KORTRIJK, Belgium — Lapauw International N.V. reports the grand opening of Lapauw USA LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary that the company says will provide sales, service and parts and will also provide machinery manufacturing and assembly in the future.
The company, based in Salt Lake City, aims to service commercial and industrial laundries in North America, and will be the exclusive source for Lapauw products in the region.
David Bernstein, who has more than 20 years of professional experience, has been named president of Lapauw USA. His résumé includes serving as president of Consolidated Laundry Machinery Co., as director of the now defunct Uniform and Textile Services Association, as chief operating officer of F-MATIC Inc., and as senior vice president of Turn-Key Industrial Engineering Services. A frequent teacher at industry institutes and schools, Bernstein has also served on several boards and held a number of committee chairmanships as well, according to Lapauw International.
“I am honored and privileged to have been asked to build and lead Lapauw’s team here in North America,” says Bernstein. “The Lapauw brand and products are well respected around the world, and I know that North American laundries will benefit from having access to sales, service, parts and, soon, manufacturing support right here at home.”
Charged with the task of introducing Lapauw’s line of products to laundries in the region, Michael Squillace has joined Lapauw USA as national sales manager. He has experience both as an operator and a supplier, and was most recently employed with Garment Machinery Inc.
Philippe D’heygere, president of Lapauw International, says expansion into the North American market has been a goal since 2010, when he and CEO Steven Renders purchased the company.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with our choice of management and sales leadership in the new company,” he says. “David and Michael bring lifetimes of experience in the industry and excellent reputations within the market, and we are thrilled to have them join our group to introduce our products to a wider audience of laundries in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.”
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