Icon aims for US growth-with Bruchas as American chief

By Liz White, ERJ staff

Retford, UK-Icon Polymer Group has appointed James Bruchas as vice-president of new business development US, to further the specialist rubber part maker's growth in the region.

Icon Polymer, based in Retford, recently opened its first sales office in North America, in Atlanta, Georgia, with the aim of growing its sales of automotive, aerospace and pharmaceutical parts in this market.

Icon managing director Richard Gogerty has said the group's eventual aim is to buy a manufacturing operation in the US, to further kick-start its US growth.

Bruchas has a military background as a USAF pilot, ending his airforce career in the Pentagon. He then worked for Vought Aircraft Industries in senior engineering and management positions.

This background makes Bruchas “ideally suited to lead Icon's US business development programme, which is heavily oriented to the aerospace and defence sectors,” said a company statement.