People & Companies

Japan's manufacturing activity has fallen to an eight-month low in July, according to IHS Markit survey results. The Nikkei Flash Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for July is calculated to be a seasonally adjusted 52.2, following a 52.4 level in June. The Flash Manufacturing Output Index was pegged at at 51.4, down from 52.2 in June and the weakest growth in 10 months.

Midwest Industrial Tool Grinding Inc., Hutchinson, Minn., has been named a finalist in the Workforce Development Award category for the Minnesota Business 2017 Manufacturing Awards.

Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., Dover, Ohio, a tooling manufacturer of complete holemaking solutions, has announced its new engineering training department, which provides comprehensive, hands-on education programs for new employees, end users and distributors from around the world.

Lincolnshire, Ill.-based GF Machining Solutions LLC's System 3R, which supplies modular workholding/tooling systems, automation and software, is celebrating its 50-year anniversary.

The clunky, AR device never really clicked with 'cool cache' in the public domain, but in the professional or industrial workplace Google Glass is turning out to be incredibly useful. Stripped of the Insta-photo, email-checking trimmings, the device is now being used to cleverly enhance workflows and make it easier for people to do their jobs.

Heule Tool Corp., Cincinnati, in July announced the promotion of William "Bill" Hargrove to National Sales Manager. In his new role Hargrove will further the growth and development of the Heule sales force to support national accounts growth throughout North America.

The Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH company in July selected David Doyle as President and Managing Director of the Schaumburg, Ill.-based Heidenhain Corp. Doyle assumes full responsibility for the Heidenhain customer-focused operations for the U.S., Canada and Mexico. This change continues the succession plan for Heidenhain CEO Rick Korte.

Published by Industrial Press, "Lean Refining: How to Improve Performance in the Oil Industry" by Lonnie Wilson addresses the tremendous opportunities this quality improvement system can exploit to achieve huge financial gains, while simultaneously improving morale, timeliness, quality, safety, reliability and environmental performance.

Hanging on to talented older workers steeped in institutional knowledge has become a critical issue for many manufacturing businesses. The worker shortage is driving employers to take creative approaches to retirement. About 78 million baby boomers are nearing or at retirement, and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) estimates that factories will need 3.5 million new factory workers in the next 10 years just to keep production lines and distribution routes going.

A bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers is proposing a bill that would incentivize and boost American manufacturing, in addition to research and development, as the Trump administration looks to keep a promise from the presidential campaign. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Ron Kind, D-Wis., with Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Pat Roberts, R-Kan., have introduced the Invent and Manufacture in America Act, a bill that would give a tax credit to companies that not only conduct research and development, but also manufacture products resulting from that R&D as well.

For his July 2017 Manager's Desk column, Keith Jennings writes that the greatest concern at his company is the impact cell phones have on shop safety. Another factor is the ease and preference of some employees and customers to communicate via cell phone, bypassing the main phone line and the human or automated receptionist.

Allied Machine & Engineering announces the expansion of its AccuPort 432/AccuThread 856 program to include more than 120 kits for manufacturing hydraulic ports and manifolds. The kits are available to meet SAE J1926; ISO I6149; John Deere G1731; and SAE AS5202 (aerospace standard/Mil-Spec) specifications.