Tony Kassem
Co-Director of Hydra-Test USA LLC
Tony Kassem is a senior executive and mechanical engineer with over 35 years of experience in different aspects of the automotive industry. Tony started M2K as one of the first companies in the world, to specialize in automotive diagnostic tools. Since then, M2K has become renowned for its OEM and aftermarket coverage and innovative solutions. Tony has expanded M2K to offer a complete line of automotive service and rebuilding/remanufacturing equipment. Its operation has further expanded to include branches in Egypt and the UAE.
Tony also bought a small alternator manufacturing business, Smart Battery Charger (SBC) and turned it into a world leader in high output alternator manufacturing. Today SBC supplies the highest-grade alternators on the market. You can find SBC products operating in virtually every industry across the globe including: military, police, rescue, armored vehicle, telecommunication, and mining applications.
Combining his engineering, manufacturing, and business development experience, Tony is helping Hydra-Test to become the pioneer in transmission equipment with a reputation for reliability and strong customer relations.
Alan Smith
Managing Director of Hydra-Test Ltd. & Cottingham Engineering Ltd.
Co-Director of Hydra-Test USA LLC
Alan Smith began his career in the automatic transmission industry way back in 1978. His first full rebuild was completed on a Borg Warner model 35 and many more followed over a 30-year period at Midland Auto Transmissions. During this period, he was a co-owner of the business, but his true passion was always the technical side of the industry.
As the industry evolved from purely hydraulic to encompass electronics, he underwent intensive training to feed his thirst for knowledge. His friendship with the owner of Hydra-Test lead to a passion for valve body problem solving and a close working relationship developed. This culminated in Alan taking the reins after Bob’s retirement. In 2010 Alan stepped away from the transmission shop to develop Cottingham Engineering which included the integration of Hydra-Test.
One of the first machines ever produced by Hydra-Test
Over the years Alan has been a regular attendee at ATRA Expo and he was responsible for developing the Seal-e-Zee spray and Cone system and licensed the manufacture to Lubegard.
Some 44 years on and he is still regularly found in the workshop working at his role of ‘head of development’ creating new valve body test plates to keep Hydra-Test at the forefront of technology.
Garrett Herning
Co-Director of Hydra-Test USA LLC
Garrett Herning has over 25 years of experience in equipment design, testing, and the automotive industry. With BS degrees in Mechanical and Electrical engineering he has a broad knowledge base of both engineering concepts and applications, as well as being very hands in both design and application. While still in college he helped with the design and assembly of the first electric Axi-line Precision Product dynamometers produced in Green Bay, WI.
He spent 6 years with Zoom Technology where he helped expand the Answermatic Test plate line to include the various 5 and 6 speed transmissions introduced in the early 2000’s and helped develop the SmartSwitch solenoid control platform and the last release of the TranX transmission analyzer. He spent 9 years with Power Test, Inc. where he developed test controls and solutions for the Aidco Product line supporting Allison and CAT transmission and hydraulics, as well as several custom test machine designs for various OEM and tier one suppliers.
With experience working at an independent test lab for 3 years, he understands how and why to test, as well as the common mistakes that are frequently made. He has also performed consulting work for a variety of test stands designs, emissions testing and tuning, EV reverse engineering, control and DAQ software development, and exercise equipment control design. With his current role as director of the Hydra-Test manufacturing facility in Milwaukee and Technical Support for North American, his past experience should serve it well.