Published: 5/5/2021

(Akron, Ohio) – Smithers, a leading provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services, announces the hire of Christine Bythewood to the role of Business Development Manager for Product Testing.
 
In her new role, Bythewood will direct and support business development efforts for the Smithers product testing laboratories in Akron, Ohio and Lansing, Michigan. She will connect clients to durability and performance testing for a wide variety of products and components.
 
“Technical expertise and excellent communication are key pillars of the Smithers promise, and Christine brings both to our product testing team here in North America,” said Dr. Jim Popio, Vice President of Operations, North America, Smithers. “With her strong background in testing and automotive components and her passion for helping clients, she will be a great asset to our product testing clients.”
 
Bythewood has over 26 years of technical sales experience, acting as a liaison between technical staff, clients, and support teams. Much of her background is in automotive and materials testing. Bythewood has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and an executive MBA from Georgia Institute of Technology.
 
Located in Akron, the Ohio product testing laboratory serves clients across a number of industry segments and has special expertise in fluid transfer systems and related components. The laboratory shares space with Smithers’ analytical and physical testing laboratories and has a satellite lab in Lansing, Michigan. The combination of the two locations, plus laboratories in the United Kingdom and Suzhou, China, gives Smithers the capacity, flexibility, and expertise to meet any client’s product testing needs worldwide.
 
Bythewood will be based out of Akron, Ohio.

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About Smithers:
Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Smithers is a multinational provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services. With laboratories and operations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Smithers supports customers in the transportation, life science, packaging, materials, components, consumer, and energy industries. Smithers delivers accurate data, on time, with high touch, by integrating science, technology, and business expertise, so customers can innovate with confidence.