Personnel

Kennametal Inc. completed the relocation of Kennametal Extrude Hone GmbH to its new location in Holzgünz, Germany, after a year of planning and construction. The new building combines several previously separate production and administrative sites in one new building, which is based on "green" design principles. The inauguration and a Technology Days event took place May 6-8 and an employee family day was held May 10. During Technology Days, Guest speakers from industry and academia universities provided insights into market developments and new technologies while Kennametal experts answered questions on metal cutting and other topics.

Machine tool builder SMTCL-Americas, City of Industry, Calif.,  has entered in to a partnership with the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. The written agreement provides a commitment from SMTCL to provide equipment to create a machine lab for engineering students to manufacture components for class projects and international competitions.

The Association for Manufacturing Excellence Values Veterans (AMEV2) Program held its kick-off symposium on Friday, March 14, 2014 at DMG Mori USA's facility in Hoffman Estates, Ill. This event focused on teaching American employers how to recruit, hire, train and retain veterans.

Optimism regarding the direction of the domestic economy rose among U.S. industrial manufacturers during the first quarter of 2014, according to the Q1 2014 Manufacturing Barometer, released today by consulting firm PwC US, New York. The positive sentiment about the prospects of U.S. commerce in the next 12 months reached the highest level since the fourth quarter of 2005.  Conversely, optimism regarding the prospects of the world economy lessened during the first quarter as U.S. industrial manufacturers remained cautious on the global stage.  

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Milwaukee Alderman Joe Davis (D-2nd District) toured Milwaukee's Matzel Manufacturing Inc. Feb. 27 and discussed cross-party solutions for creating a "pro-hiring" environment for local manufacturers. Those solutions include accelerating the development of Wisconsin youth apprenticeship programs that allow young professionals to gain real-world experience. Matzel Manufacturing, which was founded in 1957 and machines complex castings and forgings, has such an apprenticeship program.

Versevo Inc., Hartland, Wis., a manufacturing and services provider for the cast metals industry, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. "Whether you have been here 1 month or 20 years, the commitment and determination that goes into a business and making it successful is important," said Terry Moon, founder, president and CEO of Versevo, when addressing employees at a celebratory luncheon. "But it's the collection of all of us that make this work."

EMAG LLC, a Farmington Hills, Mich.-based machine tool supplier, has launched an apprentice training program to encourage continuing growth in Michigan's mechatronics manufacturing industry and ensure an advanced workforce to close the sector's skills gap. Developed in conjunction with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Oakland Community College and Henry Ford Community College, the program offers high-school graduates a career in machine mechatronics, a discipline incorporating electrical, electronic and mechanical studies, providing all graduates an advanced associate's degree.

After more than 30 years of working together, collet chuck producer BIG Daishowa Seiki Co. Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) and tooling provider KAISER Precision Tooling Ltd. (Rümlang, Switzerland) have solidified their longtime partnership in the European and Asian markets. The two companies have come together to create a mutually beneficial distribution network similar to the decade-old US-based BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc, Hoffman Estates, Ill. BIG Kaiser Germany ran as a pilot project to test efficacy of such a model in the European market and the company's success paved the way for a larger European partnership executed through KAISER Switzerland. 

Students in the University of Washington's mechanical engineering program successfully petitioned the Dean of Engineering for a new furnace at the school's Engineering Instructional Shop as a replacement for an antiquated, unreliable, smaller unit. The new furnace, a model HL7-P36 from Lucifer Furnaces Inc., Warrington, Pa., with a work chamber of 18"x24"x36", will allow students to heat treat more parts in-house.

Jenoptik Industrial Metrology has announced a 2014 event, The Better Parts Challenge., where U.S. manufacturers send their part quality challenges  to be reviewed by the Rochester Hills, Mich.-based metrology manufacturer's experts. These challenges will be reviewed  at "road shows" across the U.S., showing how Jenoptik measuring devices and software can help manufacturers make better quality parts and potentially reduce the cost of production.