In brief: In February 2019, Monti Werkzeuge GmbH agreed with its US distributor MontiPower® Inc. and owner Chuck Lockard to combine that business with Monti Tools Inc. (MTI), its US subsidiary. The combined company, MontiPower® Americas Inc., trades as MontiPower from Manassas, Virginia, with Chuck Lockard as General Manager for the United States and Canada.
Monti Werkzeuge GmbH, the innovator and manufacturer of unique surface preparation technologies including the patented Bristle Blaster®, is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement with its US distributor MontiPower® Inc. and its owner Charles "Chuck" Lockard to combine MontiPower®'s business with the business of Monti Tools Inc. ("MTI"), the US subsidiary of Monti Werkzeuge.
The combined business will be renamed MontiPower® Americas Inc. and will trade under the name "MontiPower". It will be located at the current premises of MontiPower® in Manassas, Virginia. Chuck Lockard will lead the new MontiPower® business as General Manager for the United States and Canada, reporting to JF (Frits) Doddema, CEO of MontiPower® Americas Inc. and CEO of Monti Werkzeuge GmbH.
MTI's present offices in Houston will be closed after a brief transition period. Nevertheless, MontiPower® will continue to service the SouthWest US area from the offices of M-Test, a division of MontiPower®, in Humble, Texas.
What the companies said
Commenting on the new organization, newly installed Monti Werkzeuge GmbH CEO Frits Doddema said: "The long-term presence of two separate entities representing Monti in the US and Canada and competing against each other makes little sense. When I joined Monti, it was clear to me that this situation had to be resolved and I'm pleased that we have been able to reach agreement with Chuck to move forward as a joined business under his leadership.
The combined MontiPower® entity will be larger and stronger and provide us with the foundation we need for future growth in these important markets."
Chuck Lockard commented: "I am very pleased that we are able to take this step today and create a combined MontiPower®. I have long argued the former situation undermined our ability to compete and caused needless confusion in the market. I appreciate very much the vision of the new Monti management and I look forward to working closely with them to bring new and innovative surface preparation products to the market and grow our business in the US and Canada."
What the merger means for customers
Before the agreement, two separate companies represented Monti products in North America: the independent distributor MontiPower® Inc. in Virginia and the manufacturer's own subsidiary, Monti Tools Inc., in Houston. Combining them gives customers in the United States and Canada a single point of contact for sales, belts, spare parts, training and service, under one name.
For customers in Texas and the wider SouthWest region, service continues from the M-Test offices in Humble, Texas, after the Houston office closes.
About the technology
Monti Werkzeuge GmbH, founded in Bonn, Germany, in 1987 (see the MONTI story), develops hand-held surface preparation tools that work with rotating wire-bristle belts instead of loose abrasive. Its best-known product, the Bristle Blaster®, removes corrosion, coatings and mill scale and creates an anchor profile in a single pass. In documented tests on standard steel it produces cleanliness comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa 2½ / SSPC-SP 10 and a 65–85 µm Rz anchor profile, with results depending on steel grade, rust grade, belt and technique. The tools are available with electric, pneumatic and cordless drives; the fully pneumatic Bristle Blaster® Pneumatic has been ATEX-evaluated for zone 1 gas and zone 21 dust areas, which makes it relevant for refineries, pipelines and offshore work.
For North American coating contractors, pipeline operators and maintenance teams, the method is used where abrasive blasting is impractical: spot repairs, weld seams and field joints, in-service plant and confined spaces. MontiPower's testing and inspection instruments are offered under the M-TESTCO® name.
Meet the team
Come meet the new MontiPower® team and see what's new in surface preparation at SSPC 2019 in Orlando, February 11–14.
For current contacts, distributors and support in the region, visit MontiPower® in USA & Canada. MontiPower Americas also exhibits at industry events such as IPC 2026 in Calgary.
