UNITED GRINDING conducted a groundbreaking ceremony August 9 for its new North American headquarters to be built in Miamisburg, Ohio. With the new facility, the grinding machine builder says it will further strengthen its customer service and support, and boost its operational agility for even faster response to ever changing customer needs.
UNITED GRINDING’s North American market has grown significantly over the last 15 years, and the strategic outlook for the forseeable future includes even more growth.
According to Stephan Nell, CEO of UNITED GRINDING Group, the new Miamisburg facility will not only further enhance customer-centric activities, but will also boost operational agility and expand parts, rebuild, retrofit, automation and preventative maintenance offerings in the North American market.
“This strategic move allows us to provide our customers with solutions unique to the industry,” Nell said. “As a total turnkey solutions provider, we continuously look for new ways to expand our operations and business to benefit our customers and the markets we serve.”
The new UNITED GRINDING 100,000-sq.-ft. facility will reside on approximately 15 acres of land near Ohio Interstate 75. In addition to UNITED GRINDING North America’s current employees who will move to the new headquarters, the company plans to create significantly more jobs in the next 5 years.
Through its JobsOhio West initiative, the Dayton Development Coalition has been working with UNITED GRINDING to assist in providing community project and incentive resources, and support to aid in the new facility build as well as to drive economic development in the area.
“JobsOhio began working with UNITED GRINDING early on in their search for a site to expand their operations," said Julie Sullivan, vice president of development, Dayton Development Coalition. “With the help of our partners in Montgomery County, city of Miamisburg, the Dayton-Montgomery County Port Authority, state of Ohio and JobsOhio, we made a strong case for them to expand here in Miamisburg. It keeps them close to their customers and gives them access to a workforce known for its manufacturing expertise. Their commitment to the community shows what can happen when companies are open to learning more about the region and working with the local community.”
UNITED GRINDING’s investment on the project will drive economic growth in the Miamisburg area. The company is also working with local government entities to help support the economy and reinforce development.
“The City of Miamisburg is pleased to have UNITED GRINDING, a world leader in the manufacturing sector, expand its operations in the Miamisburg business community,” said Miamisburg Mayor Dick Church Jr. “UNITED GRINDING is an organization set for growth and fosters a strong business model, all positive additions to our local community.”
Currently, UNITED GRINDING North America has two locations, its headquarters in Miamisburg and one in Fredericksburg, Va. While the Ohio facility houses surface, cylindrical and profile grinding business, the Virginia facility services the tool and cutter grinding machines and measurement systems sectors. Field service representatives are based out of both locations.
“The consolidation of resources is a strategic move to increase efficiency companywide and support synergy across UNITED GRINDING’s various product lines,” said Rodger Pinney, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors at UNITED GRINDING North America. “The move is a key component of our new corporate strategy for continued growth and market share strength that we introduced in 2012.”
The new facility will be certified for both Six Sigma and 5S and will align with the company’s PuLs initiative. As an internal cross-function initiative, PuLs focuses on applying best practices in every aspect of the company’s business from sales to applications support to training and preventive maintenance. It also involves the company regularly sending out surveys to effectively gauge customer satisfaction levels via the Net Promoter Score measuring method.
Related Glossary Terms
- grinding
grinding
Machining operation in which material is removed from the workpiece by a powered abrasive wheel, stone, belt, paste, sheet, compound, slurry, etc. Takes various forms: surface grinding (creates flat and/or squared surfaces); cylindrical grinding (for external cylindrical and tapered shapes, fillets, undercuts, etc.); centerless grinding; chamfering; thread and form grinding; tool and cutter grinding; offhand grinding; lapping and polishing (grinding with extremely fine grits to create ultrasmooth surfaces); honing; and disc grinding.
- grinding machine
grinding machine
Powers a grinding wheel or other abrasive tool for the purpose of removing metal and finishing workpieces to close tolerances. Provides smooth, square, parallel and accurate workpiece surfaces. When ultrasmooth surfaces and finishes on the order of microns are required, lapping and honing machines (precision grinders that run abrasives with extremely fine, uniform grits) are used. In its “finishing” role, the grinder is perhaps the most widely used machine tool. Various styles are available: bench and pedestal grinders for sharpening lathe bits and drills; surface grinders for producing square, parallel, smooth and accurate parts; cylindrical and centerless grinders; center-hole grinders; form grinders; facemill and endmill grinders; gear-cutting grinders; jig grinders; abrasive belt (backstand, swing-frame, belt-roll) grinders; tool and cutter grinders for sharpening and resharpening cutting tools; carbide grinders; hand-held die grinders; and abrasive cutoff saws.
- land
land
Part of the tool body that remains after the flutes are cut.
