JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Conrad Penzhorn has been appointed managing director of Vesconite Bearings BV, the wholly-owned Netherlands subsidiary of plain bearing and wear material manufacturer Vesconite Bearings.

He joined Vesconite Bearings in 2019 as a development engineer, specializing in automotive applications.

The bearing-material manufacturer sees the European pumps, marine and rail markets as key to growth.

Penzhorn intends to increase the company’s attention on these industries in the initial phase of his appointment and will expand the target industries to include the high-potential automotive and agricultural sectors later.

He will act as the key contact for Vesconite in Europe and will assist clients with application assessments and urgent requests as he promotes the company’s self-lubricating wear-resistant no-swell materials.

“Europe represents a significant growth opportunity, with the European subsidiary having seen sizable growth since it was established in 2017," Penzhorn said.