Gavin Johnson has been appointed managing director of Baldor`s European operations. In this newly created role, he will provide strategic direction for the continuing integration of Baldor with the Reliance electric motor and Dodge power transmission brands that it acquired from Rockwell Automation in February this year.

The combined European operation will operate from four locations: two in Germany, and one each in the UK and Switzerland. A key element of Johnson`s role will be to create a unified sales team for the group`s motor, drive, motion control and power transmission products.

"We now have an unparalleled breadth of product in the power transmission and automation market," says Johnson (above), "and integrating our operations will give our customers better value, as well as simplifying design and system build".

Before his promotion, Johnson was general manager of Baldor`s motion control design and manufacturing operation in the UK, and joint manager of Baldor`s European industrial motor and drives products business. He will be based at Baldor’s UK headquarters in Bristol.

Baldor now has 27 plants worldwide, and more than 8,000 employees. It claims to be the world’s second largest supplier of electric motors – and the number one in motors and power transmission products in the US.