From time to time we look back on our top ranked news items for the previous week-this is based upon reader feedback, website visitors and social media views. It would appear that the “Top 3” news stories for last week all generated a great deal of interest-certainly more than average. In particular it would appear that long time USA heat treater Brent Davis is a very popular fellow as his news item ranked #1. In order these are the “Top 3”;

Where Are They Now-Brent Davis (Part1); Brent is a pretty well-known fellow in the North American Heat Treat Industry with over 40 years’ experience in the industry and having been; “President, Aalberts Surface Technologies, Accurate Brazing” just a few years back. In a very surprising move, it turns out that he very recently became President & COO of “Vac Aero U.S. Inc.” a short while ago-the details are below;

If you recall a few weeks ago “The Monty Heat News News” published a rumor about “Vac Aero” entering the US market-obviously this rumor is now being proved correct.Tomorrow we will be updating this story with details about Vac Aero U.S. and their rather interesting foray into the US heat treating market. “With over 40 + years of hands-on experience in brazing, heat treating, and operations, I have dedicated my career to mastering the intricacies of Brazing and providing Quality, Service, and Communications expected by our customers. Currently, I am leading the expansion of our parent company, Vac Aero International, into the United States, establishing a new subsidiary focused on delivering advanced Vacuum Brazing, Heat Treating and Coating solutions.

As President & COO of Vac Aero U.S., I combine deep technical expertise with strategic leadership to drive innovation and operational excellence. This endeavor reflects Vac Aero International’s commitment to serving the U.S. market with the same quality and reliability that have defined our operations throughout Canada and Europe for the last 65 years.”

Another very popular individual in the industry, Mr. Matt Clinite of furnace builder Ipsen offered “The Monty” an in depth interview which really excited the industry; 

Mathew Clinite, Ipsen – The Monty Interview; We are very pleased to be speaking with Mr. Matt Clinite, Sales Director of furnace builder Ipsen-we start off with this background;

Matt Clinite joined Ipsen in the summer of 2014 as a sales engineer, quickly moving into the Midwest Territory sales manager role in 2015. In 2019, he was promoted to Ipsen Customer Service (ICS) Sales Manager and recognized in Heat Treat Today’s “40 Under 40” class. Clinite was promoted again to Director of ICS Sales and Retrofits in 2023 and advanced to his current role in 2025, after consistently demonstrating his passion for heat treating and dedication to outstanding customer service. Clinite is also a lead instructor for Ipsen U, Ipsen’s comprehensive training on vacuum furnace technology. His extensive knowledge of vacuum furnaces comes from years of experience with hot zone rebuilds and furnace retrofits. Clinite holds a bachelor’s degrees in business administration and Spanish from Illinois State University and is a 2018 graduate of the Metal Treating Institute YES Management Training Program.

Matt that very impressive background we just read came from part of the “Ipsen Team” in Rockford, Illinois who helped arrange this interview-what would you like to add to that summary?

Gord, I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in many different areas of our business. Moving through the organization in different capacities has allowed me to gain a deep understanding of our vacuum furnaces. I have enjoyed my time spent on the new furnace side of our business, as well as the aftermarket side. I’ve also been able to collaborate with our Ipsen Germany partners on several exciting atmosphere furnace projects over the years.  All of these experiences have been invaluable, and I have enjoyed ever minute of it.

Click Here To Read The Full Interview

Rounding out our 3 most popular news items of last week is this one;

VAC AERO International Opens First US Operation-Part II May 14th of this year “The Monty Heat Treat News” posted this rumor about commercial heat treater and vacuum furnace builder “VAC AERO International” entering the US market “Vac Aero Expanding Into The USA?” The rumor did of course prove to be true and below you will find the formal press release from the company about this very interesting development. We mention this as “Part II” of this story as just yesterday we announced that Mr. Brent Davis recently became “President & COO” of the new entity VAC AERO US Inc. 

Want to know how Vac Aero compares in size to other North American commercial heat treaters? “52 Largest North American Commercial Heat Treaters”

VAC AERO invests $5.8M to open its first US operation in Greenville, SC, partnering with Meyer Tool to deliver advanced heat treating solutions.

We are excited to bring our expertise in vacuum heat treating directly into the heart of one of North America’s most respected regions for power generation and aerospace component manufacturing” — Brent Davis, President and COO of VAC AERO U.S. Inc. GREENVILLE, SC, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — VAC AERO International Inc., a Canadian owned global leader in vacuum heat treating and advanced thermal processing solutions, is proud to announce a $5.8 million investment in Greenville, South Carolina. VAC AERO will establish a new “shop-in-shop” facility within Meyer Tool Inc.’s Greenville location. Together, the two companies bring over 140 years of special process expertise to deliver industry-leading capabilities and results to customers.

This strategic partnership marks VAC AERO’s first operational presence in the United States and underscores its renewed commitment to global expansion. The “shop-in-shop” model enables VAC AERO to operate a fully integrated vacuum heat treating, brazing, and coating operation within Meyer Tool’s advanced manufacturing environment. These services will also be provided to third party customers.“We are excited to bring our expertise in vacuum heat treating directly into the heart of one of North America’s most respected regions for power generation and aerospace component manufacturing,” said Brent Davis, President and COO of VAC AERO U.S. Inc.

Dan Godin, Executive Vice President of Meyer Tool, “This collaboration is leveraging our combined expertise to offer the customers better control of their Value Stream.” The new facility will initially feature VAC AERO’s industry-leading vacuum furnaces, with a defined roadmap to introduce advanced coating technologies. The Greenville team brings a combined 185 years of experience in vacuum heat treatment and brazing from day one. This facility will serve as a model for future embedded partnerships, setting a new standard in aerospace, power generation, and high-tech manufacturing.

Vac Aero’s expansion is supported by RBC Global Capital Markets. About VAC AERO; Founded in 1959, VAC AERO is a leading vacuum furnace manufacturer, vacuum heat treating and coatings service provider to aerospace and high-tech industries worldwide. Recognized by major aerospace prime contractors, VAC AERO is one of the world’s largest subcontractors for landing gear processing. With decades of experience and a commitment to innovation, the company delivers high-performance, cost-effective solutions backed by expert engineering and technical teams”.