Industry News

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that hiring in December 2016 was at a four-month high, while the number of manufacturing hires tied that of November for its best monthly performance since 2010. Separately, the BLS said that manufacturing companies created 5,000 new jobs in January for a second straight month of growth. That's good news for those who remember the dark days of the Great Recession—but for employers who have more work to be done than workers to do it, it's a headache. One solution has been to reach that next generation early—while they're finishing high shool.

In an article posted Feb. 9 at Forbes.com, Bill Conerly of Conerly Consulting LLC, Oswego, Ore., discussed how U.S. manufacturers need engineers to thrive because engineers invent products and optimize production methods.

Machine tool builder Cincinnati Inc., Harrison, Ohio, named Kristina Frontino regional sales engineer for northern California, Nevada, Utah and southern Idaho.

Drake Manufacturing Services Co. LLC, Warren, Ohio, named Bruce Dibble director of sales for North America. Drake builds machines for producing threads and gears.

Machine tool builder INDEX Corp., Noblesville, Ind., named Craig Foster regional sales manager for the upper Midwest and Gino Viviani regional sales manager for the western U.S.

Saw manufacturer Simonds Saw LLC named David Miles president. Miles will succeed Ray Martino, who will continue to serve as CEO of Simonds Saw and as president and CEO of Simonds International.

Paris-headquartered simulation software developer SPRING Technologies announced the nomination of CEO Gilles Battier as a new member of the GIFAS AERO-PME Committee. GIFAS is an economic interest group that spearheads France's aerospace industry ecosystem.

Bunting Magnetics Co., Newton, Kan., named Suzanne Hurst human resources manager. The company makes magnetic separation and material-handling equipment.

Down, but getting back up: December 2016 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $176.04 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT — The Association for Manufacturing Technology. This total was up 4.4 percent from November's $168.69 million and up 12.5 percent when compared with the total of $156.49 million reported for December 2015, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration. With a year-to-date total of $2.042 billion, 2016 is down 4.3 percent when compared with 2015.

It's always encouraging to read an article about a thriving machine shop, such as one by Cori Urban presented at MassLive.com. Gary T. O'Brien, president and owner of Knight Machine & Tool Co. in South Hadley, Mass., keeps his maternal grandfather's oak toolbox in his office. Andrew Kriesak worked at the Van Norman Machine Tool Co. in Springfield as a machinist, and the toolbox is, for his grandson, a symbol of success.

Student apprentices graduating from a new automated equipment program will hold demonstrations in front of high-tech industry representatives in February and March at Oakland Community College and Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Calif.

For the 2020 Olympics and Paralympic games in Tokyo, recycled electronics will be used to make the needed 5,000 medals.