Marketing

German clamping and gripping specialist SCHUNK has partnered with goalkeeper Jens Lehmann as the company's new brand ambassador. Managing Partner Henrik A. Schunk, an enthusiastic soccer fan, personally picked the athlete, citing "dynamics, precision, reliability and continuous top performance in the team." As a brand ambassador, Lehmann is able to communicate SCHUNK's credibly due to his proven competence in both soccer and society.

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.

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.

Custom Window Systems Inc. (CWS), an Ocala, Fla.-based manufacturer of window and door products, has added a Lucifer RD7-KHE18 "Red Devil" bench model furnace to its  tool room. 

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

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. 

Tool Alliance, a manufacturer of solid and indexable carbide cutting tools, has announced that the updated Ultra-Tool 2014 catalog is now available. The new catalog can be downloaded under the "Downloads" tab at www.toolalliance.com. "We are thrilled about the updated and expanded catalog," said David Povich, president of Tool Alliance. "Ultra-Tool has taken the very best of all our technologies and  consolidated them within our Monolith end mills."