Page 8 - MetalForming December 2013

News Fronts
Agreements
Stainless-Steel and Nickel-Alloy Supplier Now a Division of United Performance Metals
CHRG Metals, Houston, TX, a supplier of corrosion- and heat-resistant stainless steel and nickel-alloy sheet and plate, has become a divi- sion of United Performance Metals (UPM), Hamilton, OH. It previously had operated as a division of O’Neal Steel, an affiliate (along with UPM) of O’Neal Industries. CHRG offers high-definition plasma cutting, shearing, laser and waterjet cutting, sawing, form- ing and other processes.
Industrial Innovations Adds Mexican Representation
Sofka S.A. De C.V., Mon- terrey, Mexico, a provider of fluid-management solutions, is the newest distribution partner of Industrial Innova- tions, Wyoming, MI. Industri- al Innovations provides Spra- Rite proportional lubrication mixing and spraying equip- ment. Sofka also represents Metal Mates lubricants and metalforming fluids.
California Stamping and Tool-Die Companies Unite Contract metalformer HFC
Fabrications, Sun Valley, CA, a subsidiary of Hollywood Film Co. and manufacturer of the Brite Shot lighting fixture used for moviemaking, has acquired Clark Tool & Die and Stamping Co. (CTD), Chatsworth, CA.
CTD designs and builds progressive, compound, transfer, blanking and form- ing dies, and also operates
automated high-speed press- es from 10 to 90 tons. HFC performs sheetmetal-fabri- cating (CNC turret press, press brakes etc.), precision machining, and welding and assembly, and supplies short- run to high-volume stampings.
Murata Has New Canadian Representation
Fabricating Machinery Solutions (FMS), Missis- sauga, Ontario, Canada, a distributor of metal-fabricat- ing equipment, tools and laser and plasma consum- ables, has been named a machine distributor for the Muratec brand of fabricating equipment from Murata Machinery USA, Charlotte, NC. FMS will sell Muratec tur- ret punch presses and auto- mated sheet loaders exclu- sively from Ontario to the east, and non-exclusively in British Columbia and Alberta.
Omax Names Exclusive Mexico Distributor
Abrasive-waterjet-system manufacturer Omax Corp., Kent, WA, has signed on Aqua Machinery SA de CV, Mexico City, as its exclusive distributor in Mexico.
Associations
Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute Rebrands Itself
NAMII—the National Addi- tive Manufacturing Innovation Institute—founded in August 2012 in Youngstown, OH— has been rebranded as America Makes. Driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, America Makes seeks to advance and accel-
erate the adoption of addi- tive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies.
Awards
GR Spring & Stamping Named Most Improved Supplier
Nissan America has named metalforming compa- ny GR Spring & Stamping, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI, its 2013 Most Improved Suppli- er, representing the Ameri- ca’s region of the United States, Mexico and Brazil. The award recognizes out- standing improvement in quality over the last 3 yr. GR Spring & Stamping manufac- tures metal stampings and value-added assemblies.
Phygen’s Bell Receives Defense Alliance Award The Defense Alliance, St.
Paul, MN, comprising more than 700 corporate mem- bers in 27 states, has pre- sented its Architect of Defense award to David C. Bell, president and CEO of Phygen Coatings and Sterilu- cent, Inc. Phygen provides PVD coatings, which the U.S. Army uses as a replacement solution for hard chrome and conven- tional plating processes. Sterilucent manufactures a hydrogen peroxide sterilizer.
Grant Goes to Clemson, to Develop Manufacturing- Reshoring Opportunities
As part of the U.S. govern- ment’s Make it in America Challenge, the Clemson Uni- versity Center for Workforce Development will receive a $3.5 million grant (of the funding program’s $20.5 mil- lion budget). The program is
designed to encourage U.S. manufacturers to keep, expand or reshore their oper- ations in America, and to entice foreign companies to build facilities and manufac- ture their products in Ameri- ca. Clemson will use the funds to create a Virtual Innovation Hub, dedicated to distance learning and to pro- viding technical assistance in innovation engineering.
Facilities
Victor Opens Plasma- Cutting R & D Center
West Lebanon, NH is the home of a new 50,000-sq.-ft. Plasma Design Center launched by Victor Technolo- gies, St. Louis, MO. The new facility employs 75 people and includes a research and development lab, an applica- tion lab, a classroom and a demonstration facility with cutting tables for hands-on training. Also onsite is a glob- al technical support and service center, and pilot pro- duction lines.
Waterjet-Cutting Machine Docks at Conveyor Manufacturer
Anderson-Crane Co., Litch- field, MN, a manufacturer of screw conveyors and feed- ers, hoppers, bins and gates, has installed a Jet Edge waterjet-cutting machine in its fabrication department— to support its own manufac- turing needs as well as to provide job-shop cutting services to local business- es. Prior to the move to waterjet cutting, the firm had been cutting parts on a CNC plasma-cutting machine and outsourcing work to waterjet shops. The new Jet Edge mid-
6 MetalForming/December 2013
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