One sales and marketing group for three AMSTED divisions - Rail Update - railroad products divisions ASF-Keystone, Brenco/QBS and Griffin Wheel combined under new umbrella organization, the AMSTED Rail group - Brief Article

Railway Age, July, 2002

AMSTED Industries has combined the sales and marketing functions of its three railroad products divisions: ASF-Keystone, Brenco/QBS, and Griffin Wheel. As of July 1, these functions have been performed by a new umbrella organization, the AMSTED Rail Group.

Donald E. Fitzsimmons and William R O'Donnell now head up sales and marketing for the AMSTED Rail Group. Fitzsimmons, previously vice president-sales and marketing for Brenco/QBS, has assumed additional sales and marketing responsibility for Griffin Wheel Co. He will continue to be based in Petersburg, Va. Griffin sales and marketing was formerly the responsibility of Michael J. White, who has been named director-human resources for Griffin. O'Donnell continues as vice president-sales, marketing, and product development for ASF-Keystone, but has relocated to Chicago from Camp Hill, Pa.

O'Donnell said forming the AMSTED Rail Group will "enhance our service to the industry by removing the barriers that forced customers to complete individual sales transactions with our three separate companies instead of being able to work with us as a single unit." The castings, bearings, and wheels produced by its rail divisions, he said, can supply 90% of a customer's freight car undercarriage requirements. The companies that make up the AMSTED Rail Group have been serving the railroad industry for a combined 278 years, manufacturing railroad trucks, draft sills, couplers, draft gears, cushioning units, bearings, and wheels.