Industry News

U.S. manufacturing reshoring trends appear to have been short-lived, according to a Dec. 21 news release from A.T. Kearney, a global management consulting firm headquartered in Chicago. "The reshoring phenomenon appears to have been more a one-off aberration than an inexorable trend," the firm reported, citing new data from its second annual A.T. Kearney U.S. Reshoring Index. "Data from 2015 confirms that offshoring is gathering steam, while the reshoring train has yet to leave the station."

Norsk Titanium AS, Oslo, Norway, announced the first shipment of Airbus test parts manufactured by the company's patented Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) process has been delivered to Premium AEROTEC's plant in Varel, Germany, where it has already undergone finish machining, according to a joint company news release issued Jan. 20.

Briney Tooling Systems, Bad Axe, Mich., recently worked closely with a leading medical manufacturer to develop a special HSK50E balanceable grinding wheel arbor for a precision CNC grinding machine producing shaped bone fragments for surgical grafting, according to a company news release issued Jan. 19.

John Gardner, a founding partner of Razorform Tools, has started CNC Broach Tool LLC to provide a line of off-the-shelf, inserted keyway broach tools for CNC lathes and mills, Gardner announced in a news release Jan. 20. CNC Broach Tool will continue to sell direct to provide CNC keyway broaching technical support and cut costs for end-users.

Hawk Technology Ltd., a leading designer and manufacturer of tooling, fixtures, robotics integration solutions, vision inspection systems, and other customized automation, recently announced the development of a new leadership team.

AutoCrib Inc., an automated inventory vending systems maker based in Tustin, Calif., reached a milestone producing its 1,000th RoboCrib VX1000 machine, according to a company news release issued Jan. 18. The RoboCrib is the first carousel based, industrial vending innovation created by AutoCrib founder Steve Pixley.

Mahr Federal has named veteran communications professional J. Robin Palermo as director of marketing and customer service. In her new position, Palermo will direct and oversee all aspects of the company's marketing strategies and marketing communication programs as well as the customer service team.

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.

Cincinnati Inc. has named Alejandro Chavez regional sales engineer for all Canadian provinces except British Columbia, which is covered by the direct sales representative in Seattle. The appointment continues the company’s expansion of its direct sales and service teams.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.