Methods Machine Tools Promotes Vice President of Engineering and Development

Methods Machine Tools Inc. has promoted James Van Buskirk to vice president of engineering and development.

Van Buskirk, a Methods leader of more than 15 years, expands his role to include a specialized team dedicated to conceptualizing and deploying digital services and solutions. He continues to lead the company’s production and custom, turnkey automation teams.

“Jim’s operational and technical capabilities speak for themselves,” says Methods CEO Rick Alton. “He creates a high-impact working environment at our Sudbury, Massachusetts, headquarters — one that is safe, energetic and exciting for our team members to drive success of our customers and sales team with best-in-class solutions.”

“Jim is an incredible manufacturing technologist, who leads the charge on all our custom automation solutions, while stewarding industry-leading engineering and production teams who put our customers’ needs at the heart of everything they do,” says Dale Hedberg, Methods chief operating officer.

With emerging technologies evolving traditional manufacturing processes, Van Buskirk’s experience includes internal technical innovation with a focus on software development and deeper co-engineering with Methods’ builder-partners.

“Our industry is rapidly evolving with the digital revolution, better known as Industry 4.0. Emerging technologies in artificial intelligence and software automation continue to change the way engineers of today and tomorrow get work done,” says Van Buskirk. “We are leaning into these advanced concepts to provide our customers solutions and services that proactively adapt to their dynamic business environment.”

In addition to his management responsibilities at Methods, Van Buskirk is an advocate and supporter of early-in-career engineers. Van Buskirk and his team’s ongoing collaborations with Boston-area vocational and higher education institutions are said to have created a talent pipeline across engineering disciplines.

“At such a pivotal time in our industry, it’s imperative to keep talent development at the forefront,” says Van Buskirk. “The combination of new technologies and transitioning workforce present many opportunities to attract and develop the next generation of engineers who will be the ones to fully realize the potential ahead of us.”

First joining Methods in 2004 as an engineering manager, Van Buskirk spent six years in the position before moving to Tegra Medical. At Tegra, he served as manufacturing director before returning to Methods in 2014 as a national applications manager.