDEX Chairman and CEO Andy Silvernail and other leaders for the official opening of the IDEX Health & Science Center of Excellence in Rochester, NY, on Monday, November 12.

The new 100,000-square-foot facility brings together IDEX Life Science Optics, Scientific Fluidics and Optical Technologies businesses, creating a highly differentiated platform to better serve the life science, semiconductor and defense markets.

The new Center of Excellence includes IDEX Health & Science’s Semrock and Melles Griot Rochester – which specializes in optical filters, lenses, shutters, and optical assemblies – as well as the manufacturing operations of its Melles Griot Carlsbad, CA business – which specializes in laser light sources and integrated optical systems.

Melles Griot has already moved into the facility. Semrock is scheduled to move in next year.

Check out this short video of the festivities. https://embed.vidyard.com/share/6AuApdwgk8mPmpJjiJbxbh

Champions of the European Women’s Network (EWN) descended upon Matcon in Worchester, England, on Nov. 6 to discuss the achievements, challenges and hopes for the network in 2019, along with inclusion and diversity in general.

Helping women to achieve excellence and reach their full potential is a key objective of the EWN, which enables European women to connect with colleagues at all levels of seniority.  Members of EWN include Anita Sogi, Eric Streets, Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity Christal Morris, Siobhan Wood, Kathryn Perry, Lindsey Smithson, and Chief Human Resources Officer Jeff Bucklew.

The Network proudly facilitates discussion between colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and business units, many of whom would not normally encounter each other through their usual duties.  Promoting equal opportunities for and challenging unconscious bias against all minorities (not just women) are some of the ways the EWN contributes to the Inclusion & Diversity conversation at IDEX.

The fledgling group of volunteers has achieved some great things since its inception, such as receiving over 600 pledges on International Women’s Day 2018 to #PressforProgress (beating the 2017 record of 250!) and creating and maintaining an active Yammer group.

Following up on this success, EWN is now looking to develop the group further, with a focus in 2019 on exploring a mentoring plan and expanding membership.

The group is now seeking new members from all walks of life.  Membership is not limited to women; EWN already has some men!  We only ask that members have an interest in fostering an inclusive environment for all employees, including minorities.