Management

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in January for the eighth consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 56th consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. Yet, the January PMI registered 51.3 percent, a decrease of 5.2 percentage points from December's seasonally adjusted reading of 56.5 percent.

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), vice chair of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, released a new report detailing the revitalization in U.S. manufacturing. The report shows over 500,000 have been added jobs since February 2010, up 38% since 2009 and exceeding the industry's pre-recession peak for exports.

Third Wave Systems, a Minneapolis-based provider of machining modeling technology, has been awarded a $3 million contract by the U.S.  Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The contract, one of the largest funded projects in Third Wave's 20-year history, is to expand its metalcutting simulation solutions to composite materials used on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Michigan Manufacturing International (MMI), a supplier of mechanical assemblies and components, opened its  new headquarters in Stevensville, Md., on Thursday, Nov. 21. 

For the fifth consecutive season, igus is a sponsor for Botball, an educational robotics program produced by the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics. The Botball Educational Robotics Program provides STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills that are immediately applicable in college and demanding industries.

Affiliated Distributors' Industrial Supply Division recently named Seco Tools its 2013 Supplier of the Year for Marketing Excellence. The accolade is part of Affiliated Distributors' annual Spirit of Independence Awards Ceremony that recognizes individual affiliates and suppliers that demonstrate consistent excellence in marketing, performance and/or leadership. 

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration launched two new Web resources to assist companies with keeping their workers safe from exposure to hazardous chemicals. While many chemicals are suspected of being harmful, OSHA's exposure standards are out-of-date and inadequately protective for the small number of chemicals that are regulated in the workplace. The first resource OSHA has created is a toolkit to identify safer chemicals that can be used in place of more hazardous ones.

MSC Industrial Supply Co., a distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations solutions, services and supplies to industrial customers throughout the United States and Canada, announced the grand opening of its co-headquarters in Davidson, N.C. MSC celebrated the occasion on Sept. 24 with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by elected officials, business partners, associates and community representatives. 

Seco Tools LLC, the North American subsidiary of Sweden’s Seco Tools AB, in October announced organizational changes and employee promotions within its Canadian sales organization. With 24 years of experience in the industry, including 10 years at Seco, Branko Hohnec brings a wealth of expertise to the role of general manager for Seco in Canada. Hohnec worked as a production manager as well as in distribution before joining Seco in 2005. For the past decade, he has been the managing director for Seco in Slovenia.

Bowling Green, Kentucky, Sept. 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 11 launched the On Track motorsports education initiative in conjunction with the Warren County Area Technology Center, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, Western Kentucky University and Holley Performance Products.