Wood’s Powr-Grip® Chief Engineer Retires After 32 Years

Gary Bond

Laurel, MT - Gary Bond, Wood’s Powr-Grip® (WPG) Chief Engineer, has retired from the company following 32 years of service.

Bond started with WPG in Wolf Point, Montana, after graduating from the University of Iowa. One of his early projects was to design a new lifter with more versatility and function than a Powr-Frame, but at a similar cost. Thus the MRT4 was born about the same time as the company moved to Laurel, Montana. Today, the MRT4 concept is used all over the world. This design has also been a foundation for other lifters at WPG, such as the MRTA8 and MRTALP8. Bond’s focus on safety also led him to be an active member of the ASME safety standards committees.

“Gary’s passion for seeing WPG improve and succeed over the past 32 years has left a lasting impression on all of us. We wish him the best of luck and hope he is able to enjoy a well-deserved rest before embarking on his next stage in life,” commented Bryan Wood, President and CEO of Wood’s Powr-Grip. Bond's next move includes relocating to the Oregon coast, where he will remain as a consultant in the industry, with an emphasis on providing training, equipment servicing and repairs.

Assuming Bond's responsibilities is Bryan Strobel, a 24-year veteran of WPG who has previously been in charge of New Product Development. Strobel will now be responsible for the entire engineering team at Wood’s Powr-Grip.

About Wood's Powr-Grip

Wood's Powr-Grip Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes tools and equipment that improve efficiency, enhance safety, and lower costs for the industries that it serves. The company offers a full line of hand-held vacuum cups, below-the-hook vacuum lifters and vacuum mounting cups that make material handling and equipment mounting easier. The products are used to lift, hold and position a variety of smooth, nonporous materials such as insulated metal panels, glass, plastics, engine valves, sheet metal, solid surfacing, laminates, stone slabs and appliances. Powr-Grip products are individually tested before being shipped from the production facility, in order to ensure quality and promote safety for the user.

Wood's Powr-Grip's headquarters are located in Laurel, MT, and its vacuum cups and equipment products are distributed internationally in nearly 50 countries through an extensive network of dealers and distributors. For more information, visit www.wpg.com.