LOVES PARK, ILL. — Barber-Colman Co. will purchase some components from Groupe Schneider for its next-generation Maco controller, scheduled for roll-out at K'98 in Germany, in a move that reduces costs for the Loves Park-based controls maker.
Separately, Barber-Colman announced that HPM Corp. has selected its Maco Command 4000 with Impact as the standard controller for two of its injection presses — the Universal toggle machine and the Access tie-barless press.
Impact makes the controller self-tuning.
The Groupe Schneider agreement, announced March 2, could have long-term benefits for both firms. Barber-Colman could end up selling some of its own temperature controllers to Groupe Schneider under a private-label agreement, company officials said.
``This partnership is going to extend globally. It's going to allow two major companies to get involved in what will be a major growth market,'' said John Simontacchi, Barber-Colman's vice president and general manager.
Simontacchi and Franklin Sullivan, Schneider North America's senior vice president of growth and acquisitions, signed the agreement Feb. 18 in Loves Park.
The agreement links North American units of two giant European companies — Groupe Schneider, the $8 billion French company, and Barber-Colman's parent, Siebe plc of England, with about $5 billion in sales.
In North America, Schneider markets its electrical, control and automation products under several brands, including Square D and Modicon.
