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Sumitomo (SHI) Demag North America has announced new executive leadership appointments, effective April 1, with Liam Burns named president, while John F. Martich III has accepted the expanded role of chief operating officer (COO).

Burns has been with the company for the past two years, serving as senior manager for northeast regional sales. Prior to joining the company, he was involved in the injection molding industry for 36 years, gathering experience in both managerial and technical positions.

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In his new role, Burns will focus on external initiatives, driving customer value, strengthening partnerships and elevating the global Sumitomo (SHI) Demag brand messaging across North America. The company says customer-centric strategies and market expansion will underline this strategy to support the company’s long-term growth.

“Innovation and customer excellence have always been central to Sumitomo (SHI) Demag's global success,” Burns says. “I’m honored to take on this role and build on our strong foundation. I look forward to connecting with our customers, gaining deeper insights into their needs, and working together to shape the future of our industry.”

Martich has been serving as executive vice president since 2023. With his new COO role, he will oversee internal operations to ensure efficiency, innovation and complete alignment with the company’s global strategic objectives. Collaborating closely with Beth Belay, corporate controller and compliance officer, Martich is focused on enhancing operational excellence and optimizing ´óÏó´«Ã½ processes.

“With this dynamic leadership team in place, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag North America is well-positioned to expand its market influence and international reach by continuing to provide innovative solutions to the plastics manufacturing industry,” says Anatol Sattel, Group CSO.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag specializes in injection molding machines for plastics processing. The global development and production network of Sumitomo Heavy Industries and Sumitomo (SHI) Demag includes four facilities in Japan, Germany and China with more than 3,100 employees. The product portfolio includes all-electric, hybrid and hydraulic injection molding machines with clamping forces of between 56 and 1,700 tons. With more than 167,000 installed machines, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is present in important global markets and making it one of the largest manufacturers of injection molding machines in the world.

At Sumitomo’s headquarters in Chiba, Japan, the company manufactures machines with clamping forces in the small to medium range. Nearly 95% of all delivered machines are equipped with an all-electric drive concept. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s German facilities in Schwaig and Wiehe produce the Systec Servo range with hybrid drive as well as the El-Exis SP and Systec SP range of high-speed, high-performance machines. The all-electric IntElect range for international customers is also being produced in Germany.

As early as 1998, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag set up its first production site in Ningbo/China. In 2015, the Chinese subsidiary Demag Plastics Machinery (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. installed a new facility with a 13,000 m² floor space. It is earmarked for the production of the Systec C range with clamping forces of between 56 and 1,100 tons for the Asian market.

In addition to injection molding machines, the company also offers customized and standardized systems for part handling automation, technical and process solutions for special applications, tailored services and service concepts as well as a range of financial options to support investment in injection molding machines.