Universal Instruments Corporation recently announced the appointment of Twan Aldenzee as a regional manager of European customer operations. Based in Deurne, Netherlands, Aldenzee will lead Universal’s customer operations team in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Scandinavia, and the Baltics. He will report to Koen Vinck, general manager, European, Middle Eastern, and African customer operations.

January 9, 2013 – Universal Vice President of Customer Operations Brad Bennett described the appointment as a “significant step in further strengthening Universal’s global presence and commitment to customer satisfaction.” He added, “Our product strategy and portfolio are particularly well-suited to the European market demands, and Twan’s appointment will be important as we continue to implement solutions designed to grow market share in this critical region.”

Bennett continued, “The European requirement for short production runs, high-end electronics, and high-quality products demands solutions that deliver ultimate flexibility and uncompromised NPI capabilities. This model is an ideal fit for Universal’s products today and a new platform lineup that will be introduced in the coming months.”

Aldenzee joins Universal from DIMA Group, where he was responsible for SMT systems and total group marketing for six years. He has more than a decade of experience in sales and marketing, and holds a bachelor of commerce degree in marketing and management from Penta College in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

“I am pleased to be working with Universal, which offers the industry’s most comprehensive solutions portfolio with surface mount, axial and radial through-hole, advanced packaging, and automation technologies,” Aldenzee said. “Universal further distinguishes itself by supporting its equipment with an outstanding global service organization that has a localized regional infrastructure.”

Commenting further on this infrastructure, he said, “Universal has a valuable network of channel partners in Europe who serve and advise customers, and I am proud to work with such an experienced team that includes Addis Electronic (Benelux), Peter-Jordan (Denmark and Sweden), Sincotron (Finland and the Baltics), and SmartTec (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). This team enables us to work closely with each and every customer, providing them with the individual attention they deserve.”

When asked about the European market, Aldenzee noted, “Our goal is to expand our presence in different industries such as medical, aviation, aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics by offering profitable solutions. With Universal’s wide range of products, we can deliver flexible solutions for high-mix/low-volume and low-mix/high-volume. These solutions are readily adaptable to fast-moving changes in market demands and our customers’ needs to address these demands. This capability makes Universal an ideal choice for any EMS or OEM manufacturing environment.”

To provide European electronics manufacturers the opportunity to see Universal products in action, Aldenzee reported that in 2013 Universal will cooperate with channel partner SmartTec at both the SMT Nuremberg trade show in April and Productronica in November to introduce its new SM platform to the European market; the machine will be formally introduced to the U.S. market at APEX in February. Additionally, Aldenzee noted that SmartTec recently made some improvements to better serve Universal’s customers in Germany. This includes creating a dedicated Universal demo room in Rodgau, near Frankfurt, which will soon be equipped with several pieces of Universal equipment, including the new SM platform.