Extrusion International 5-2024-USA

33 Extrusion International 5/2022 and the supply of cobalt-60, which has become more difficult in recent years. Modern alternatives such as e-beam sterilisation are much less widespread in the USA. With the fully automated radiation treatment with e-beam, BGS is now creating additional capacity: "The availability of sterilisation capacity poses major challenges for US medi - cal technology manufacturers, which means that supply bottlenecks are a recurring threat. With our new plant in Pittsburgh, we are helping to close this gap," explains Dr Andreas Os - trowicki, Managing Director of BGS Beta-Gamma-Service. BGS US relies on a tried-and-test - ed process and the latest technol- ogy: the new site will be equipped with highly efficient electron accel - erator technology combined with fully automated product handling. The facility in Pittsburgh, PA, is scheduled to open in 2025 and will operate under the name BGS US LLC. The Managing Director is Leon - ard Zuba, formerly Vice President of Sales at Raumedic, Inc. "Sterilisation with ionising radiation is one of the most common technologies for ster - ilising medical devices, pharmaceu - tical primary packaging and prod - ucts for biotechnology. My goal as Managing Director of BGS US is to further promote e-beam as a highly efficient sterilisation method for US manufacturers," explains Zuba. Bert Whitt, who has many years of expe- rience in the radiation sterilisation of medical products, will take over as site manager. BGS Beta-Gamma-Service GmbH & Co. KG www.bgs.eu BGS Beta-Gamma-Service is expanding into the USA under its Managing Director Dr Andreas Ostrowicki. Leonard Zuba, formerly Vice President of Sales at Raumedic, Inc., takes over the management of BGS US LLC. From the left: Leonard Zuba, Dr Andreas Ostrowicki (Photo: BGS/Lina Sommer) NewManaging Director for Americas   Henning Karbstein took over the management of KRAIBURG TPE for the North, Central and South America region (“Americas”) as of October 1, 2024. Karbstein will be managing the operational business of the global TPE manufacturer from its U.S. location in Atlanta, Georgia. He has already been re - ceiving extensive training and an introduction to his new areas of re- sponsibility since April 1, 2024 – both at the head office of the U.S. branch and at the company’s headquarters in Waldkraiburg, Bavaria, Germany. He will have full operational scope in his new position from the start of the fourth quarter of 2024. Karbstein took over the position and duties from his predecessor, Jeff Frankish. Frankish has success - fully conducted his role as manag - ing director for 17 years and retired after a six-month transition phase that ended on September 30, 2024. Oliver Zintner, CEO at KRAIBURG TPE: “Jeff has done pioneering work in the Americas and has ad- vanced the development of our business areas there at a high level. This and his extraordinary presence have left lasting traces on the whole company. However, we are confi - dent that his successor, Henning Karbstein, will continue on this path to success in the best tradition and, with his management and industry expertise from the automotive and engineering industry, will take us to the next stages of development in America in the coming years.” After graduating in 1996 in me - chanical engineering in Karlsruhe, Germany, Hennig Karbstein started his professional career at Schaef- fler Group, an automotive Tier-1 supplier based in Herzogenaurach, Germany. In 2005, he moved to Schaeffler Group USA in Fort Mill, South Carolina, and took over the position of Lean Process Manager in 2007, for the headquarter at that site and for all the production plants in North America. In 2012, Mr. Karb - stein moved to North Carolina, from Schaeffler to BASF Corporation in Charlotte, where as Manager for New Business Development & Idea Management, Dispersion and Res - ins, he was responsible for the di- vison’s business development in North America. In 2019, he switched to Badische Stahl Engineering in Charlotte, where as Vice-President of Sales, he was responsible for the North American region. Henning Karbstein: “KRAIBURG TPE has long been established as a major player in the plastics process- ing industry in the region. Going forward, I want to contribute to expanding our business activities in North, Central and South America even further so that we can gradu - ally unlock our full potential there.” KRAIBURG TPE www.kraiburg-tpe.com Henning Karbstein (Image: © 2024 KRAIBURG TPE)