CHICAGO — Salvatore "Sal" J. Miraglia Jr. will retire as president of Timken Co.’s steel group at the end of the year after serving with the company for 40 years.

Richard G. Kyle will assume the newly created position of aerospace and steel group president effective Sept. 1. He also will work on such companywide issues as quality assurance.

"We appreciate the many contributions Sal has made to the company with his rare blend of technology, operations and supply chain expertise," Timken president and chief executive officer James W. Griffith said in a statement. "Now, Rich (will be tasked) to accelerate the growth of the company and develop the capabilities that fuel (our) success."

Miraglia joined the Canton, Ohio-based company as a metallurgist in 1972 and subsequently held roles in research and purchasing. During his tenure, he served as director of manufacturing in Europe, group vice president of industrial and super-precision bearings in North America, and senior vice president of technology. Miraglia became steel group president in 2005.

Kyle joined Timken in 2006 as vice president of manufacturing for the company’s former industrial group. He was later promoted to president of the mobile industries segment, where he drove its transformation while managing global manufacturing operations. In 2010, Kyle’s role was expanded to include the company’s aerospace and defense segment.

Prior to joining Timken, Kyle held management positions at Maynooth, Ireland-based Cooper Industries Plc and served as vice president of operations at a division of Shelton, Conn.-based Hubbell Inc.