Industry News

Machine tool builder Hwacheon Machinery America (HMA) will relocate to a new headquarters and technical center in the Chicago suburb of Lincolnshire, Ill., on July 15.

MRO distributor MSC Industrial Supply Co., Melville, N.Y., has launched its new ControlPoint inventory management solution, which combines MSC's existing suite of software, hardware and service expertise into a unified inventory management portfolio that allows customers to leverage technology to achieve greater visibility and control over their MRO spending, with the goal of improved productivity and profitability across the supply chains, according to the company.

Jacob Prak, CEO of Michigan Manufacturing International (MMI), Stevensville, Md., announced the completion of a new MMI plant in Hosur, India, joining MMI locations in Mumbai, Coimbatore and Bangalore, India, and Shanghai, Fuyang, Ningbo, Jinan, Shenzhen, Dongguan and Hong Kong, China.

Toolmaker TDC Cutting Tools Inc. announced the expansion of its operations and established its global headquarters in Seneca, S.C., resulting in 38 new positions at the facility. The company will invest $8.2 million in the construction of the new TDC Overseas campus, including a 32,000-sq.-ft. office building and a 10,000-sq.-ft. recycling center.

Since the economic slowdown in 2008, the global sales of business aircraft has been less than 50 percent of the annual sales in 2007; however, as aircraft fleets get older and the economy improves, pent-up demand may stimulate purchases.

Joe Braun, general manager of Indianapolis machine tool builder Hurco North America, announced that Hurco will hold its inaugural Chipmaker Challenge contest for entrepreneurs in manufacturing. The contest gives new shops the chance to pitch their business plans for a chance to win their choice of a Hurco VMX42i mill or TM8i lathe.

The Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), Rolling Meadows, Ill., has debuted the AME Manufacturing Job Board, designed to connect job-seeking professionals with the organizations requiring their specific skills.

Toolmaker OSG Tap & Die, Glendale Heights, Ill., has announced its "Train the Nation 10 City Tour," a traveling seminar on high-speed machining for the die mold industry.

In 2003, Kevin Burkett was offered $30,000 for his 1978 Travis Bean "Wedge" guitar and realized it was too valuable to perform with. Most guitarists would make do with using a similar, less-valuable model, but Travis Beans have a distinguishing characteristic that makes them hard to replace — they're made of metal.