Actronic appoints US director

Media release – for immediate release
18 September 2008

Actronic appoints internationally recognised director

Experienced international director Dr George Weathersby, based in Philadelphia, USA, has accepted an appointment to the board of Actronic Technologies.

Dr Weathersby is Chairman and CEO of Genesys Solutions and a director of Holcim (NYSE), AOI Medical (LSE) and Bostwick Laboratories (pre-IPO). He was President, CEO, and Director of ERSI (NASDAQ) and Curtis Publishing (PHX). Dr Weathersby is also past President of the American Management Association (AMA), and was formerly an associate Professor of Management at Harvard, and Associate Director of Planning and lecturer in Business at the University of California.

Actronic was introduced to Dr Weathersby through New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s USA Beachhead’s programme.

“We are delighted to have attracted a USA-based director with such a range of experience and contacts,” Actronic Chairman Keith Oliver said. “As a New Zealand-owned company we are aware of the value of having Dr Weathersby’s US and international perspective represented on our board.

“His extensive academic background, his experience with assisting major US organisations improve strategy execution, and his involvement in hi-tech companies will be of tremendous value to a company like ours that is continually developing and refining products for global markets.”

Mr Oliver said the appointment of Dr Weathersby was the latest benefit of Actronic’s participation in Beachheads in the USA.

“We really appreciate the assistance we have received from Beachheads in the US. As the first company appointed to Beachheads China, we hope to gain a similar market advantage from the programme as we grow our business there.”

ENDS

Actronic background:

• Actronic is a wholly New Zealand-owned, private company.

• The company was founded by Doug Rankin and Bob Allison in 1979. They created the first precision dynamic weighing system in the world and a very sophisticated version of that product (LOADRITE®) remains at the core of Actronic’s business today.

• Actronic’s revenues have doubled in the last five years, to achieve an annual turnover of $23 million, with 95% of revenues coming from exports to around 40 countries.
• The products are largely used in the mining, quarrying and forestry industries. These complex applied technology solutions have to perform to high standards of precision, usability and durability in some of the world’s most rugged environments. These products are considered market leaders internationally. A mark of the quality and market recognition of their LOADRITE® product, for example, is that for the last couple of years all new John Deere construction machinery in North America has been shipped ‘LOADRITE® Ready’ (pre-wired for easy installation of the systems), and new models will actually have LOADRITE® software integrated with their systems.

• Actronic has had very significant benefits from involvement in the US Beachheads programme in terms of key customer contacts at a corporate level, supply partner introductions (e.g. wireless communications design for rugged environments), identification of a US-based director with industry knowledge and contacts, and advice on recruitment to US-based positions.

• From it’s very strong position in North America and Australasia, Actronic is now looking to grow in emerging markets such as China and India.

• Actronic is the first company appointed to the NZTE Beachheads programme in China.

www.actronictechnologies.com
www.loadritescales.com
http://www.waratah.net/en_US/waratah/products/measuring/logrite.html

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