April 2011 PM News

Sandvik Coromant and the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team have again extended their partnership for 2 more years. Sandvik Coromant has been an exclusive technical sponsor to JGR since 2006 and provides tooling and metalcutting products and the expert services necessary to manufacture thousands of racecar and engine components. 

 

Sandvik Coromant has worked closely with JGR to develop processes that have increased productivity and improved component quality, while supporting JGR with technical training, application support, 3D modeling support and defining tooling packages specific to the JGR shop. JGR is also a long-time participant in Sandvik Coromant’s carbide recycling program, making a small, but important contribution in creating a sustainable environment. 

 

600 Group has signed an agreement to acquire a machine tool manufacturing facility in Tarnow, Poland. The Tarnow facility formerly carried out civil production activities within a subsidiary of ZMT, itself part of Bumar Group, Poland’s largest state-owned defense business. 600 Group assumes management control of the facility with immediate effect. 

 

Commenting on the acquisition, David Norman, CEO of 600 Group, says: “It fundamentally changes our machine tools business model with the facility in Tarnow combining with our U.K. factories to give an E.U. manufacturing footprint capable of servicing the requirements of our international sales organization with lead time and quality benefits for our customers,” 

 

Methods Machine Tools Inc. has selected Michael Minton for the position of national applications engineering manager. He will be responsible for coordinating the national applications and automation services throughout North America.

 

Prior to joining Methods, Mr. Minton spent 10 years as engineering manager at Advanced Manufacturing Solutions LLC, a national contract engineering firm, specializing in five-axis turnkey solutions. There, he managed all application projects including turnkeys, time studies, pre-sale test cuts and training. Mr. Minton specialized in developing innovative manufacturing processes for a variety of industries including aerospace, medical, automotive, industrial and commercial. 

 

 

Machining solutions provider, Morris Group Inc., celebrates its 70th year in business during 2011. Originally founded as The Robert E. Morris Company, the company has grown beyond its New England base, and it now operates a diversified holding company with 14 subsidiaries servicing metalworking industries throughout North America.

 

Morris Group kicks off its 70th year celebration with a $100,000 donation to the American Precision Museum in Windsor, Vt. The gift will be used for a capital improvement that will commemorate recently deceased Dorothy Morris, a co-founder of the Morris company in 1941. This fall, the organization will hold a 70th Anniversary Celebration at its Windsor, Conn., headquarters. Throughout the year, Morris subsidiaries will hold similar events, introducing latest machining technologies to its regional customers. 

 

 

AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology applauds President Obama’s creation of a new post overseeing manufacturing policy. Ron Bloom was named special assistant to the president for manufacturing policy within the White House’s National Economic Council. Mr. Bloom has been the administration’s auto czar since 2009 and has overseen the auto industry restructuring. 

 

AMT’s President Douglas K. Woods says, “For almost 2 years, and as part of our Manufacturing Mandate, AMT has been advocating for the appointment of a senior position on manufacturing policy at the White House,” Mr. Woods says. “I’m hopeful this is recognition from the administration that job creation and competitiveness depend on a national agenda that emphasizes the importance of manufacturing.” 

 

 

U.S. operation has been strengthened with two new appointments to its senior management team at Electrolox. Keith (Griff) Griffiths has been promoted to U.S. operations manager, and Mike Rauch has taken the position of sales manager for the U.S. southeast region.  

 

In his new role, Mr. Griffiths, who is based in Kalamazoo, Mich., will be responsible for helping to grow the Electrox brand in the U.S. by developing both new and existing markets. He will also oversee the U.S. operations and servicing divisions. 

 

 

The company’s brand names include N.A. Woodworth, Sheffer, Logansport, SP Cylinders and Buck in addition to the Forkardt name.