Omron Electronics Inc., Schaumburg, Ill., promoted Rob Loomis to vice president, industrial automation division, and Jim Mooney to division manager of a newly formed technical automation solutions division. Loomis will be responsible for overseeing the strategy development for Omron's industrial automation division activities in the United States and Central and South America. Mooney will focus on specific products, industries and services with increased sales contact with strategic users and OEMs.

Houghton Chemical Corp., Boston, acquired the industrial chemicals business of American Chemicals Co., South Kearny, N.J. on August 13, 2001. Houghton distributes and manufactures industrial chemicals from its plant and bulk terminal in Allston, Mass.

Mokon Div., Protective Closures Co., Buffalo, N.Y., appointed John-Michaels Enterprises Inc., Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., as its sales representative in the die casting industry in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

The American Society of Testing and Materials' D02 Committee on Petroleum Products and Lubricants awarded Kenneth O. Henderson, vice president of technology for Cannon Instrument Co., State College, Pa., with the ASTM Award of Merit for his work in standards development and improving the standards development process, and the new Fellow of ASTM award, the highest ASTM recognition for individual involvement in standards work.

George Koch Sons LLC, Evansville, Ill., appointed Bill Sievern as director of sales. Sievern's responsibilities include leading the sales team and developing new customers.

Thermion Systems Europe Ltd., Stratford, Conn., a division of the electrothermal technology firm Thermion Systems International, has received ISO 9001 certification. Thermion Systems International licenses and supplies proprietary electrothermal heating materials and systems to aerospace, industrial and consumer products manufacturers.

Multiaqua Inc., Miramar, Fla., a manufacturer of three-, four- and five-ton self-contained air-cooled chillers and reverse cycle chillers, formed an agreement with Long Building Technologies Inc., Englewood, Colo., for representation of the line in Colorado and Wyoming.

Christopher Associates Inc., Santa Ana, Calif., has been spun off to Damian Holzmann et al. and will be independently operated as Christopher International Inc. This move includes the Christopher line of vacuum packaging equipment and Mojave printed circuit dryers. Christopher Associates Inc. will continue to act as North American distributors for both its bare board and assembly suppliers with enhanced support to its customer base. The companies will operate independently.

Marshall and Williams Plastics, Woonsocket, R.I., commissioned a Sherman Treater for in-line corona treatment at the new Marshall and Williams plastics lab/pilot facility in Providence, R.I., and is now available for customer use.

Carol Jensen has been named vice president for the Performance Chemicals Business portfolio at the Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich. Jensen will become a member of the Performance Chemicals Operating Board, lead the research and development efforts for Performance Chemicals globally and will focus on further developing technologies and capabilities necessary to achieve business growth.

Kolene Corp., Detroit, has promoted James C. Malloy to vice president of research and development. Since joining the company in 1976, Malloy has been manager of applications, manager of research and development and manager of market and process development.

Fluke Corp., Everett, Wash., accredited two calibration laboratories, one in the San Diego and one in Norwich, Norfolk, in the United Kingdom. The San Diego facility received accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17025-1999 and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 standards set by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, and the United Kingdom facility is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.

IPC-Association Connecting Electronics Industries, Northbrook, Ill., announced its Printed Circuit Alliance (PCA), San Francisco, has joined forces with the IPC's California Circuit Association (CCA), under the IPC CCC's Environmental Health and Safety Legislative division. PCA was a California printed circuit board (PWB) manufacturers' alliance CCA has served as a forum for information exchange within the California PCB and interconnection industry.
Also, IPC has selected Walt Custer, president of Custer Consulting Group to be the 2001 recipient of the Raymond E. Pitchard Hall of Fame Award. Custer was selected for the award based on his contributions to the IPC and the electronic interconnection industry.

Watlow, St. Louis, promoted Lisa Ptasienski to the position of marketing communications team leader. Ptasienski will manage the St. Louis-based marketing communications department and coordinate activities with Watlow's technical communications team. In addition, she will further involvement and communication with the company's European marketing, product line marketing and solution center marketing efforts.
In other Watlow news, the company has introduced a brochure, "SCR Power Controllers: for Maximizing Heater Performance," which highlights Watlow's entire power controller product line and includes an application chart.