Over 17 years at Inductotherm Corp, Mike held several key roles. Starting in 2006 as a Field Service Engineer, he commissioned new induction melting and heating systems, gaining deep product knowledge. In 2008, he became District Manager for the Southeast U.S., using his technical background to work with manufacturing companies. In 2018, Mike became Senior District Manager, mentoring new team members and sharing successful sales strategies. His promotion to Director of Inter-Company Sales, collaborating with global Inductotherm entities, occurred in 2021. His role as Director of Sales for Inductotherm Group Canada began in 2023.

AL Circle: Can you give a brief overview of Inductotherm's history and its significant milestones in the induction metal melting systems industry?

Michael P. Looby: We are excited to be celebrating our 70th anniversary this year. After Inductotherm Corp. was founded in 1953 by Henry Rowan, our first significant milestone came in 1967 when Inductotherm sold the first solid-state VIP® batch melting power supply, which revolutionized the industry. Today, we still utilize the core of this design, constantly improving upon it to ensure that this melting unit remains the most advanced and efficient design on the market. Later, in 2003, Inductotherm developed the first air-cooled, direct electric heat (DEH) system—the Acutrak® system. The Acutrak® System is still one of the most efficient ways to melt aluminium and is ideal for die casters, not only in the Americas but throughout the globe. Today, we would say one of our most important contributions to safety in the industry came in 2007 when we introduced the ARMS® (Automated Robotic Melt Shop) System, which allows a melt deck worker to be relocated away from the furnace and their proximity to molten metal.