Industry News

To determine the places where manufacturing growth is strongest, employment in the sector was looked at in 373 metropolitan statistical areas, assessing short-, medium- and long-term trends going back to 2006 and adding in variables for persistence and momentum.

President Trump signaled what could become a vigorous return to space exploration by the United States when he reconstituted the National Space Council. Dormant since the end of the George H.W. Bush administration, the council’s chairman, Vice President Mike Pence, and its executive secretary, Dr. Scott Pace, have vowed to build a manned space program to reach the moon and beyond to Mars. As with the two previous boom cycles of aerospace development, in World War II and the Apollo program, one of the main beneficiaries of the aggressive effort will be the U.S. manufacturing sector.

When it comes to components for industrial machines, Montana Hydraulics LLC owners Mark and Della Ehlke say there isn’t much they can’t make. “We’re able to pretty much take on just about anything,” Mark said. “In fact, we had a tagline at one point: ‘If you can imagine it, we can build it.’”

Walter Surface Technologies Inc., Montreal, a provider of surface treatment technologies, acquired the Fastenal Blackstone supply agreement and all related inventory from Sundisc Abrasives USA LLC.

Dorner Manufacturing Corp., Hartland, Wisconsin, completed a major expansion of its facility in Germany, a project that doubles production space, adds jobs and effectively positions the company to become even more responsive to customers throughout the region.

In support of the ongoing growth of its Edgecam and Surfcam product lines, Vero Software Ltd. hired Customer Service Representative Frank McBride to support the two brands on the West Coast.

Wildeck Inc., Waukesha, Wisconsin, promoted Kelly M. Kamlager to director of marketing.

CNC Software Inc., Tolland, Connecticut, announced that its flagship software, Mastercam, was the first CAD/CAM software to reach 250,000 installations worldwide.

ATA Tools Inc., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, announced an exclusive strategic partnership with NMG Aerospace to provide complete repair services for all of ATA Tools' air tool products.

Carol Z. Perez, U.S. ambassador to Chile, presented Eriez Manufacturing Co., Erie, Pennsylvania, with the Export Leadership Award during Expomin 2018 in Santiago, Chile.

The 54th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference scheduled for June 25-29 in Louisville, Kentucky, is expected to draw more than 6,000 students, with a fraction of them competing to be named the best CNC milling specialist, CNC technician and CNC turning specialist in the nation. “This is a great opportunity for students to see where their skill levels are compared with their peers,” said Steve Arteman, technical support engineer at CGTech Inc., Irvine, California, the developer of Vericut CNC simulation and verification software.

I’ve had a problem recently with our vertical blinds. The damn things keep breaking. Every few weeks, I’ll find a vane lying on the ground after the tab at the top busts loose, sending the 6'-long hunk of plastic flying. I know when it happens because the dog runs and hides under the bed, whining like someone said “veterinarian.”

Advanced economies always lean toward services as they grow. But there are many other advanced economies out there with more robust factory sectors than the United States, employing much larger shares of their workforces and spinning off much more productive research and development. Let’s not give up without a fight, which in this context means the application of smart policy at every level of government.

That employee engagement decisively contributes to manufacturing success has long been known. However, many studies show there is a deep and broad lack of employee engagement in our nation’s manufacturing industry. This lack is known as the Engagement Gap. Though manufacturing leaders agree that the gap urgently needs to be closed, the fact remains that for at least two decades, it has
remained relatively constant and by some measurements has even widened.

Cincinnati Inc. named Eric Blasiman sales engineer for the Midwest U.S., covering northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

ATEK Metal Technologies LLC, New Hampton, Iowa, a permanent mold foundry, is expanding its plant and technical capabilities to keep up with growing demand.

Vero Software Ltd. hired Customer Service Representative Dawn Anderson to support its growing base of Edgecam, Surfcam and WorkNC users in the Midwest.

Master Fluid Solutions continues its drive toward sustainably serving customers in high-technology industries with the appointment of Z. Ahmed Tahir as global vice president of strategy and marketing.

Mazak Corp., Florence, Kentucky, announced the start of assembly operations at its latest production facility in Inabe City, Mie Prefecture, Japan.

As the sky-high demand for jet engines shows no signs of slowing down, one Connecticut manufacturer is rising up to meet the challenge.