Management

BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling, Hoffman Estates, Ill., has enhanced its BIG Profit Maker, KAISER and Unilock repair services by bringing services in-house that, until recently, were performed overseas. The company is also eliminating charges for some commodity parts, as well as offering same-day services.

CNC tool grinding machine builder Strausak AG, Lohn-Ammannsegg, Switzerland, opened a subsidiary in Mundelein, Ill., and incorporated in the state of Illinois on July 1. Hank Ecker, previously regional sales manager of Rollomatic Inc., is the new president of Strausak Inc.

Machine tool builder Mazak Corp., Florence, Ky., will host a "Discover More With Mazak" event for manufacturers at its Northeast Technology Center in Windsor Locks, Conn., May 12 and 13 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. A special student day will be held on May 14 for local educational institutions. The technology and education event will showcase new metalworking innovations and techniques for boosting productivity and profitability. 

Machine tool builder SMTCL-Americas, City Of Industry, Calif., has partnered with West Coast Customs by supplying a CNC machine tool to the Burbank, Calif., custom auto body shop. The VMC2100B vertical machining center will allow West Coast Customs to create customized wheels and body parts in-house. This partnership will also allow SMTCL customers to purchase the West Coast Custom Edition VMC2100B.

SMTCL- Americas, City of Industry, Calif., kicked off the beginning of spring with a sales training course and open house. Instructed by Chief Operations Officer Jerry McCarty, 18 individuals became certified on SMTCL machines. This creates a larger distributor network in California and other regions to better service potential customers, according to the company.  

Engineering products and service provider Nasmyth Group announced the opening of its new regional North American headquarters this month. The Group has acquired a 25,000 sq. ft. facility in Burbank, Calif., adjacent to its subsidiary, Nasmyth TMF. The new facility will become the focal point for Nasmyth Group and its corporate activities in the U.S. 

Methods Machine Tools Inc., a Sudbury, Mass.-based supplier of machine tools, automation and accessories, sponsored a senior year "capstone" project for several fifth-year electromechanical engineering students from Boston's Wentworth Institute of Technology. The project involved researching and designing a new type of infeed system for potential use in future Methods automated cell projects. The students presented different designs to Methods and a winner was chosen at Wentworth Dec. 15. The students are currently working on building the capstone project this semester and plan to have the prototype completed by April. 

BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc., Hoffman Estates, Ill., is hosting the Golden Corridor Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (GCAMP) Open House on April 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. An event directed toward area students and parents, it will explain what advanced manufacturing means in today's economy. The agenda includes presentations, technology demonstrations and opportunities to talk to college representatives and professionals in the field. 

Weiler Corp., Cresco, Pa., a provider of surface conditioning products, donated $10,000 to the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, along with $4,500 in Weiler products to help with the group's 2-week Build-A-Thon program in eastern New Orleans. "We were honored to have participated," said President and CEO Chris Weiler. "The Weiler team welcomed the opportunity to support the work of an organization that will restore the promise of New Orleans' future, and the future of its residents." 

Tooling manufacturer BENZ Inc., Charlotte, N.C., will hold a national sales meeting and dealer training for its metalworking and composites products April 7-8 in Las Vegas. The meeting will be led by John Roasa, national sales manager of the BENZ Metal Division. Informational sessions will be held throughout the event with topics including marketing efforts, use of social media platforms, upcoming trade shows, catalogs and order forms, new products, product updates and price lists, as well as "What's Hot" in 2015, according to the company. The sales meeting also offers several tooling-specific hands-on training sessions.