Names in the news: Ferromatik Milacron, Jeco, Eriez, Star Thermoplastic, Dickten Masch, HallStar, USON

Ferromatik Milacron has named Sven Engelmann as the new head of Applications & Systems. Engelmann will provide guidance in the areas of materials, application design, mold trials, system solutions, and training for Ferromatik Milacron customers. Engelmann's background includes time as an applications engineer in research and development for a thermoforming manufacturer. For the past eight years he served as manager of plastics technology for a packaging machine manufacturer. In the new position, he will report to Managing Director Gerold Schley.

Plastic pallets and container manufacturer Jeco Plastic Products (Plainfield, IN) has appointed Oliver Pätzold Consulting as its agent for Germany and Austria. Jeco Plastic Products CEO Craig Carson noted that since his company's focus is on the printing and converting markets, Germany has always been an important market.

Eriez (Erie, PA) has promoted Nicole Skias to product engineering manager for the Eriez Hydroflow line. In this new role, the mechanical engineers and designers within the Hydroflow product line will report to Skias. Skias joined Eriez in 2006 as a mechanical engineer in the vibratory design group. Most recently, she served as product engineer for the Eriez Hydroflow line. Prior to joining Eriez, she was employed as a mechanical engineer at the Institute for Scientific Research Inc., a NASA subcontractor in WV.

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) producer Star Thermoplastic Alloys & Rubbers Inc. (Broadview, MI) has appointed Dean Sparboe, the principle of Podisco Inc. (Ashville, NC) to represent Star and sell the firm's products in the southeastern U.S. A graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Sparboe's experience includes sales and marketing positions with the former GE Plastics & Silicones, Alpha Chemicals and Plastics, and Eastman Kodak/Eastman Chemicals, in Rochester, NY and Kingsport, TN.

Dickten Masch Plastics (DMP) is supporting "Dream !t. Do !t." for Wisconsin (DIDI), a web-based career-awareness and recruitment program sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), appointing Doreen Lettau, VP of market and business development, as the company's marketing ambassador in support of the program. In her role, Lettau will work  to retain and attract the next generation of workers, both for Dickten Masch and other manufacturers, utilizing DIDI. Dream !t. Do !t. is a national recruitment strategy designed to emphasize manufacturing as an industry that can provide high-paying, high-quality careers. Wisconsin is the 20th state to implement the program.

The HallStar Company has promoted David Rosenberger to VP of sales, where he will be responsible for global sales activity across the company's personal care and industrial divisions. Rosenberger, who previously served as director of corporate development, will report to HallStar COO, Louis M. Pace.

Dry air-leak testing equipment supplier USON (Houston) has appointed Bob Tong as director of China operations and expanded USON's sales and technical support offices to four locations (Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, and Changchun). Tong previously held the position of sales engineer at USON for four years. USON supplies equipment for leak detection, leak testing, and non-destructive testing for the automotive, industrial, medical device, and packaging industries.