October •  November 2006 • Vol. XXV No. 1 • An Arnold Publication

Industry  News • Executive Hotline

Executive Hotline

Workholding Shipments Up 8.9 Percent From Year-Earlier Levels

 At $59.7 million, second quarter 2006 shipments of workholding equipment for the U.S. were up 8.9 percent from similar quarter last year according to the Workholding Product Group (WPG) of AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology. Workholding equipment shipments within the U.S. by the 37 companies participating in the WPG statistical report totaled $51.5 million while exports amounted to $8.2 million

Senate Gives $2.5 Million To Oregon Manufacturing

The U.S. Senate recently announced the setting aside of $2.5 million for the Northwest Manufacturing Initiative, as well as $2 million for the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute’s (ONAMI) Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative.

ONAMI’s Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative will develop materials and manufacturing methods that meet the military’s need for high performance materials, protect human health and minimize harm to the environment.

The purpose of the Northwest Manufacturing Initiative is to make the northwest region’s diverse manufacturing sector a stronger contributor to defense and national security.

The Oregon Economic Development Department will administer the funding and that funding will be used to improve manufacturing capacity of small and medium-sized companie.

Intel, Siemens to Collaborate on VoIP Project

Intel Corp. and Siemens Communications AG said Thursday they established a technology relationship that includes an agreement to collaborate on products based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

Santa Clara-based Intel and Munich, Germany-based Siemens  said they will jointly fund and conduct research focused on secure wireless networks and real-time open unified communications.

Financial and other details were not disclosed.

Additional components of the agreement call for the two companies to establish joint market development efforts focused on the enterprise and service provider sectors, and for Siemens’ software portfolio to be based on Intel dual-core and virtualization technology

Average U.S. Home Has More TVs Than People Now, Nielsen Says

 The average American home now has more television sets than people.

That threshold was crossed within the past two years, according to Nielsen Media Research. There are 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people, the researchers said.

Half of American homes have three or more TVs, and only 19 percent have just one, Nielsen said. In 1975, 57 percent of homes had only a single set and 11 percent had three or more, the company said.

Dell Plans to Hire 500 Engineers to Bolster Texas perations

Computer maker Dell Inc. plans to hire another 500 engineers to work in its central Texas product development operations, founder and Chairman Michael Dell announced Monday, September 25.

Dell joined Gov. Rick Perry at the Texas Capitol to announce the company would immediately begin hiring new electrical, software and mechanical engineers and program managers.

Boeing 737, 787 Order Book Grows By $5 Billion

Boeing received as much as $5.4 billion in new orders from unidentified customers, including bookings for its 787 Dreamliner.

The purchases include 16 Dreamliners and 30 737s, Boeing’s best-selling model, the company said on its Web site.

One 737 also was bought by Boeing Business Jets, a joint venture with General Electric.

The new orders bring Boeing’s total to 639 for the year as of mid-september. At this time last year, Boeing had 631 orders, and the company ended 2005 with a record 1,002 bookings.

Boeing to Sell 10 Jets Worth $700 Million to India’s Air Sahara

Boeing Co. has won a firm order for 10 jets from India’s Air Sahara, a company official said , as the U.S. aircraft maker nearly doubled its forecast for India’s airplane demand amid brisk economic growth and a boom in air travel.

The deal with Air Sahara for the Boeing 737-800 jets is valued at $700 million at list price, said Dinesh Keskar, Boeing’s senior vice president of sales for South Asia and Southeast Asia. Airlines frequently receive discounts for large purchases.

Delivery of the planes will start in mid-2009, Keskar said.

Berkely ME Student Machine Shop Receives Upgrade

On September 7, the Cal-Berkley ME department hosted an open house to introduce its improved student machine shop. Eighteen months in the making, the up-graded shop, located in 1166 Etcheverry Hall, features 15 new machines and a rearranged layout. The shop will accommodate more students than before and make it easier for classes and clubs to complete projects in a timely manner, say shop personnel.

Senior lab mechanician Gordon Long and his co-worker Mick Franssen were in charge of the upgrade. “We have three new milling machines, six new lathes with digital readouts and six new drill presses,” Long says. “We were closed over the summer so we could reconfigure the shop and move the new machines in. The feedback we’ve gotten from students is it was worth the wait. They love it. The size of the space hasn’t changed but it feels bigger. ”

The shop is an essential resource for students who machine projects for classes and research as well as car competition teams who manufacture parts there.

Rockwell Collins Agrees to Buy Anzus

Aviation electronics maker Rockwell Collins Inc. said Monday it agreed to acquire privately owned software developer Anzus Inc.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

OSI Systems Receives $3.5 Million Contract from U. S. Government Agency for Baggage & Parcel X-Ray Systems

OSI Systems, Inc. a vertically integrated provider of specialized electronic products for critical applications in the Healthcare and Security industries, announced recently that its Security and Inspection subsidiary, Rapiscan Systems, received a $3.5 million contract from a U.S. Government Agency. The order, for multiple Rapiscan 620XR baggage and parcel inspection X-ray systems, is expected to begin shipping in the second quarter of fiscal 2007

Kaiser, A.M. Castle Extend Raytheon Aluminum Deal

Kaiser Aluminum Tuesday announced the extension of a contract with A.M. Castle & Co. to supply aerospace manufacturer Raytheon Aircraft with fabricated aluminum products.

The agreement extends an earlier contract to 2010 and calls for an increased supply of high-quality fabricated aluminum sheet and plate products.

Kaiser’s sheet and plate products will be utilized in the production of products for aircraft such as the Hawker 400XP, the Hawker 4000 super-midsize business jet, the Beechcraft Premier IA entry-level business jet, the Beechcraft King Air Series, and the T-6 trainer aircraft.

A. M. Castle Acquiring Transtar Metals For $180 Million

A. M. Castle & Co., a North American distributor of highly engineered metals and plastics, announced that it will acquire Transtar Metals, a distributor of high-performance metals to the global aerospace and defense industries, for $180 million.

A. M. Castle expects to complete the acquisition of the Torrance, CA-based Transtar Metals in September, 2006.

Transtar’s Twelve-month sales for the period ended June 30, 2006 were approximately $250 million with profit rates comparable to A.M. Castle.

Machinery’s Handbook with NIMS Testing Center

Industrial Press and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) have announced that Machinery’s Handbook will be available online to candidates taking NIMS theory examinations at the NIMS Online Testing Center. The joint agreement was signed at the September NIMS Board of Directors meeting by Alex Luchars, President, Industrial Press Inc. and NIMS Board Chair Paul Huber, President of Industrial Precision Components Corporation.

The NIMS examination policies have always permitted Industrial Press’s Machinery’s Handbook or its Student Shop Reference Handbook as reference materials for the candidates. With this announcement, candidates will be able to access Machinery’s Handbook while testing through the NIMS Online Testing Center.

Aerospace Orders, Shipments, Backlog on Record Pace

Aerospace industry orders, shipments, and backlog showed significant gains in the first half of 2006, which would put the sector ahead of last year’s record-setting numbers if the trend continues.

Manufacturers of civil aviation and defense products booked $116 billion in orders during the first two quarters of this year, which, projected to an annual figure of $233 billion, would exceed last year’s record of $219 billion.

Similarly, industry shipments totaled $88 billion in the first six months of the year, which is on pace to total $177 billion, which would beat 2005’s record of $162 billion, according to statistics compiled by AIA’s Aerospace Research Center.

Civil aerospace is coming off an extraordinary year in which orders nearly doubled from 2004 and nearly tripled compared to 2003. The first half of 2006 saw a continuation of that impressive pace, with $78 billion in orders, a rate that would put it at $156 billion and surpass 2005’s record of $151 billion.

Business 'Heats' up at Nevada Manufacturer

A Mound House, Nevada metallurgic company has  doubled its floor space and will add six employees as it breaks into the specialized aerospace industry.

Pat McKenna, general manager of Nevada Heat Treating, said the company will expand from 15,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet as it takes on more precise, high-end contracts.

The company plans to invest about $112,000 into the expansion, according to the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. Majority company owner Rich Penrose, of Newark, Calif., was granted $52,000 in tax abatements by the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. The business incentives are granted to encourage a favorable business environment and attract new investments.

“We’re also planning to go (from) seven to 13 employees,” said McKenna. “We’re in the process of adding the new equipment and interviewing potential employees.”

Manufacturing Grows in Reno; State Leads U.

Reno-Sparks manufacturers continued to buck nationwide trends with plans to expand their staffs and operations in the next three years, a survey released in May

Of 67 companies interviewed, 58 percent intend to hire  more workers or expand facilities, up from 25 percent a year ago, according to Business Builders, the business retention and expansion division of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada.

"Its shows definitely a bright future for manufacturing, "said Donna Crooks, Edawn business expansion manager. "The Local economy is growing."

Veritek Closes Acquisition of DDI

Escondido-based electronics manufacturer Veritek Manufacturing Services LLC announced that it has acquired Anaheim-based DDI Corp.’s assembly business for $12 million in cash.

The acquisition, announced Aug. 8, closed Sept. 30, with Veritek acquiring assets of the DDI assembly business and its related facilities in San Jose and Longmont, Colo.

Joseph C. Schneider  Appointed VP Marketing at Mate Precision Tooling

Mate Precision Tooling has announced the appointment of Joseph (Joe) Schneider to the position of vice president Marketing.

Jack Schneider, president of Mate Precision Tooling, made the announcement and said that Joe Schneider will apply his 10 years of successful experience at Mate in manufacturing and product design to further improve Mate’s customer-oriented marketing approach.

Most recently Joe Schneider was Mate’s Product Engineering Manager for 5 years where he implemented many new Mate products, including several major new Mate tooling lines. Prior to that, Schneider served as Mate’s E-business Manager, was a Mate product design engineer and spent 2 years at Mate Germany in product development and inventory management.

Renishaw Offers Free West Coast Technical Seminars

Renishaw this fall is presenting for the first time in the U.S. free full-day  Art of Accuracy technical seminars. Combining demonstrations with technical presentations, the seminars will detail the capabilities of Renishaw’s advanced linear and rotary encoders for high-accuracy position feedback and its laser interferometer systems for machine calibration, analysis and motion control. Titled “Picometers to arc seconds – the art of accuracy,” the seminars have been presented in Europe and Israel and are now coming to America. Seminars will be presented Tuesday, Nov. 14, in San Jose, California, and Thursday, Nov. 16, in Portland.

The seminars will feature presentation of the latest Renshaw developments for precision motion control and position feedback applications. Ongoing innovation enables solutions for micron, manometer and picometer requirements. The presentations will cover a wide range of requirements by drawing on three different technologies, Linear and rotary optical encoders, magnetic encoders and sensors, and laser interferometric solutions to system calibration and analysis picometer positioning accuracies and vacuum operations.

Special focus will be given to motion system performance analysis, introducing attendees to powerful new development and engineering technologies for real-time testing of machine and system dynamics. Attendees will be able to participate in practical hands-on demonstrations with  technology experts.

Mastercam Supports Mori Seiki Machines

CNC Software Inc., developer of Mastercam CAD/CAM software, in cooperation with Mori Seiki, announces a post processor for Mori Seiki’s new line of NT Multi-tasking machines. This new post processor is configurable to support all 54 configurations of Mori Seiki’s NT platform.

Multitasking (or Multitask machines) can minimize or eliminate multiple setups when machining complex parts. Turning and milling operations can be performed on the same machine, making a shop more efficient and profitable.

Utilization of the multiple tooling configurations available with multitask machines provides more machining options and flexibility. Intricate parts can be machined using one setup, eliminating the need for multiple machines, or to re-fixture the part for subsequent operations. The processes are completed sequentially, with minimal or no idle time.

Hydromat Joins Forces with Tornos S.A.

Hydromat announced a new strategic alliance with Tornos S. A. of Switzerland.  Hydomat Inc., headquartered in St. Louis Missouri, will now represent the Tornos line of multispindle lathes in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The addition of the Tornos line of multispindle machines to their already impressive array of rotary transfer machines creates an impressive  line-up for the precision part making industry. Hydromat’s commitment to the Tornos multispindle operation will include sales, engineering, set-up, service, and parts stocked at their centrally located St. Louis campus.

The Hydromat organization serves a broad clientele in the precision parts industry, and all parties involved believe this alliance will result in the expansion of the Tornos multispindle lines into new market segments. The Hydromat organization, a staff of 150+, will bring their dedication to total customer satisfaction and a commitment to excellence to the future success of these products to be known as ‘TornosMulti by Hydromat’.

Hydromat will represent the full multispindle line including; The MultiDdeco  6 and 8 spindle, 20mm and 32mmm bar-fed and 50mm chucker machines as well as the SAS 16.6 cam-operated lathe. The MultiDeco line features the powerful Fanuc control with TB Deco Programming Software for advanced machining flexibility and programming versatility.

Tornos has recently appointed Scott Kowalski as the new President of the U.S. single spindle lathe organization. The Tornos U.S. operation moves forward with the Single Spindle products with an additional  Tech Center located  in the Midwest, allowing for a greater concentration on that section of the marketplace while maintaining a presence in Connecticut.

Davenport Machine Announces Completion Of Building Renovation

 Davenport Machine announced that it has completed a major building renovation program. With assistance from New York State, Monroe County. The city of Rochester and RG&E Davenport and its parent, Brinkman International Group, Inc., have spent in excess or $2 million upgrading the plant since it was purchased out of bankruptcy in March 2003.

In addition to the $1 million spent in general building maintenance and repairs at the time the assets were purchased, over $1.5 million has been spent in the most recent phase of improvements to upgrade equipment and mechanicals.

Doosan Machinery America Appoints Machinery Sales Distributor for the Southwest

Doosan Machinery America, Inc. the exclusive importer of Doosan Mecatec Machine Tools to North America, announced the appointment of Machinery Sales Company (MASCO) to act as exclusive representative for all Doosan Mecatec machine tools for the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada.

Fred Vogt, western regional manager for Doosan Machinery stated,  “The professionalism and customer support characteristics of the Machinery Sales Co. is a very good fit for Doosan Mecatec in the pursuit of our goal of excellence in application driven marketing.” 

Gary Smith, MASCO chairman  said,  “The pairing of a serious heavy-duty world-class machine tool builder with an application-driven distributor is what our manufacturers in the Southwest are looking for today.”

Machinery Sales Co. provides manufacturing support in the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada with a staff of 10-professional salesmen and a full service and applications engineering staff to take care of the needs of their customers.  Machinery Sales Co. is the oldest distributor serving the machine tool market place in the Southwest.

Haas Automation Posts Record First Half

 Haas Automation, Inc. reports record production numbers and shipments for the first half of 2006. During the period of January 1 through June 30, Haas built and shipped more than 6,000 CNC machines to customers around the world.

 Closing out the first six months of ’06, Haas Automation also recorded its best month ever. In June, the company shipped 1,198 machines—an all-time record. At current production levels, Haas is on track to build more than 13,000 machines this year, and surpass its goal of $700 million in sales.

ChipBlaster Inc. Opens New California Facility

Chipblaster’s new West Coast Sales office, located in Anaheim, California, has full service and stocking capabilities. The building will house various ChipBlaster models available for immediate delivery. Local sales representatives and service technicians offer complete support to the Western U.S. market.

ChipBlaster manufactures a variety of high-pressure coolant systems from inexpensive fixed rate units to PLC controlled Automatically Variable Volume Systems which automatically regulate the coolant flow to the tool.  ChipBlaster also builds filtration systems from simple single filter canisters to their patented Media Free Filtration System which uses no filter media, thereby eliminating filter replacement costs. 

 Ellison Techologies Continues to Grow Within

As Ellison Technologies continues to grow; individuals in Ellison California have been appointed to new roles in order to achieve new goals and strategic vision. 

Effective immediately, Mr. Graham Hooper, President of Ellison Technologies California, has been selected to represent ET as President, Western Region. Graham will now be responsible for advancing Ellison Technologies’ overall business strategy in this key geographic area.  Graham joined Ellison Southern CA in October, 1999 as sales manager and was promoted to president of Ellison Manufacturing Technologies (EMT) in October, 2002. 

Mr. Patrick Urian has been  promoted  to Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Southern California.  Pat started in the machine tool industry in 1997 with Yamazen Inc. selling Mori Seiki machines in the Western Ohio territory.  In 1998, Pat transferred to Yamazen Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona and then in 1999 to Yamazen Los Angeles.  Pat joined Ellison in March 2000 when Ellison Los Angeles began representing Mori Seiki in Southern California and has been covering the Orange County territory for the past 7 years.  Pat’s long history with Ellison Technologies and the Mori Seiki line makes him the perfect fit for this new role.

In early 2005, Mr. Peter Histed took on the role as Regional Sales Manager for Northern California.  Since his onset he has achieved sales and business goals above and beyond expectations and has turned a low-producing area into a profit.  It is because of his relentless efforts that Ellison announced Peter as Vice President and General Manager for Ellison Technologies’ Northern California Office.  Peter joined ET in December 2003 from the UK where he had completed 10 years in sales. 

Exact JobBoss Partners with Okuma

Exact Software announced that the company’s Exact JobBoss division has partnered with Okuma to deliver critical production data to its customers.

Okuma is a leading CNC and machining technology company, including vertical and horizontal machining centers, lathes, double column machining centers, grinders, and wheel machines.

Exact JobBoss has tapped into Okuma’s vision of a plug and play control platform that allows their intelligent, flexible machines on the shop floor to “think” for them selves. This platform is Okuma THINC.

Okuma THINC, a standard, off-the-shelf PC platform is designed to enable access to almost any application and peripheral including ship management systems, and interfaces with bar coders, feeders, robots, probes and tool setters to help streamline production. Through THINC, communication with established business and production systems is immediately available.

This partnership will result in production data such as job starts, machine hours and part counts coming directly off the machine into Exact JobBoss, providing a level of accuracy unattainable through traditional data entry methods.

New Head Of 600 Group In North America

Don Haselton has accepted the pivotal task of leading 600 Group, Inc. into the future.  Don will oversee all North America interests with operations in the United States and Canada.

The 600 Group PLC is an international Group of engineering companies primarily involved in the manufacture and distribution of machine tools, industrial lasers and other engineering products. The 600 Group Company’s in North America include, 600 Machine Tools, Clausing Colchester, Clausing Industrial Inc, Pratt Burnerd America and Erickson Machine Tools.

Don brings to the Company broad    experience in sales and marketing. Starting his professional career in 1976 at General Electric, he held a variety of positions in sales, sales management and marketing management with increasingly senior management roles focusing on industrial products, distribution and strategic planning. Since 1997 Don served Fadal Machining Centers, LLC. as the Vice President of Marketing and Sales. 

Bridgeport VMC’s to be Built in the USA

To keep pace with demand for its top-selling Bridgeport High-Performance XP3-Series VMCs produced in Asia, Hardinge is adding new production capacity in the United States.

“We’re managing our global capacities to meet the torrent demand by initiating assembly in our 600,000-sq.ft. Elmira, N.Y., plant,” explains Gregory P. Grogan, vp/general manager of North American Machine Operations

The machines will now be known as the Bridgeport XR-Series and will sport a sleek new look with a thin red stripe at the edge of the wider blue stripe, signifying the new Red-Line Series. Bridgeport gears Red-Line designation to a range of products designed for high-productivity.

These high-specification vertical machining centers feature compact design, Fanuc 18i MB controls with highspeed nanometer contouring capability, rapid traverse rate of up to 1,700 IPM, high-performance spindle technology, and swing arm ATC with up to 48 tools.

 “The first two models – the XR 760 and XR 1000 – start Elmira production and assembly in September for delivery to the North American market this fall,” states David Austin, director of operations North America. “At first we will be assembling kits, but as we move toward 2007, many key components on the machine will be sourced domestically, many of which will be manufactured within our Elmira facility.”

Kitagawa and NorthTech Workholding  Merge

The exclusive U.S. representative of Kitagawa products in North and South America, NorthTech Workholding has now joined forces with Kitagawa Iron Works to become; Kitagawa-NorthTech Inc. effective 10-1-06.  Combined, the two companies will offer a high level of workholding solutions as well as improved customer service and support throughout North and South America.

As Kitagawa-NorthTech, Inc, the two companies will  share their individual technical expertise, offering customers more advanced application solutions and enhance their offerings to high volume manufacturers. The company will also draw on its advanced global engineering capabilities, using both the resources of Kitagawa Iron Works in Japan and Kitagawa-NorthTech Inc. in the United States.

The newly formed Kitagawa-NorthTech Inc. brings to market   Kitagawa’s  vast workholding experience.

Kitagawa-NorthTech Inc engineers design, test, deliver and install custom workholding for your specific application.

WESTEC 2007, Now Over 85% Sold

On March 26-29, 2007, WESTEC returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. WESTEC delivers a total manufacturing experience with over 600 exhibitors displaying and demonstrating a wide array of manufacturing technologies, software applications and services in areas of machining, cutting tool and allied technologies; automation and assembly; welding and welding supplies; job shop and other contract manufacturing and engineering services; composites and other advanced materials.

As part of this all encompassing event, WESTEC will offer exciting Plant Tours with complementary half-day sessions and exclusive time with exhibitors for EACH of the following topics: Reverse Engineering, Advanced Materials – Composites, Design for Automation, Laser Applications, Lean Principles for the Job Shop, Welding Applications, Workforce Development with the State of California Manufacturing.

Additional highlights of the event that also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) are:

Aerospace & Defense State of the Industry – full day program that will gather C-level attendees and speakers to deliver the states of industry of aerospace and defense. Boeing will anchor an exhibit space in the “Supplier Park” with their selected suppliers.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Annual Meeting and the SME International Awards Gala recognizes those who have contributed significantly to the manufacturing industries through technology, process, design, research and more.

Student & Educator Activities Programs - Under the direction of the Century Club and covering all four days of WESTEC, these Manufacturing Careers Showcase Activities aim to change the image of manufacturing among students, parents, educators and direct them towards careers in engineering, manufacturing and technology.

Four different programs are being held namely, the Manufacturing Challenge – an open-ended, juried competition where select university and college students display and demonstrate their projects and answer questions on the basis of design, innovation and manufacturability; Manufacturing Career Days for Engineering & Academy Students where WESTEC hosts one regional high school a day – Engineering or Manufacturing Academy (Monday to Wednesday) where students are mentored and toured around select exhibiting companies; Educator Summit  brings together approximately 80 K-12 and community college teachers, career advisors, counselors and administrators to learn, discuss and share successful manufacturing–related programs and activities for K-12 students, such as Project Lead The Way, FIRST Robotics, Skills USA; and the Student Summit , approximately 500 – 600 Southern California 11th & 12th grade high school students along with their faculty members and counselors spend the day at WESTEC in an organized, tightly-scheduled career- related programming consisting of an Information Fair, guided small group tours of the exhibit floor, manufacturing career-related presentations.

Free sessions on Comparative Process Technology Forum - - The BATTLE of the Technologies at the NEW Technology Theater will be offered to all registered attendees. This forum addresses the best technology appropriate to meet certain manufacturing needs and challenges (such as grinding vs. machining; waterjet vs. laser; etc)

In addition to the above forum, free sessions on Solutions for Small Businesses – will also be held at the new Technology Theater. These are 30-minute presentations to assist small businesses in the areas of:: Loans, OSEA, Globalization issues and solutions, Workforce development, Diversity in manufacturing, Legal issues for small manufacturers, Patents.

Plan For Trumpf Laser Factory In Connecticut  Approved

Trumpf Inc. has announced town approval of its plan to construct a new laser facility at its Farmington, Connecticut campus. The laser factory is designed to consolidate the company’s local laser R&D, manufacturing assembly, testing and sales. With a building footprint of about 64,000 square feet, the facility will offer more than 90,000 square feet of usable space.

The multimillion dollar project doubles Trumpf’s current space allocated for laser research and manufacturing of gas and solid-state laser resonators. At the US headquarters, the company maintains an R&D laboratory fully engaged in creating new, advanced lasers.

The company expects to begin site preparation and building in November 2006 and expects construction to take approximately 12 to 14 months.

Starrett Acquires Tru-Stone Technologies, Inc.

The L.S. Starrett Co  recently acquired the assets of the Tru-Stone Technologies. Tru-Stone Technologies provides high-precision, custom-engineered granite machine bases and accessories to leading manufacturers of inspection/measurement equipment and other industries. The acquisition provided synergistic opportunities for Starrett to diversify its customer base, broaden the array of custom granite solutions for industry, and leverage its global brand strength.

Tru-Stone services a number of industries, including semiconductors, flat panel displays, advanced microelectronics, aerospace, automotive, medical, optical and general industrial. They are well known by their customers for providing outstanding service and technical engineering support.

Tru-Stone brings 46 years of developing proprietary processing and finishing techniques, earning them recognition as a leading industry provider of high precision, custom requirements using granite as a primary material. They make custom-engineered granite, ceramic and carbon fiber bases and accessories that are incorporated into inspection and measuring equipment.

Bystronic Strengthens North American Management Team

Bystronic has announced a strengthened Strategic Management Team with several new appointments.

James Johnson has been named Vice President, Sales and will be responsible for all sales and distribution activities within the North American market region.  Mr. Johnson has over twenty years experience in the machine tool industry and has served as Bystronic’s Director of Sales and Marketing for five years. 

Mark Duncan will continue in his role as Vice President, Operations & Logistics, with responsibility for machinery installations and field training at customer sites as well as coordination of all materials and logistic functions. Mr. Duncan has been with Bystronic for over ten years.

Peter Kyc has been appointed Bystronic’s Vice President, Customer Services and will oversee all technical support, field services, and parts sales operations throughout North America.  Mr. Kyc has over twenty-five years of customer service experience.

Steven Sternberg has been named as Vice President, Controller. Mr. Sternberg has served as controller for seven years and will now have full responsibility for all accounting functions.

Frank Arteaga, Product Manager Laser Cutting Systems, has been appointed to Bystronic’s new Strategic Management Team as Leader of Marketing Product Management.  With over thirteen years of experience at Bystronic, Mr. Arteaga is a highly respected expert of laser technology and the North American sheet metal processing market.

Melanie Kaplan has joined the company as Director of Human Resources and  is a member of the management team.  Mrs. Kaplan has twenty years of combined human resources and management experience including a heavy concentration in training and development.

Teksoft Announces Two Appointments

Teksoft Inc., developer of CAMWorks, announced   the appointment of Domenic Lanzillotta as Vice President of Worldwide sales and Greg Dare as Director of Marketing.  In their new roles, Lanzillotta will be responsible for the direction of Teksoft’s worldwide sales operations while Dare will assume control of the company’s overall marketing and PR functions.

“I am pleased to welcome both Domenic and Greg to our executive management team,” said Mike Coleman, Chief Executive Officer of Teksoft. “Their talents will be essential as our next generation machining solution, CAMWorks, continues to establish itself as the premier CNC package in the global manufacturing marketplace.”

Mr. Lanzillotta brings over twenty years of manufacturing software sales and global channel management experience.  Most recently, he served as Vice President of Worldwide Sales for Surfware, Inc.  He has previously held various management positions at Delcam, Greco Systems, and Numeritronics.

Mr. Dare possesses a broad range of marketing management and public relations experience spanning technology companies across the consumer electronics, software and retail services industries. He most recently served as Director of Marketing for Surfware, Inc.