Industry News

In support of its continued growth throughout the United States, Edgecam has hired a new regional sales manager to focus on the expansion of both sales and services in the state of Michigan. Based in Southfield, Mich., new Regional Sales Manager Mike Ambro brings more than 20 years of manufacturing industry experience to Edgecam.

Jay Timmons, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) president and CEO, will kick off the 2016 State of Manufacturing Tour on Jan. 28 at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. Joining Timmons will be Neil Levesque, executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and Political Library, and Jim Roche, president of the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire.

Speedgrip Chuck Inc., an Elkhart, Ind.-based designer and manufacturer of highly engineered workholding mechanisms, has been sold to an affiliate of Stratford-Cambridge Group, a private investment firm headquartered in Plymouth, Mich. Speedgrip announced the transaction in a news release issued Dec. 16.

Dorner Holding Corp., Hartland, Wis., recently announced the acquisition of FlexMove, a leading manufacturer of flexible chain conveyors for food, beverage, automotive, electronic and other industries. The addition of FlexMove, located in Penang, Malaysia, expands Dorner Holding's geographic coverage and complements existing products and capabilities of the corporation's Dorner Mfg. line.

Cutting tool maker SGS Tool Co., Munroe Falls, Ohio, recently signed a licensing agreement with Haimer GmbH, Igenhausen, Germany, for the tool holding company's HAIMER Safe-Lock System, according to a recent news release. SGS Tool, a market leader for solid carbide end mills in North America, has begun offering their high quality cutting tools with the HAIMER Safe-Lock System. The unique Safe-Lock design in cutting tools and tool holders combines high-precision, shrink-fit clamping with a positive form locking mechanism.

Labor productivity in the manufacturing sector increased at a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.1 percent during the third quarter of 2015—the largest gain recorded since a 6.1 percent increase during the third quarter of 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Output increased 3.2 percent while hours worked decreased 1.8 percent.

Manufacturers contribute $2.17 trillion to the U.S. economy, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), a Washington, D.C.-based association representing small and large manufacturers in 50 states. Up nearly 28 percent since the second quarter of 2009, the amount spent by manufacturers leads off the "Top 20 Facts About Manufacturing" posted on the NAM website.

As Kirtland Community College puts the finishing touches on its new Computer Numerically Controlled lab, the Roscommon, Mich., school is nearly set to launch a certificate program aimed at meeting the growing demand for workers with computerized tooling training.

Dorner Mfg. Corp.’s newly completed 25,000-square-foot facility, which became fully operational last month, reportedly positions the company to become even more responsive to customers, while meeting future production goals and anticipated growth in the low-profile conveyor market.

CECOR, which manufactures the "Sump Shark" coolant sumpcleaners and industrial carts, announced Jan. 8 that Urso & Urso Inc. has acquired the Verona, Wis.-based company from the RuMo Group LLC. The transaction, accorinding to a CECOR news release, will provide the company with greater access to more opportunity and resources for future growth.

Hardide Coatings Inc., a U.K.-based provider of advanced surface coating technology, recently opened a new production facility in Martinsville, Va. The $7 million expansion, which began a year ago, allows Hardide to expand its production operations to North America.

OSG USA Inc., a manufacturer of taps, drills, end mills, dies and indexable cutting tools, recently acquired the assets and proprietary manufacturing technology of IMU Dies. Effective immediately, OSG becomes the exclusive source for IMU branded dies globally.

MachiningCloud, a product content provider for cutting tools, CNC machines and workholding, today announced a partnership with IMCO Carbide Tool Inc., enabling the precision cutting tool maker's product data to be published online. MachiningCloud represents a new channel through which IMCO will provide its customers with digital product data they need to run today's data-hungry shop software, according to a joint news release issued by the two companies Jan. 6.

HAINBUCH America Corp., which designs and manufactures innovative precision workholding systems, this month appointed John Soukup to serve as the Southeast U.S. regional sales manager for the company.

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in December for the second consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 79th consecutive month, according to the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. The report, issued Jan. 4 by Bradley J. Holcomb, chair of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.

OMAX Corp., which offers advanced abrasive waterjet technology, this month signed exclusive distribution agreements with Mid Atlantic Machinery and Southern States Machinery to market, sell and support premium OMAX JetMachining Centers and MAXIEM JetMachining Centers to fabricators in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern states.

Robert Nedler takes over as managing director at Hwacheon Machinery America, which covers North and South America. Nedler, who had served in sales and product manager roles since joining the company in 2012, now is in charge of sales, service and general operations at the Lincolnshire, Ill., company.

Methods Machine Tools Inc. today named Benjamin Fisk general manager of Methods' 3D Additive Manufacturing business. The move follows a partnership agreement announced Oct. 20, 2015, between Methods and 3D Systems, a provider of 3D digital design and fabrication solutions, including 3D printers, print materials and cloud-sourced custom parts. The partnership allows Methods to enhance its portfolio of leading-edge precision machine tools and solutions for traditional manufacturing with advanced 3D printing solutions for additive manufacturing (AM).

Methods Machine Tools Inc. recently promoted Robert Nakash to general manager of the company's operations in Phoenix, where he has held the position of sales engineer since 2007. Prior to that, Nakash was at Mori Seiki USA Inc. in New Jersey for 17 years in various positions.

Mastercam developer CNC Software Inc., Tolland, Conn., late last month announced a partnership with the Onshape App Store that offers an open marketplace for a wide selection of CAD applications and seeks to modernize the way CAD users find and buy engineering apps. In the past, the comapny noted, desktop CAD users had to search multiple application vendor websites to find compatible products to purchase, register, license and install.