Hot Off the Press

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Delphi Recognizes Olson Intl. for Lean Leadership

After working with Olson International Ltd., Lombard, IL, during its recent efforts to extend lean manufacturing to its supply base, Delphi Corp. has recognized Olson for excellence in lean leadership. The Delphi Supplier Development team recently spent six weeks with Olson management at Olson’s plant in Matamoros, Mexico, for training and implementation of lean concepts. A high-volume Delphi part was selected for lean improvement at the Mexico plant, and Olson responded with double-digit-percentage improvements related to inventory, productivity and quality. Resulting from that initiative, Olson has lean teams in place at both its U.S. and Mexico plants, charged with eliminating waste and improving productivity, according to company officials. Olson provides precision metal stampings and assemblies to customers in automotive, appliance and electronics industries. For more, visit www.olsonintl.com.

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Smith West Adds Heattreating Capacity in Mexico

Phoenix, AZ-based Smith West Inc. has added heattreating capacity at its 32,000-sq.-ft. facility in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, where it performs component manufacturing and electromechanical assembly for aerospace and semiconductor industries. “Adding heattreating capabilities at our Mexican facility enables us to serve a wide range of customers, and is a critical step toward establishing a complete assembly infrastructure,” says John Mohnach, Smith West president.

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Siempelkamp Consolidates in Krefeld, Germany

Hydroforming-equipment supplier Siempelkamp Pressen Systeme announced that it is closing its R&D (hydroforming-die technology and prototyping) facility in Aalen, Germany, and will concentrate its operations in Krefeld, Germany. The company also announced it will intensify its strategic alliances with group members Strothmann (feeder technology) and ATR (industrial electronics) in order to produce complete production lines. For more, visit www.siempelkamp.com.

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