Blasch Precision Ceramics Continues its Historic Growth Trajectory
Albany, NY – October 11, 2023
Blasch Precision Ceramics, a globally recognized leader headquartered in Albany, NY, proudly announces its ongoing expansion and strategic advancements, reaffirming its commitment to serving industrial markets worldwide with cutting-edge ceramic products and refractory components.
Since its inception, Blasch has experienced exponential growth, diversifying its presence across an array of industries including Molten Metals, Refining/Chemical Process Industries, Power Generation, Mining, and Industrial Process Heating. The company has fostered key partnerships with distributors, agents, and suppliers, extending its reach to six continents around the globe.
In 2023, Blasch continues its remarkable growth trajectory, witnessing a surge in both new customer acquisitions and expanded supply partnerships with existing clients. This growth, underscored by impressive figures and notable examples, reflects Blasch's unwavering commitment to excellence.
In response to this burgeoning demand, Blasch has strategically augmented its production capacity by establishing a new production facility in Mexico. This facility complements its existing production hubs in New York and South Carolina, facilitating the manufacturing of an even wider range of shapes and sizes. Notably, this expansion translates to improved lead times and uninterrupted product availability, bolstering Blasch's support for its extensive and ever-growing customer base.
Furthermore, Blasch has acquired adjacent property to its Albany headquarters, enabling the company to enhance office and meeting spaces, accommodate increased parking needs, and streamline traffic flow. Simultaneously, plans are in motion to expand the South Carolina facility, fortifying Blasch's operational capabilities.
Looking ahead, Blasch has its sights set on global expansion and is actively exploring opportunities to bolster its manufacturing capacity in Europe, reaffirming its commitment to providing world-class solutions worldwide.
To meet the demands of this historic growth, Blasch has made a dozen strategic new hires and promotions over the past year. These additions further strengthen the company's exceptional team and position Blasch for continued success.
Key New Hires:
Blasch is proud to introduce Nick Viola as our newly appointed Design Engineer, further strengthening our commitment to innovation and manufacturing excellence. In this crucial role, Nick will be responsible for the design and setup of molds, the development of manufacturing processes for molds he designs, and the design of facility and equipment. Additionally, he will provide valuable support to our Process Engineering and Quality teams. Nick brings to Blasch a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from SUNY Buffalo, complemented by an Associate in Science in Engineering Science from Hudson Valley Community College. He joins us from a label printing and packaging company, where he served as a Process Engineer. With his strong engineering background and expertise, Nick is a valuable addition to the Blasch team, and we look forward to the positive impact he will have on our design and manufacturing processes.
Blasch is delighted to welcome Dan Delaney to our team in the role of Process Engineering Technician. Dan's responsibilities encompass the implementation of process control methods and tools in production, providing assistance to manufacturing personnel in processing both new and existing materials, and participating in investigations of quality issues. Dan's academic background includes a BA in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University. His previous experiences as a Process Engineer at a glass container manufacturer and a QC Technician at an industrial equipment company have equipped him with a deep understanding of the intricacies of manufacturing and quality control. Blasch is confident that Dan's expertise and experience will make a significant contribution to our production processes and quality assurance, reinforcing our commitment to excellence.
Blasch is pleased to announce the addition of Dwight Perot to our team as a Materials Laboratory Technician, further enhancing our commitment to materials engineering and product development. Dwight will play a pivotal role within our Product Development department, focusing on material engineering. Dwight's primary responsibilities will include conducting scientific experiments, precisely measuring material properties, and meticulously documenting relevant information. He brings valuable experience from his previous role as a field chemist at an environmental service company and earlier work as an Assistant Geologist Trainee with the NYSDOT. Dwight holds a Bachelor's degree in Geological Sciences from the University at Buffalo. Blasch is excited to have Dwight on board, and we anticipate that his expertise and dedication will significantly contribute to our product development efforts and materials engineering initiatives.
Blasch is delighted to introduce Samantha Brown as an addition to our team in the role of Customer Service Coordinator. With her primary focus on orchestrating order and shipping information and serving as the primary point of contact for customers with inquiries regarding their current orders, Samantha brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our customer service division. Samantha's educational background includes an undergraduate degree from SUNY Geneseo, coupled with an MBA from Union Graduate College. Her previous role at SUNY, where she worked with a diverse group of over 250 online students and 300 prospects, has uniquely equipped her to serve our customer base with confidence, care, and meticulous attention to detail. Blasch warmly welcomes Samantha Brown to our team, and we look forward to the positive impact she will bring to our customer service operations.
Blasch is pleased to announce the appointment of Jason Ellis as the new Accounting Manager, reinforcing our commitment to operational excellence. Jason will play a pivotal role in safeguarding the financial integrity of our reporting and developing reliable and pertinent costing data across all facets of our operations. In his capacity, Jason will provide leadership for a team of three professionals and closely collaborate across all departments within the organization. Jason's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Business Administration from The University at Albany. His professional background encompasses diverse experiences in business analysis, public accounting, and cabinet manufacturing. Blasch is excited to welcome Jason Ellis to our team, and we anticipate his significant contribution to our financial management and overall operational success.
Strategic Promotions:
Blasch is pleased to announce the promotion of Caitlynn Rogers to the role of Product Commercialization Manager, reflecting the company's commitment to advancing its product offerings and market presence. In her new capacity, Caitlynn will take on a wide range of responsibilities related to product launches and the development of strategies aimed at bolstering Blasch's market share for existing products. Caitlynn's elevation to this leadership role will also extend to our marketing department, bringing her valuable experience and additional resources to guide strategic decision-making. Caitlynn's journey with Blasch began seven years ago, where she initially served as a Sales Engineer before advancing to the position of Senior Product Engineer in Technical Business Development. Throughout her tenure, she played a pivotal role in securing new customers, managing key existing business accounts, launching innovative products, and crafting business strategies to support various initiatives. Caitlynn's educational background includes an MBA from Boston University, complementing her earlier Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Engineering from RPI. Blasch is excited to have Caitlynn take on this important role, reinforcing our commitment to growth and innovation in the industry.
Blasch is proud to announce the promotion of Sean Cunningham to the position of Production Control Manager for Albany Operations, reflecting the company's focus on enhancing manufacturing capacity and capability in line with its expansion goals. Sean will undertake the responsibility of driving a host of systematic improvements that will positively impact key operational metrics, including commitments fulfilled, productivity, rework and scrap reduction, and overall plant manufacturing capacity. Sean will provide crucial leadership and management to address training requirements for the hourly workforce, encompassing both new employees and continuous improvement for existing staff. He will play a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining expanded internal performance measures and goal-setting for improvement initiatives. At the tactical level, Sean brings substantial problem-solving capacity to ensure that defined processes and best practices are effectively implemented and adhered to throughout the plant. Sean's extensive experience at Blasch encompasses diverse roles such as ceramic material development, customer application engineering, part design, mold and tooling design, manufacturing process engineering, and quality assurance. This broad knowledge base positions him ideally for success in his new role as a key member of the Operations Team. Blasch eagerly anticipates the impact of Sean's promotion on the organization's operations and its pursuit of operational excellence.
Blasch is delighted to announce the promotion of Phil Geers to the position of Director of Global Business Development, Molten Metals, underscoring his long and successful journey at the company. Phil joined Blasch in 2001 as a Midwest Regional Sales Manager and has since overseen major Metals accounts, nurturing strong relationships with multiple contacts at each of these accounts, resulting in enduring business partnerships. In 2012, Phil assumed responsibility for the Molten Metals market and played a pivotal role in bringing in many of Blasch's prominent metals customers. Even during challenging times, such as the aerospace industry downturn during the pandemic, Phil, along with the Metals team, successfully secured new replacement business, which has been retained. As the aerospace market rebounds, Blasch is witnessing significant revenue growth. Phil's unwavering commitment to his customer base and his positive attitude have been invaluable to Blasch over the years. Notably, in January of this year, Phil Geers was appointed to the board of the Investment Casting Institute (ICI). Blasch is proud to have Phil Geers take on this influential role and is eager to see the continued growth and development in the Molten Metals sector under his leadership.
