L.B. Foster forms Friction Management business unit

Following L.B. Foster's acquisition of Portec Rail Products, Inc. in mid December, 2010, the company has formed "a new business team focused on enhancing its global leadership position in wheel/rail interface solutions," L.B. Foster said today. The new organization is named L.B. Foster Friction Management. Under the direction of Vice President, Global Kostas Papazoglou, L.B. Foster Friction Management "will combine the talents of the personnel of former Portec Rail Products, Inc. businesses located in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Australia into a single, worldwide team," the company said. To support this initiative, L.B. Foster made the following management appointments in addition to Papazoglou: Dr. Donald Eadie is Vice President Technology and Innovation focusing on mobile friction management application systems and consumables. He has responsibility for the company's Centres of Engineering Excellence located at the Vancouver, Sheffield, and China sites. He will also work with the Vice President Technology and Business Development to lead the global technology team. Dr. Kevin Oldknow is Vice President Technology and Business Development. He will focus on trackside friction management delivery systems and will have responsibility for the company's Centres of Engineering Excellence at the Pittsburgh, Montreal and Australia sites. He will also be responsible for developing and implementing strategy along with the execution of business development and marketing activities. Brian Vidler is Director Friction Management Technical Sales with responsibility to drive the growth needed to achieve the team's strategic objectives. He will direct various activities of the technical sales resources with North American Class I railroads as well as in international markets and transit agencies globally. Five other appointments were made to provide local leadership, management and coordination of inside/outside sales, customer service, production planning, accounting and field service as well as work closely with the engineering and technical sales functions. These include Steven Fletcher, General Manager, Vancouver; John Musser, General Manager, Pittsburgh; Mr. Gerry Clark, General Manager, Montreal; Mr. Peter Jones, Managing Director, UK and Mr. Gary Elliot, Commercial Director, UK. "This team will rely on its world class wheel/rail interface expertise as a leading edge to create innovative, value based solutions to a growing global rail customer base, supported by industry recognized problem solving capabilities and applications specification and design competencies," said Papazoglou. "It will drive these solutions with products, technologies, project management, and performance verification to promote profitable revenue growth for L.B. Foster."