Aerospace

The surface treatment global business unit of Ludwigshafen, Germany-based BASF SE's coatings division, operating under the Chemetall brand, was awarded the highest supplier award in the aerospace company Airbus SE, Leiden, Netherlands, Supply Chain & Quality Improvement Program known as SQIP.

Precision Surfacing Solutions, Mount Prospect, Ill., formerly Lapmaster Wolters Group, a supplier of equipment and services for precision lapping, polishing, grinding and honing, acquired Reform Grinding Technology GmbH, a provider of machine tools and systems for high-precision grinding applications.

Ben McGruder was appointed director of customer service and inside sales for Dorner Manufacturing Corp., Hartland, Wis.

Jonathan Saada, aerospace veteran and president and founder of Hi-Speed Corp., a top manufacturer's representative to the aerospace market, announced his decision to represent high-performance tool manufacturer YG-1. According to Saada, the decision was clear after analyzing the performance, breadth and value of the YG-1 product portfolio.

While placing a telescope outside the distortion of Earth's atmosphere may seem like the best way to study the cosmos, CTE Editor Alan Richter holds a different view after the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization Corp. reached out to explain how it's working with Boeing Research & Technology on an Earth-bound telescope that will minimize distortion from the atmosphere.

Without a fully optimized manufacturing process, individual machines and entire manufacturing operations fall short of their full productivity and cost-effectiveness potentials. To avoid this fate, shops should take advantage of engineering and process optimization support services typically offered by those well-equipped and truly capable manufacturing equipment suppliers.

Verisurf Software Inc., Anaheim, Calif., appointed Pat Bass director of sales for the Americas.

Machine tool builder Fives Machining Systems Inc., Hebron, Ky., acquired Konecranes Machine Tool Service, which has facilities in Erlanger, Ky., and Massillon, Ohio.

Metrology specialist Marposs Corp., Auburn Hills, Mich., appointed Francisco Flores aerospace market development manager, a new position at Marposs.

Bunting Magnetics Co., Newton, Kan., which makes metal detection, material-handling and magnetic separation equipment, appointed Kevin Miller general manager of the company's primary manufacturing facility in Newton.

The ultimate goal for Made In Space Inc. is that everything in space will be made in space, according to Matt Napoli, the company's vice president of in-space operations.

To strengthen its customer support in Mexico, Seco Tools LLC, Troy, Mich., opened a facility in Querétaro.