MTS Systems Corporation announced the retirement of Dr. William Bachrach, President of MTS's Test business, effective January 13, 2017. In conjunction with Dr. Bachrach's retirement, given the growth in demand and sophistication of testing needs across the primary markets served by MTS, and to drive greater specific market focus, the Test business will be divided into two business units, 'Materials Test Systems' and 'Vehicles and Structures Test Systems'. The focus of the 'Materials Test Systems' business unit will be on providing solutions to global customers involved in developing and manufacturing advanced materials that are essential to new aircraft and propulsion systems, and are increasingly critical to advance automobiles, such as those with electric or hybrid-electric power trains, and trucks.

This Test business unit will be led by Mr. William Becker, a 30-year veteran of MTS, who recently returned to the Company after leading the North American business segment for another global materials test company since 2010. Mr. Becker's expertise and knowledge of the materials industry, and his intimacy with aerospace customers and others that derive their technology from the application of new, advanced materials, are invaluable to MTS's future in materials testing. The 'Vehicles and Structures Test Systems' business unit will focus on providing test solutions to automotive, aerospace, infrastructure and energy markets world-wide.

MTS announced that Mr. Steven Harrison will join MTS on February 6, 2017, to lead the 'Vehicles and Structures Test Systems' business unit. He joins MTS following a distinguished 22-year career with the U.S. Air Force, followed by successful business leadership roles at National Air Cargo Inc., and, most recently, with AAR CORP. where he served as President of AAR Airlift Group Inc.