FIT AG
FIT AG US senior management appointments
Albert Klein, CFO FIT AG (left) and Ken Gray, Chairman FIT America Inc. (right)
FIT Additive Manufacturing Group is expanding its presence in the United States with two senior management appointments.
Kenneth D. Gray has been named as the Chairman of FIT America Inc., while Andrew Jeffrey has been appointed president of FIT America's recently-established subsidiary, Boston Ceramics LLC.
The German company established a North American division in 2014. Then FIT West Corp. based in Santa Clara, CA, the subsidiary is now operating under the name, FIT America Inc, and based in Southborough, MA near Boston.
Ken Gray’s appointment to FIT America Chairman comes just weeks after the Lupburg-based additive manufacturing group partnered with Gray’s then-employers Caterpillar Inc. Gray spent 30 years with Caterpillar in leading positions on product, operations, marketing, dealer development, and engineering. Through 2015, he served as the company’s first Director of Innovation. An Edison and Platts Global Energy Award winner, Gray also holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Additionally, he completed a range of executive development programs at Stanford University, California; the Institute for Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland; and Bradley University.
Supported by John Baliotti, Vice President of FIT AG US Sales since 2016, Gray is looking forward to getting started, and hopes to promote the adoption of additive manufacturing techniques in the United States.
“FIT’s additive design and manufacturing capabilities are second to none, but the business model is even more intriguing,” said Gray. “Partnerships to accelerate industrial clients toward their own additive independence are what I am most excited about. Our aim is for additive to be a mainstream tool for US industrial manufacturers – and soon.”
Further strengthening its activities in the US, FIT America has also established a wholly-owned subsidiary Boston Ceramics, also in Southborough. At Boston Ceramics, Andrew Jeffrey will operate as president. Jeffrey has been active in the ceramics manufacturing field for more than 20 years, having established the Figulo company which was taken over by 3D Systems Corp in 2013.
Boston Ceramics will focus on manufacturing high value quality ceramic objects for the consumer market. It will commence operation from its newly-established facility this month.
On the two new developments in the United States, Carl Fruth, founder and CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ken and Andy to the FIT Management Team and with the establishment of our first factory in the United States. We are expecting a major market in the USA for FIT’s additive manufacturing capabilities and have now established a management team and structure to develop more partnerships with US clients and make further investments.”
