As "General Manager of Foundry Equipment Division," he will be responsible for the entire foundry equipment division. In addition, Mr. Hirata will continue to help shape the fortunes of HWS as Managing Director, based in Toyokawa, Japan.
In a small ceremony, management and staff in Bad Laasphe said goodbye to their managing director. Management spokesman Andreas Klein thanked Mr. Hirata for his extraordinary commitment and active support. With his invaluable experience as an engineer and foundry specialist and his friendly and intelligent manner, he was and remains a great role model for all of us, also regarding the guidance and training of our young engineers. Following the speech, Mr. Klein presented Mr. Hirata with a master key for the company as a memento of his time at HWS and as a sign that he is always welcome in Bad Laasphe. Mr. Hirata expressed his gratitude for the good cooperation during his time in Bad Laasphe and emphasized that he would like to further support and promote an even closer connection between HWS and the foundry division of Sintokogio.
Mr. Hirata had first joined HWS from Sintokogio from 1993 to 1998, and with a great deal of expertise and innovative spirit had driven the development of the center molding machine and the SEIATSU flex process. In 2014, he had then returned to Bad Laasphe in the position of Managing Director. Under his leadership, the new USR sand reclamation unit was developed, which we have already been able to successfully sell and commission in Germany. In addition, the new product line of casting machines for aluminum gravity die casting of the PLS and LPD series was brought to market maturity, which will give HWS an even broader position in the global foundry market.
We sincerely wish him all the best and much success for the new challenge and his further activities in Japan.
