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Michael Fox Celebrates 1 Year as ChemQuest Technology Institute Director

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By: Anthony Locicero

Copy Editor, New York Post

Michael Fox is celebrating one year with the ChemQuest Group’s civil engineering, infrastructure and building/construction division as a director.
 
For 35+ years, Fox has been the driving force behind the successful formulation, development and optimization of hundreds of medium- to heavy-duty civil engineering products designed to protect valuable infrastructure assets.
 
From 1981–1998, as VP of R&D for Fox Industries, he strategically shifted the company’s focus away from custom manufactured products marketed through contractors, to full-scale product manufacturing and channels, thereby increasing margins by 25 percent, and additionally saving $1 million annually. As CEO from 1998 to 2011, his business acumen and strong leadership led to efficiencies across diverse areas, including R&D, production, human resources, finance, accounting, purchasing, and information technology.
 
In 2011, Fox’s profitable, family-owned manufacturing entity, Fox Industries, Inc., attracted the attention of NYSE registered, Simpson Strong-Tie – segueing into the final chapter of his executive tenure: skillfully negotiating the profitable sale of his family’s business, then fully integrating Fox Industries, Inc. into its new parent company.
 
From 2011–2016, his first order of business within Simpson Strong-Tie’s Repair, Protect and Strengthen Division, was to establish and manage SST’s new R&D laboratory. As senior chemist, product development, he mentored young chemists and technicians, educated and trained SST’s sales and marketing team on the product portfolio’s full range of use, properties and application areas, while optimizing dozens of in-demand formulas for CASE products, such as:

  • Epoxy and acrylic polymers for crack injection;
  • Polyurethane grouts for water control;
  • Polyurethane and polyurea coatings;
  • Polysulfide sealants;
  • High chemical-resistance epoxies;
  • FRP (polymeric binders for carbon fiber reinforcement);
  • Fiberglass production with polyester, vinyl ester and epoxy resins;
  • Cementitious and epoxy systems for above-ground and immersion services.
 “I’ve genuinely enjoyed engaging with ChemQuest’s clientele to engineer and test products designed to meet user specifications, industry standards and safety regulations,” Fox said.
 
“Michael Fox’s leadership in CASE products has already benefited clients seeking to capitalize on the Civil Engineering market’s attractive margins and steady growth,” added Dan Murad, president and CEO.
 

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