MESA International and WBF to Merge Organizations

MESA International--the association promoting manufacturing operations management solutions--and WBF--once the World Batch Forum and now The Organization for Production Technology--announced May 22 they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge their two organizations. Agreed upon by both Boards of Directors, this announcement was made earlier today at the ATPM (Automation Technology in Process Manufacturing) Conference in The Woodlands, Texas.
 
Commenting on the merger, WBF Chairman Bill Wray said, “Our mission at WBF is to support the process automation and operations needs of the technical and management professions in process manufacturing. We believe that merging with MESA positions us to continue to fulfill that mission, while adding even greater value for our members through broadened resources and reach in operations management. We are delighted to combine our organizations at a time when our members are making unprecedented investments in improving their production operations, knowing that our combined resources can truly add differentiated value for their organizations.”

“WBF’s expanded focus to include development of the B2MML standard is a critical factor in our organizations’ decision to merge,” said Dennis Brandl, WBF Secretary. “MESA’s focus is P2M--Plant to Enterprise; B2MML is the standard that makes that happen. In essence, MESA brings the what and why of operations management; WBF provides the how. Together, we are able to link enterprise goals with plant floor realities. That is a powerful proposition for our organizations and our member community.”

John Southcott, MESA Chairman said of the merger, “MESA is a community of manufacturers, producers, industry leaders and solution providers who are focused on improving Operations Management capabilities through the effective application of technology solutions and best practices. By merging with WBF, we will extend our penetration into the process industries. At the same time, the merger provides WBF members access to MESA’s world-class content, Global Education Programs, and an expansive network of solution providers and system integrators. It is a winning solution for both organizations, with our combined capabilities and resources making us stronger and more valuable for our member population.”

In conjunction with this announcement, MESA International and WBF have called for a vote of their membership, anticipating passage and finalization of the merger on May 31, 2012.