NORTH BILLERICA, Mass. -- BTU International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BTUI), a leading supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment and processes for the alternative energy and electronics assembly markets, today announced the hiring of Jan-Paul van Maaren, PhD, as vice president marketing.

Van Maaren, who will report directly to Paul J. van der Wansem, BTU's chairman and chief executive officer, is responsible for all of the company's strategic marketing and marketing communications activities. Initially, he will focus on BTU's solar markets, which comprise the company's fastest growing business.

Prior to joining BTU, van Maaren served as vice president of corporate marketing at MKS Instruments, a global supplier of semiconductor and solar manufacturing equipment. Previously, he was vice president and general manager at GretagMacbeth, a manufacturer of optical instruments and software for color measurement and control. From 1997 to 2005, van Maaren held various positions at Eaton / Axcelis Technologies, including vice president and general manager of the cleaning and curing systems division.

"We are very pleased to have Jan-Paul join our executive team," said van der Wansem. "At a time when we are investing heavily in new products and processes for our growing alternative energy markets--especially solar--Jan-Paul brings to BTU significant knowledge and experience in this field. We are confident that he will be a strong contributor to our continuing success."

Van Maaren holds a master's degree with a concentration in marketing from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in physics from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.