Sumitomo (SHI) Demag North America revamps its executive management team

Naoto Ikeda (left) and John F. Martich III. Photo Credit: Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery North America Inc.

In a move that it says will allow it to “respond to the fast-changing market more quickly” and give it “the bandwidth to grow its sales, aftersales and technology offerings,” injection molding machine maker Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery North America Inc. has changed its executive management structure.

The Suwanee, Ga.-based firm has appointed company veterans Naoto Ikeda as its new president and John F. Martich III as co-manager.

Ikeda, previously vice president of sales for the past two years, had formerly served as director of corporate strategy, director of business development of all-electric machines at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH in Germany, and manager of global sales at Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (SHI) in Japan.

“With sales and planning experience on three continents, Ikeda brings an international perspective with him to the role of president,” company officials said. “[He] has steered Sumitomo (SHI) Demag to the highest sales volume of all-electric machines the company has ever seen in the U.S. and Europe.”

Martich is currently the company’s executive vice president, and will now be co-managing Sumitomo (SHI) Demag alongside Ikeda. Martich’s 35-year tenure includes positions such as director of quality, director of service, vice president of aftersales, vice president of operations, and COO.