Industry News

Sonaca Montreal, a manufacturer of large aerostructures and a subsidiary of Belgium-based Sonaca Group, inaugurated a new high-speed milling center at its plant in Mirabel, Que.

Clemson University announced the creation of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing. CU-CAM will consolidate all interdisciplinary education, research, innovation and engagement involving manufacturing-oriented activities under one umbrella with the overarching goal to improve manufacturing effectiveness, quality and sustainability. This confluence of expertise and infrastructure will enable the center to provide timely, relevant translation of innovation directly to industry partners.

ShareAmerica introduces Rochelle White, an example of a next-generation manufacturing worker: "White, 28, of Chicago, represents the next generation of American workers getting groomed for advanced manufacturing jobs. She is in the final phase of a free, 13-month program at Building Self Determination Industries, which operates a manufacturing company on the city’s South Side, where unemployment and poverty rates are high. Once White completes the program, she will be a certified robotics technician."

My Nov. 20 blog post titled "Manufacturers favor a digital workplace transformation but hold tight to their wallets" generated an insightful response from Jesse Z. Melton, owner of Harpers Ferry Toolworks.

Vasko Popovski joined Franklin Bronze Precision Components LLC, Franklin, Pa., as sales manager.

MFG.com, Marietta, Ga., an online manufacturing marketplace, appointed Ronald L. Hollis, Ph.D., president and CEO.

Earlier this week we shared the conclusions of the McKinsey Report, which concluded that it may be possible for U.S. manufacturing to grow by 20 percent and add more than 2 million jobs by 2025. That was the good news. It can only happen, however, if manufacturers embrace Industry 4.0 technology. The Integr8 conference in Detroit showed how to get started.

"Who says American manufacturing is dead? The young innovators on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in Manufacturing and Industry are finding plenty of opportunities to design useful new products, make factories more efficient and create better materials." More at the link.

Stephen Winn, owner of Winn Manufacturing Inc., blogs about how his search for information on bending formulas came up short when he relied on the popular Internet search engine. "It was about that time that I saw my 20th Edition of the Machinery’s Handbook sitting in the corner of my desk," he writes. "Within about 10 minutes I had the bending formulas that I vaguely remembered and the standard method of measurement for the pitch diameter of the V-Groove of a “B” size pulley groove." Read his entire post on the satisfaction of kickin' it old-school at the link below.

Eriez Manufacturing Co., Erie, Pa., hosted its 2017 Business Conference at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie.

Motion Industries Inc., Birmingham, Ala., a distributor of maintenance, repair and operation replacement parts and a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Co., named Stacy Lenard vice president/general manager of the Dallas division.

Heidenhain Corp., Schaumburg, Ill., appointed David Fuson service operations manager for North America.

Souderton, Pa.-based Solar Atmospheres President Jamie Jones was presented with the Metal Treating Institute Distinguished Service Award for 2017 and nominated as vice president/president-elect of MTI for 2017-2018.

Parker Steel Co., Maumee, Ohio, appointed James "Jamie" Kaufman sales manager of the company’s Maumee-based sales operation.

Kyocera Corp., Kyoto, Japan, announced that it has concluded a basic agreement to acquire the majority of shares of a company to be established from the company split of Ryobi Ltd.’s power tool business.

Heule Tool Corp., Cincinnati, announced that Lynn Bissell joined the company as sales & marketing coordinator.

Summit Partners of Boston and Menlo Park, Calif., has bought a majority investment in the privately held Harvey Performance Company, Rowley, Mass. Harvey makes specialized cutting tools for precision machining applications for the manufacturing and metalworking industries, including aerospace and defense, medical, automotive, industrial motors and telecommunications sectors. It consists of two brands, Harvey Tool based in Rowley, and Helical Solutions in Gorham, Maine.

A survey designed to assess manufacturers’ preparedness for Industry 4.0 changes polled 537 manufacturing executives across eight industry segments. The vast majority of manufacturers surveyed have recognized the need for industrial transformation, with most already taking action. Those that have done so say they are already seeing benefits as a result.

Most employers have effective programs for accommodating workers with disabilities, but they often overlook recruiting and training practices that could expand employment opportunities, according to a national survey.

Mitutoyo America Corp., Aurora, Ill., provided Digimatic calipers and micrometers to students pursuing degrees in the engineering technology program at Northern Illinois University.