Norican Group welcomes new Sr. VP, Sales Directors

NFFS Associate member Norican Group recently welcomed three new employees to its team, as published in a series of press releases submitted to NFFS and printed in part below.  

Norican Group Appoints Mr. Jim Brown as Senior Vice President of Operations – North America

Norican Group is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Jim Brown as the Senior Vice President of Operations – North America. In this crucial role, Jim will be driving the operational success of our global company, contributing to its competitiveness, resilience, and ability to adapt to evolving market conditions.

With over 25 years of experience in increasingly complex engineering, operations, and management positions within the automotive and aerospace industries, Jim brings a wealth of expertise to Norican Group. His extensive background includes more than 10 years of direct plant leadership experience, demonstrating a deep understanding of operational intricacies such as streamlining processes, reducing waste, and optimizing workflows to enhance overall operational performance.

"Jim is an extremely talented addition to our team and will be an important addition of expertise to our leadership team. We look forward to his contributions as we continue to grow and take all lines of business in North America to new heights." – Bruce Dienst, President, Norican Group, North America.

Norican Group Welcomes Mrs. Sandy Calabrese, Bringing 28 Years of Automotive and Metal Casting Operations Experience, as Director of Sales for DISA – North America

Norican Group proudly announces the appointment of Mrs. Sandy Calabrese as the new Director of Sales for DISA – North America. With a distinguished career spanning 28 years in metal casting and automotive operations, Sandy brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the DISA team. 

Sandy's extensive background includes key positions at General Motors, where she excelled in operations management, customer relations, and engineering. Throughout her tenure at GM, Sandy held diverse and significant responsibilities in automotive and metal casting operations throughout the Midwest. Her roles included Maintenance Manager, Chief Metallurgist, Melting Superintendent, and Site Manager, showcasing her versatility and leadership capabilities.

“Sandy’s technical leadership, knowledge, and extensive network within the foundry industry will be invaluable assets, benefiting all Norican’s lines of businesses and fostering their growth to their full potential. We are confident that her wealth of experience and strategic approach will have a positive and transformative impact on the DISA team. Sandy's addition demonstrates our commitment to bringing in top-tier talent to elevate our operations and drive success across the entire Norican Group. We eagerly anticipate the positive outcomes that will result from her strategic leadership and contributions to our continued growth in North America." – Bruce Dienst, President, Norican Group, North America.

Peter Sell Named Director of Sales for ItalPresseGauss in North America

Die casting equipment and automation business, ItalPresseGauss, has strengthened its growing US team with the appointment of Peter Sell as Director of Sales for North America. With over three decades of engineering and manufacturing knowledge—specializing in metal component production—Peter is known across the industry for taking a hands-on approach, forging strong relationships with the customers he supports.

Commenting on his appointment, Peter said: “An engineer at heart, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience many years in the manufacturing industry, from designing dies and managing plant operations through to advising and consulting on equipment and automation solutions.

“I like ‘getting my hands dirty’ – visiting sites, understanding requirements, and using my experience to work out the best possible solution for any given challenge. Which is exactly aligned with ItalPresseGauss’ philosophy of delivering die casting equipment and digital innovations tailored to each customer’s specific needs. It’s a great match of mindsets, and with such an impressive product and service portfolio to draw on, I’m truly excited to be taking on this role and to helping die casters optimize their operations.”

About Norican Group: Norican Group stands as a global leader, delivering advanced technology solutions for the foundry and surface treatment industries. With over a century of experience, our renowned brands, including DISA, ItalPresseGauss, Simpson, Monitizer, StrikoWestofen, and Wheelabrator, have consistently shaped the industry through innovation and a steadfast commitment to customer success. We specialize in delivering state-of-the-art equipment, expertise, services, and support to optimize efficiency and productivity in manufacturing processes; ensuring safer, cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable operations. Notably, Norican is at the forefront of environmental responsibility, being the first among its peers to establish ambitious emissions reduction targets through the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). For more information, visit www.noricangroup.com.