Brown Machine Group acquires aXatronics obotic Capabilities
BEAVERTON, Michigan – Brown Machine Group (“BMG”) is pleased to announce the acquisition of the robotics capabilities from automation equipment supplier, aXatronics.
BMG is a leading manufacturer and servicer of highly engineered thermoforming equipment and tooling used in the conversion of plastic sheet into high-value-add products, as well as, automated material handling equipment for paper and plastic products. They provide equipment and related services under the Brown, Lyle, Nalle Automation Systems (“NAS”), and Freeman Company brand names.
aXatronics is a certified Motoman Robotics Strategic Partner and proven supplier of Automation solutions. The company’s primary focus is creating high-level mechatronics process engineered solutions for challenging processes in manufacturing. They have significant experience in commercial and industrial packaging and a strong reputation for innovation and quality in the industry. Products offered by aXatronics include Stackers, Loaders, Product Handlers, Case Packers and Robotic End of Arm Tools. The combination of Nalle Automation systems and aXatronics robotic offerings will provide customers with the ultimate packaging solution.
“The addition of aXatronics to the BMG group enhances the solutions we provide to the industry,” states Greg Wolf, CEO Brown Machine Group. “We are laser focused on our customer’s needs and this addition to BMG fills a much needed void to expand our automation capabilities. Our objective is to not only supply the most innovative equipment in the industry, but to provide our customer base with a fully integrated turn-key solution to meet their specific needs and challenges.”
aXatronics and Dave Whelan gained national attention when aXatronics received the coveted North and South America “Innovation Award” from Yaskawa Motoman in 2014 for its work in creating the first robot, worldwide, capable of tying a ribbon bow around a boxed product. Highlighted in several national industry-based magazines for this unique accomplishment, aXatronics continues to build a solid reputation for delivering reliable automation solutions for difficult manufacturing applications.
Dave Whelan, formerly President of aXatronics, now Director – Robotics, states, “We are very excited to bring robotic automation and many years of experience in process automation into the BMG family of product lines. The addition of aXatronics robotic capabilities will broaden our existing product lines and enhance our substantial New Product Development efforts.”
As a strategic partner of Yaskawa America Inc., aXatronics has originated many versatile and diverse robotic solutions ranging from palletizing up to 200 different case sizes containing glass products on a single robot to multiple robotic solutions for a Fortune 100 manufacturer of large steel containers. They are also known for creating specialized robotic end-of-arm-tooling solutions for other integrators and manufacturers enabling the success of a variety of other robotic systems.
The aXatronics staff will join NAS and will manufacture and support aXatronics equipment in the NAS facility, located in Knoxville, TN.
The transaction was effective as of May 30, 2020.
Brown Machine Group in Beaverton, MI, is a global leader in thermoforming technology and innovation with high-quality product lines manufactured by Brown Machine, Lyle Industries, Nalle Automation Systems, Freeman Company and aXatronics. It designs and manufactures a complete line of continuous and cut-sheet thermoforming equipment, tooling, automation, robotic systems and provides related services including retrofit upgrades, prototyping, process optimization and technical support. Its equipment has been “Made in the USA” since 1952 and it has thermoforming systems operating in over 65 countries worldwide in virtually every industry. Visit www.brownmachinegroup.com for more information.
aXatronics supplies robotic solutions for the packaging industry. They design and engineer key processes and innovate hardware solutions for resolving complex manufacturing issues. They are committed to improving plant safety, efficiency, and throughput through innovative engineering. The company is headquartered in Knoxville, TN. For additional information, please visit www.axatronics.com.
The Beauty MRKT hosting anniversary celebration June 9; 10% of sales benefiting Helen Ross McNabb Center
Founded by Kelli DeRieux, The Beauty MRKT is an eco-conscious boutique featuring a well-curated assortment of the world’s leading clean beauty + wellness products. In celebration of The Beauty MRKT’s upcoming one year anniversary, they will be hosting a Sip n Shop event on Tuesday June 9. The Beauty MRKT will be extending their hours on June 9, opening from 10 am – 6 pm. 10% of all sales made in-store and online on June 9th will be donated to the Helen Ross McNabb Center’s domestic violence initiatives.
The Helen Ross McNabb Center is a premier, not‐for‐profit provider of behavioral health services in East Tennessee. Their domestic violence staff works with women, men and their children to help them find the support and resources they need to live a life free from abuse.
“The Domestic Violence Center at Helen Ross McNabb is important to me due to my tenure in the Jr League of Knoxville,” says Kelli. ” JLK focuses their community efforts around domestic violence education and prevention and Helen Ross McNabb is one of their community partners.”
Kelli is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Knoxville, having spent four years as a board member and previously serving as President. She is also a past board member of Girls on the Run, Boy Scouts Boy Scouts of the Great Smoky Mountains, PTA President/Treasurer and a board member of the West Valley Middle School Foundation. She has also served as a committee member for several other non-profit fundraising events throughout town as well.
Her lifelong commitment to service is part of the foundation her business is built on, and she could not be more thrilled to host The Beauty MRKT anniversary celebration in honor of a charity that is so close to her heart.
Founded by Kelli DeRieux in 2019, The Beauty MRKT is a vibrant, luxe, and well-curated assortment of the world’s leading clean beauty and wellness products. Kelli’s love for all things skincare and make-up started in the late 80’s and early 90’s, when she was reading YM, Seventeen and Mademoiselle magazines. Fast forward to when she became a mom, she started paying attention to what ingredients were in the household products she used and food that her family consumed. When clean beauty evolved to products that rivaled higher-end department store brands in terms of performance, the switch was clear. Opening a boutique had always been a dream, and in 2019 after embarking on her 40th birthday, she finally had the courage to make it a reality.
The mission of The Beauty MRKT is that we want to share information and knowledge with you so you can be informed about what you are actually putting on your body. Kelli believes no one should have to compromise their health in the name of beauty. Fortunately, she’s taken the guess work out for you. Every product at The Beauty MRKT has been fact checked to make sure that it is free of toxic ingredients. If it says “organic”, “natural”, or “pure”, you can be assured that it is.
7th Largest tire and auto service retailer adds new stores and new jobs
Family owned and operated Tire Discounters is planning for future growth by investing in Knoxville. The retailer is adding five new stores in three states this summer with two new stores planned for Knoxville neighborhoods. “Knoxville is an important part of our growth plan. As we continue to expand our footprint in greater Knoxville and across the South, we’re adding new stores in neighborhoods that don’t have easy access to an existing Tire Discounters location, “says Anna Wood, Managing Director.
The new stores will add at least twenty new jobs to the region at a time when many retailers are scaling back operations. “Our people are what sets Tire Discounters apart. We’re hiring local folks who want to work hard every day to serve their customers,” says Crissy Niese, SVP, Chief Customer Officer.
- Now Open: 125 Chapman Triangle Way, Knoxville, TN 37920 (865) 320-9733
- Coming Mid-June: 6720 Clinton Highway, Knoxville, TN 37912
Tire Discounters was founded by Chip Wood in 1976 and is still family-owned and operated. Chip remains the sole owner and company Chairman, but over the past several years has been smoothly transitioning to the second generation of leadership. President, Jamie Ward, a valued employee for over 20 years, is now the driving force in the company day-to-day, working closely with Chip’s children; Anna, Steven, and Evan Wood to help them learn the business from the ground up.
Tire Discounters is currently the nation’s seventh-largest independent tire retailer and is growing rapidly. The company leads the way in providing unique and innovative customer benefits designed to make tires last longer and maximize the overall performance of a car or light truck. Tire Discounters’ ASE-certified technicians provide routine automotive repair and factory scheduled maintenance. Tire Discounters currently employs more than 1,200 people in over 130 locations in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. For more information, visit www.tirediscounters.com.
Trinity Benefit Advisors announces partnership with BRP Group, Inc.
Knoxville, Tennessee – June 1, 2020 – Knoxville-based Trinity Benefit Advisors (TBA) announced today that they have entered a partnership with BRP Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRP) to become part of their BKS-Partners operating group.
TBA is one of the leading providers of employee benefits to employers across the southeastern U.S. TBA has utilized their scale, reputation, and technical expertise to build a significant book of large account life and health business.
“We’ve built a wonderfully successful business at Trinity and joining up with the BRP Group team was the natural next step in our evolution and our growth strategy,” said Chris Poynter, CEO of TBA. “By prioritizing client service through our flat organizational structure, we have established long-term relationships with our clients, while consistently winning new business. We’re thrilled to become part of BKS-Partners, as our clients will be the beneficiaries of an expanded service platform and a myriad of new capabilities and tools, while receiving the same level of service and expertise they’ve come to expect from us. Most important of all, our cultures fit perfectly, which will provide a forever home with additional career opportunities for our incredibly talented team.”
BRP Group, Inc. is a rapidly growing independent insurance distribution firm delivering tailored insurance and risk management insights and solutions that give clients the peace of mind to pursue their purpose, passion and dreams. They are innovating the industry by taking a holistic and tailored approach to risk management, insurance and employee benefits, and support clients, colleagues, insurance company partners and communities through the deployment of vanguard resources and capital to drive their growth. BRP represents over 450,000 clients across the United States and internationally.
“Tennessee is one of the most dynamic economies in the U.S. The opportunity to partner with TBA, one of the largest independent employee benefit consulting firms in the Southeast, reinforces our commitment to thoughtfully building a national franchise in key geographies with industry leading talent,” said Trevor Baldwin, Chief Executive Officer of BRP Group. “TBA has a leading retention rate among its client base, as well as a talented leadership team that has consistently grown their business throughout past economic cycles. We’re excited to add the TBA team to the BRP family, and look forward to building on their success as we continue to grow our platform across the U.S.” For more information visit www.trinityben.com.
BRP Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRP) is a rapidly growing independent insurance distribution firm delivering tailored insurance and risk management insights and solutions that give our clients the peace of mind to pursue their purpose, passion and dreams. We are innovating the industry by taking a holistic and tailored approach to risk management, insurance and employee benefits, and support our clients, Colleagues, Insurance Company Partners and communities through the deployment of vanguard resources and capital to drive our growth. BRP represents over 450,000 clients across the United States and internationally, with approximately 50 offices in seven states. For more information, please visit www.baldwinriskpartners.com. Learn more about BKS-Partners at www.bks-partners.com.
Comcast announces $30,000 grant to East Tennessee veteran colleges in celebration of U.S. Military
TENNESSEE – (June 1, 2020) – On Monday, June 1 during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Comcast will celebrate the U.S. military and salute Comcast military employees from across the company that are working to keep communities safe and connected. Comcast will award a $30,000 grant to six community colleges in East Tenn. that have been designated as Veteran Education Transition Support (VETS) campuses by the Tennessee Board of Regents or have a substantial veterans student enrollment.
“Our heartfelt thanks to Comcast for this grant to support veterans pursuing their educations at our colleges,” said Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings. “Like Comcast, we are deeply committed to serving the men and women who served our country. All of our community colleges have veterans services officers to help veterans make the transition, and most have achieved VETS-designated campus status.”
The grant will support the VETS program by supplying enrolled veterans with laptops to help them complete their coursework and with post-graduation job searches. The six community colleges are:
- Chattanooga State
- Cleveland State
- Pellissippi State
- Northeast State
- Roane State
- Walters State
“We are honored to award this grant to the Veteran-dedicated schools in East Tennessee, and to reaffirm our companywide commitment to our veterans and their families,” said Jason Gumbs, Comcast’s Regional SVP. “We are thankful for the tremendous contributions of those who serve our country, including our own employees who make such a critical sacrifice.”
During the race broadcast, Comcast will also salute military community employees from across the company. Among those to be recognized are 23 Comcast representatives actively serving in the National Guard who are responding to the current crisis.
Nationally, approximately 50,000 National Guard and reserve service members are mobilized in response to the pandemic, and more than 2,000 Comcast NBCUniversal employees serve in the National Guard and Reserves.
Throughout the week, Comcast will recognize these frontline heroes’ stories using #XfinitySalutes and on @XfinityRacing’s Twitter and Instagram feeds. For more information around Comcast’s crisis response, click here.
Passed into law in 2014, the Tennessee Veterans Education Transition Support (VETS) Act establishes a program of recognition for higher education institutions which allocate resources for veterans’ successful transition from military service to college enrollment. An institution receiving VETS campus certification not only prioritizes outreach to veterans, but successfully delivers the services necessary to create a supportive environment where student veterans can prosper while pursuing their education.
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest high-speed internet, video, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
The Trust Company of Tennessee donates $30,000 to nonprofits amid COVID-19
The Trust Company of Tennessee announced today that it is donating $30,000 to two East Tennessee nonprofits to provide additional support and counter the effects of COVID-19 on members of the local community.
“We are hopeful that these donations will provide assistance to those who need it most right now,” said Sharon Pryse, CEO and founder of The Trust Company of Tennessee. “It is a great privilege to work with dedicated, local organizations who continue to provide needed support during such a difficult time for many members of our community.”
A $25,000 gift was presented to the United Way of Greater Knoxville’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Formed in collaboration with the Alliance for Better Nonprofits and the East Tennessee Foundation, the fund provides direct support to local agencies that have expanded services to the community during this pandemic.
“We are grateful for the support of business leaders like The Trust Company, especially during such a challenging time,” said Matt Ryerson, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Knoxville. “The Trust Company has been a valued partner for many years and did not hesitate to give back when our community and neighbors need it most.”
A $5,000 gift also was presented to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, a member of Feeding America. Second Harvest is the region’s largest hunger-relief charity with programs in 18 counties. The organization provides essential food resources to families and individuals in need.
“The Trust Company has stepped up to help East Tennesseans who need it most,” said Elaine Streno, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. “This gift will directly support our increased efforts to fight hunger as many members of our community continue to grapple with the economic effects of this pandemic.”
Founded in 1987, The Trust Company of Tennessee currently has more than $3.5 billion under management and more than 75 employees. The firm helps individuals, families, business owners and charities make better decisions with money through wealth management, corporate retirement and personal trust services. Based in Knoxville, the firm also has offices in Chattanooga and the Tri-Cities. For more information, visit http://www.thetrust.com.
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