Hering Propellers Sold: To Jim Hering

Hering Propellers has been sold to Jim Hering, the former owner of the Marysville, Wash., company. A noted propeller designer, Hering ran the company his father, Bob Hering, founded in the 1980s for more than two decades before he sold it to a private investor several years ago.

“I have reacquired the assets of the company,” said Hering. “I’ve actually been involved with running the company since November (2011).

The ownership change will not disrupt delivery of existing or future propeller orders, according to Jeff Johnston, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.

“Our customers don’t have to worry about that,” said Johnston. “Jim has been working with the company, and everything we’re producing is on track.

“The transition is seamless,” added Hering. “And Jeff is still going to be doing what he does. He is the face of the company.”

According to Hering, the company, which had an outstanding reputation for product quality as well as product-delivery delays during his tenure, made significant strides under the previous owner.

“We’ve increased our number of CNC mills—we now have 11—by 50 percent,” said Hering. “We also have expanded our foundry capacity.

“We have the support truck now, and that’s had a good, positive impact on the marketing side of our business,” he added. “They put a lot more emphasis on marketing than I used to.”

Hering will bring his considerable talents back to propeller design and development.

“That’s pretty much what I’m already doing, handling the technical and operational sides of things,” he said.