Page 36 - MetalForming July 2017
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                                                                                                                                           75 Years Strong
                       Constantly evolving and meeting challenge upon challenge to promote and propel our industry, the Precision Metalforming Association celebrates its diamond anniversary.
With war raging, 1942 was a time of uncertainty across the American landscape. A victory in World War II was no sure thing, and the economy was in the midst of a shift to wartime footing. The uncertainty surrounded contract metal stampers as well. Without a strong central voice, this sector of industry was at the mercy of Big Steel and customers alike. In addition, metal stampers had no ready means to interact to share common concerns or disseminate technology and process improvements.
Against this backdrop, stampers discussed their options and by the end of 1942 agreed to form the Pressed Metal Institute (PMI). Organized in Cleveland, OH, and with 42 charter member companies, PMI evolved to become the American Metal Stamping Association in 1961, and the Precision Metalforming Association
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MetalForming/July 2017
www.metalformingmagazine.com
BY LOUIS A. KREN, SENIOR EDITOR
(PMA) in 1987. Recognizing its antecedents, this year PMA celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Mission: Educate and Promote
Upon its founding, besides providing the means for stampers to communicate with each other and promote goodwill with customers, PMI sought to educate customers, suppliers and the general public on the advantages of stamping. In addition, formation of the institute was seen as a means to mutually study cost- accounting systems and the costs of manufacture, and “to improve and develop commercial methods in the manufacturing and marketing of pressed metal prod- ucts,” according to PMI’s constitution.
PMI also tasked itself with collecting and disseminating trade statistics and other information of value to the industry and the public; conducting research























































































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