BRIDGEWATER, N.J., July 2, 2024
/CNW/ -- Messer, the world's leading privately owned specialist for
industrial, medical and specialty gases, appointed Karl Villeneuve as Vice President and General
Manager of its Messer Canada
business effective July 1, 2024.
For the past 12 years, Villeneuve has been an integral part
of Messer Canada. In his previous
role as PGP Sales Director, Villeneuve demonstrated a passion for
driving results, which played a crucial role in the company's sales
performance. His ability to build high-performing teams and focus
on modernization have been instrumental in enhancing operational
efficiency and driving sales growth.
"Karl has demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic vision,
and deep understanding of our Canadian business, making him the
ideal choice to lead Messer Canada
into its next phase of growth," said Rob
Capellman, Executive Vice President, MPG Americas &
Tonnage US. "I am confident that his collaborative approach and
innovative mindset will continue to drive our success in the
region."
Villeneuve succeeds Christian
Lafleur, who retired from the company at the end of June
after 32 years of service.
"Christian has delivered tremendous results for the company over
the last three decades. We are grateful to Christian for his
service and wish him success in his new endeavors as he enters
retirement," continued Capellman. "We are thrilled that Karl will
take the helm as the new Vice President and General Manager of
Messer Canada after working hand in
hand with Christian over the years."
Villeneuve expressed his enthusiasm for his new role and the
future of Messer Canada.
"I am honored to take on this leadership position and build on
the rich history of the business as we celebrate 75 years of
reliably serving industrial gas customers in Canada," Villeneuve said. "I look forward to
working with our talented team to drive growth, innovation, and
excellence, while continuing to foster a diverse and inclusive work
environment that reflects the communities we serve."
Since joining Messer's legacy company in 2012, Villeneuve has
held various roles of increasing responsibility within the sales
organization. His leadership has led to several successful
campaigns, positioning Messer Canada
positively against market competitors. Villeneuve excels in
identifying new strategies to expand the business portfolio,
connecting with customers to understand their challenges, and
developing new products that address market needs.
Villeneuve received a business degree in finance and marketing
from Bishop's University and later
received his MBA from HEC Montreal. He also completed advanced
negotiation skills training from Harvard
University's Professional & Executive Development
program. He joined the industrial gases industry in 2002 after a
successful run as an entrepreneur.
About Messer
Messer is the largest privately held industrial gas business in
the world and a leading industrial and medical gas company in
North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Messer offers more than 125 years of
expertise in industrial, medical, specialty and electronics gases.
The company delivers quality gases, related services and technology
via an extensive production and distribution network. Health and
safety, sustainability practices and environmental protection are
core Messer values that are embedded in the company's daily
operations. Messer Americas sales account approximately for 52% of
Messer worldwide sales of $4.7 billion
USD. For more information, visit: www.messeramericas.com.
SOURCE Messer North America,
Inc.