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Machine-Tool Market Has Fattened Through October

U.S. machine-tool consumption has grown by 11.3 percent through October compared to 2004 consumption, according to AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association. Sales for October 2005 totaled $277.53 million, down 5.2 percent from September but up 25.4 percent over October 2004 sales. Details, including a breakdown of sales by region and by metal-cutting versus metalforming machines, can be found at www.amtda.org and www.amtonline.org.

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Need Electroplating Training?

The Kushner Electroplating School, Sunnyvale, CA, has announced its spring 2006 schedule of two-day electroplating training courses. Dates and locations are as follows: Greenvillle, SC, April 3-4; Cincinnati, OH, April 6-7; Providence, RI, April 10-11; Seattle, WA, April 17-18. To register or for more information, contact Bobby Kushner at tel. 408/749-8652, fax 408/749-0176 or e-mail info@platingschool.com. For a course description, visit www.platingschool.com.

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Huge Heavy-Gauge Slitter
for AL Structural-Tube Producer

Braner/Loopco, Schiller Park, IL, has delivered a heavy-gauge coil-slitting line to the new ITC-AL, LLC structural-tube-producing plant in Decatur, AL. The new line can process hot-rolled coils to 74 in. wide and 5/8 in. thick, and weighing to 98,000 lb. The line includes a DC drag-generator double-cone uncoiler that handles coils with IDs from 24 to 34 in. and a recoiler that produces 30-in.-ID slit coils. Other line features include above-the-floor coil-loading/unloading cars, a powered straightener and a quick-change two-head turret head slitter. For more, visit www.braner.com.

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