March Industry Watch: Business

AICON (BRAUNSCHWEIG, GERMANY) . . .
recently setup its own photovoltaic system. The system covers a roof area of 850m² and is installed on the roofs of AICON’s two headquarter buildings. It comprises 344 solar modules that convert solar energy into electricity. “We intend to generate 32.690 kWh per year with this system,” explains Dr.Carl Thomas Schneider, president of AICON 3D Systems. “This would cover about 50 percent of our own power demands. In past years we have used green electricity for our company buildings. Now, by setting up our own photovoltaic system, we are able to make an active contribution to the expansion of renewable energies.”

The company’s environmental commitment goes beyond the generation of power though. Step by step, it examines all divisions and checks whether operations can be done in a more sustainable way. For example, AICON plans to reduce the CO2 emissions of its company cars significantly. “Our goal is an average fleet fuel consumption below 5 liters,” says Dr. Schneider. “Therefore, we only acquire very fuel-efficient company vehicles.” www.aicon.de

ERIEZ® (ERIE, PA) . . .
booked more than 11,000 orders in 2010, setting an all-time high record for number of orders entered in a year. According to Charlie Ingram, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, the previous high mark was set in 1997. “This accomplishment represents 11,000 contracts with Eriez to provide our products and services to thousands of customers this year,” says Ingram. “It’s a team effort to support the kind of trust our customers place with us in a broad variety of industries from food processing to recycling, coal and metalworking.”

Tim Shuttleworth, president and CEO, explains, “We believe our strategy of innovation, diversification and investment has helped us remain profitable in this down economy.” He adds, “Eriez’ presence in a broad array of industries is an essential component to our success. When one market is soft, we have the ability to refocus on a stronger market.” www.eriez.com

SIEMENS (ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL) . . .
raffled off a 10^th anniversary motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers (OCC), the custom build shop owned by Paul Teutel and popularized on national TV. Over 3000 people registered for the raffle during the six-day event, held at IMTS in the McCormick Place in Chicago last September.

The winner was Bob Pool, Machining Supervisor at Riverview Manufacturing Inc. (Palmyra, MO), a division of Doyle Equipment Manufacturing Company (Quincy, IL), a major manufacturer of dry bulk handling machinery. Riverview fabricates large-capacity fertilizer spreaders and other equipment for its parent company. www.usa.siemens.com

ERIE PRESS SYSTEMS (ERIE, PA) . . .
has been awarded an order from SGL Group – The Carbon Company – for the world’s largest carbon extrusion press. This new tilt-type press will extrude ultra high power (UHP) carbon graphite electrodes with greater bulk density, lower specific electrical resistance, improved flexural strength, increased thermal conductivity, and lower coefficient of thermal expansion than achievable with other extrusion systems. These characteristics lower the cost of electric arc furnace operation and, ultimately, the cost of melting steel.

Equipped with the latest technology in hydraulic and electronic controls, and software for improved productivity and better quality electrodes, it will be the largest carbon extrusion press in existence. The press features hydraulic and electric controls designed and built by Erie Press Systems, with an integrated software program. www.eriepress.com

PRAB (KALAMAZOO, MI) . . .
acquired Triple/S Dynamics, Inc. (Dallas, TX), a leading manufacturer of horizontal motion conveying systems, screening and separation equipment, and distribution systems for the entire processing industry, including bulk handling, waste and recycling applications. According to officials, all Triple/S employees, production, and operations will remain in Texas.

In making the announcement, Ned Thompson, PRAB president and CEO, said that the Triple/S and PRAB product lines complement one another and will enhance their position in the marketplace. “It’s a win–win and we are extremely excited to have strengthened each other’s capabilities,” noted Thompson. “These companies are also an excellent fit based on shared corporate values and unrelenting commitment to innovation and product performance.”

Triple/S current president and CEO, Jeff Sullivan will continue in his leadership role and all Triple/S product lines will be represented by their on-going network of independent sales offices. In addressing the mutually beneficial ownership shift, Sullivan emphasized that “we will operate as we have, very successfully and as an industry leader for over 120 years. We are well matched because both companies have the same mission: partnering with our customers to meet their unique challenges and deliver solutions through engineering excellence, quality manufacturing, and high performance products.”

Triple/S and PRAB are similar in that their conveying and processing products are completely custom-engineered and manufactured, offering solutions specific to every customer’s unique needs. Both manufacturers have long, established histories of customer loyalty, with a combined total of 180 years experience in the business. www.prab.com

THE LNS GROUP (ORVIN, SWITZERLAND) . . .
took over Italian air filtration systems manufacturer Fox IFS. “The purchase of Fox IFS allows us to expand our product range and therefore further strengthen our market position as the machine tool industry’s one-stop-shop. The acquisition also provides a further entry into green technologies that complements our existing coolant filtration systems in bringing environmentally conscious solutions to our customers”, explains LNS CEO Thomas Boehmer. “This takeover also permits additional R&D investment in mist collector solutions to bring innovative products to the market.”

“The oil mist collectors developed by Fox IFS complement the LNS product range. We can offer machine tool peripherals for the whole production cycle – from bar feeding, coolant management and mist collectors all the way to chip disposal systems,” states Boehmer.

LNS will continue to manufacture in the existing factory in Azzano San Paolo in the Italian Lombardy region. “We will also continue to work with the currently employed specialists. The small structure with twelve employees makes it easy to integrate the company into the LNS Group,” reports Boehmer. The goal is to leverage the growth of these product lines around the world. www.LNS-group.com

ROMI MACHINE TOOLS‘ (ERLANGER, KY)…
Brazilian parent company, Industrias Romi SA, has reached a milestone in its 80-year history – shipping machine number 150,000. To celebrate, Romi held a ceremony at its Santa Barbara d’Oeste Plant 16 for delivery of the machine.

The machine, a Romi D800 vertical machining center, was delivered in the presence of Romi directors, employees, customer representatives (ZHS Industria e Comercio Ltda., of Brazil), and BNDES, the bank that financed the purchase. During the event, Romi CEO Livaldo Aguiar dos Santos spoke to attendees about the importance of core principles in the conduct of the company’s business. For Santos, “Our growth is directly related to its ethical values based on sound business principles that combine creativity and innovation.”

Santos also pointed out the importance of motivated employees who provide a constant source of ideas and justify the company’s huge investment in training and professional development. “In our 80 years we’ve had more than 25,000 employees, many with 30, 40 and 50 years of service. Now we are 2,800 collaborators, working in Brazil, Italy, Germany, Britain, France, Spain and the U.S., who share a unique culture focused on innovation and quality,” added Santos. www.romiusa.com

PENNENGINEERING^® (DANBORO, PA) . . .
launched a newly designed, enhanced, and expanded website, offering unprecedented functionality and a wider range of user-friendly tools for design engineers and the customer marketplace. The upgraded site is marked by bolder graphics and visuals opens a bright and easy-to-navigate window for access to the company’s entire line of fastener products, fastening technology solutions, and engineering and technical support.

The multi-language website is equipped with dedicated tools enabling quick searches of the site, in general, or tailored to specific product family or type. Other standing features include a new global locator for representatives and distributors and calendar of upcoming tradeshows for all regions worldwide.

Especially noteworthy is an enhanced multi-capability product selector tool delivering these capabilities, among others: 2D and 3D drawings for download, direct insertion, or emailing; a “compare products” feature; product search string showing a clear navigation path; keyword and part number search; product-specific printable pages and PDF options; 2D customer drawings integrating product and installation data; user-tracking; and complete back-end administrative functionality.

The site retains popular sections, including “Commonly Asked Questions,” “Glossary of Terms” for fastener products, and complete product literature available for download. These are in addition to the site’s CAD Library, RoHS compliance lookup tools, product spec conversion charts, online tutorials, video and animation library, and the latest product news. www.pemnet.com

CATERPILLAR INC. (PEORIA, IL) . . .
plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Thailand. The company will break ground on the new factory in early 2011, with production scheduled to begin in late 2012. The facility will produce a full range of underground mining articulated trucks and loaders, which are used by Caterpillar customers around the world in hard-rock underground mining applications.

The 60,000 sq m (645,000 sq ft) factory will be located at the Hemaraj Rayong Industrial Land in Rayong Province. The new facility will increase the current production of underground mining products produced by Caterpillar in Australia and Brazil to respond to the growth in demand. Once the facility in Thailand is fully operational and at full capacity, it is expected to employ about 800 people.

“The on-going infrastructure development plans for the world’s growth markets combined with a long-term trend toward urbanization and growing wealth in emerging economies should continue to help drive long-term demand for commodities,” said Steve Wunning, Caterpillar Group President with responsibility for Resource Industries. “This facility will help to position Caterpillar for continued leadership in the mining industry. www.caterpillar.com

CK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC (MONTPELIER, OH) . . .
will build a manufacturing facility for interior, exterior, and functional (under-the-hood) assemblies in Brownsville, TX. The new facility involves a capital investment in excess of $20 million and is expected to create 121 jobs during 2011. CKT is a unit of Grand Rapids, MI-based Cascade Engineering and leading supplier to the commercial truck and bus market.

The new Brownsville facility will serve CKT customer operations located in Texas, Oklahoma and Mexico and house a large-tonnage injection molding capability, as well as chrome electroplating, painting, assembly and warehousing areas. The facility is slated to open with molding in the second quarter of 2011.

“The Brownsville area provides an ideal platform for CKT to meet and exceed our strategic growth objectives, which include expanding our manufacturing footprint and serving our many customers in the Southwest more efficiently,” said Tony Kramer, Commercial Director for CKT. “We have been pleased to collaborate with the Texas Enterprise Fund, and a number of local economic development officials, each of whom has been instrumental in helping us reach our goal. We are also confident that Brownsville’s skilled workforce will play a key role in enabling us to achieve rapid and sustained success as our new operations commence.” www.cktech.biz

ENPRO INDUSTRIES (CHARLOTTE, NC) . . .
acquired the assets of Rome Tool and Die, Inc., (Rome, GA) a leading supplier of steel brake shoes to the North American heavy-duty truck market. The business will become part of the brake products group of Stemco, an EnPro Industries company. The acquisition was completed for cash; terms were not disclosed.

“Rome Tool and Die is an important and attractive addition to Stemco,” said Steve Macadam, President and CEO of EnPro. “This business supplies new brake shoes to the aftermarket in the U.S. Stemco, with the best sales and product training model in the industry, will now be able to combine brake shoes with Duroline brake pads to offer a completely lined brake shoe kit that will provide important performance and safety benefits to fleet operators.”

Brake shoes are the third product line added by Stemco to its brake products group since the third quarter of 2009. Friction products were added through a North American distribution agreement with Duroline, a Brazilian brake linings manufacturer, and automatic brake adjusters were added through the Stemco Crewson joint venture. With the addition of brake products and suspension system components, which were added through the acquisition of Kaiser Engineering in 2008, Stemco expects more than 35 percent of its 2011 sales to come from products not offered at the end of 2007. www.enproindustries.com.