Fluitron Announces Kevin Michaelis as New Chief Executive Officer

Ram Ramprasad and Bill Hammarstrom Join Board of Directors

IVYLAND, Pa., April 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fluitron, a manufacturer of integrated hydrogen gas compression, storage, and dispensing systems, announced that Kevin Michaelis has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer. The company also announced that Ram Ramprasad and Bill Hammarstrom have joined the company's Board of Directors. Ara Partners, a private equity firm focused on industrial decarbonization, is the majority owner of Fluitron.

Michaelis brings significant leadership and industry experience to Fluitron. Michaelis previously spent 20 years at Air Products and Chemicals, where he served as Vice President of Products and Technology. He was responsible for the global cryogenic equipment and separation membrane business lines and had prior experience overseeing the industrial gas and hydrogen energy system business lines in North America, Europe, and Asia. Most recently, Michaelis was Managing Director of NPI Excellence, a business strategy and new product development consulting firm based in the Lehigh Valley.

"I'm very excited to join Fluitron and execute on the company's growth plan to become a global leader in hydrogen infrastructure solutions," Michaelis said. "The company has a strong operational history built over 40 years, and a reputation of delivering high-quality products to customers. I look forward to working with the management team, Board and Ara Partners to execute on the company's long-term strategic objectives."

As new directors of Fluitron, Hammarstrom and Ramprasad will leverage their expertise in the industrial gas sector to advance the company's continued expansion. Hammarstrom was formerly President of HyCO Americas Region for Air Products and Chemicals, where he was responsible for the profitability and growth of the of the company's HyCO franchises and stand-alone plants in the Americas region.

Ramprasad formerly served as Senior Vice President for Corporate Strategy, Capital Investments, and Global Sales at Linde Plc, where he shaped the growth strategy and was responsible for the capital budget and global relationships following the merger of Linde with Praxair. He also previously led underwriting and due diligence efforts for Linde's large capital investments across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Hammarstrom said, "Fluitron provides essential hydrogen infrastructure equipment and services to key players in the hydrogen economy, which positions the company to take advantage of the coming energy transition."  Ramprasad commented, "The hydrogen sector needs high-quality infrastructure providers like Fluitron to achieve its true potential. I look forward to working with Bill, Kevin, and other members of the Fluitron Board and management team to grow the company into a hydrogen infrastructure leader."

"Fluitron is well-positioned to become a 'one-stop-shop' of infrastructure equipment for hydrogen, which is a critical energy carrier and key to decarbonization efforts across various industries," said Tuan Tran, a Partner at Ara Partners. "The addition of Kevin as CEO along with Bill and Ram as directors provides multiple decades of industry expertise in the hydrogen and industrial gas space.  We are proud to partner with this distinguished team to rapidly build Fluitron into a leading infrastructure solutions provider in the growing hydrogen market globally."

About Fluitron

Based in Ivyland, Pennsylvania, Fluitron is a market leader in manufacturing integrated industrial gas compression, storage, and dispensing systems, including diaphragm compressors, pressure vessels, and other specialized products and systems. Founded in 1976, Fluitron maintains operations in Ivyland and Kochi, India, and sells to customers throughout the world. Fluitron recently completed the acquisition of Bethlehem Hydrogen in 2021, which expanded the company's product offerings and engineering design capabilities.  For more information on Fluitron, please visit www.fluitron.com.

About Ara Partners

Ara Partners is a private equity firm specializing in industrial decarbonization investments.  Ara Partners invests in the industrial & manufacturing, chemicals & materials, energy efficiency & green fuels and food & agriculture sectors, seeking to build businesses that provide significant decarbonization impact.  For more information on Ara Partners, please visit www.arapartners.com.

Contacts

Mark Semer / Alex Jeffrey
Gasthalter & Co. LP.
[email protected]
(212) 257-4170

SOURCE Ara Partners