Production Machining’s April 2023 News Highlights

Richard G. “Rick” Kline Sr., chairman of Gardner Business Media (GBM) - parent company of Production Machining. Photo Credit: GBM

AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology is honoring Richard G. “Rick” Kline Sr., chairman of Gardner Business Media (GBM) - parent company of Production Machining, with its Albert W. Moore Leadership Award. The award recognizes industry leaders for outstanding contributions to the AMT membership and manufacturing technology. Kline is an apt recipient as he has spent his life in the industry impacting a generation of manufacturers. “I was a young Modern Machine Shop representative calling on the Detroit auto industry in the 1960s, which was the ‘Mad Men’ era of advertising,” Kline says. Read more about our outstanding leader in this AMT profile.

Here are more news highlights:

Reshoring Initiative Reports Another Stellar Year
The Reshoring Initiative’s 2022 Annual Data Report indicates that 2022 reshoring and FDI job announcements were at the highest rate ever recorded. The fourth quarter announcements accelerated even more than anticipated due to the Chips and Infrastructure Acts, combined with deglobalization trends. A huge surge in EV batteries and chips combined with a continued trend in a broad range of industries enabled the new record.

The inaugural class in the Index Technician Development Program participates in a learning session on the shop floor. Photo Credit: Index

Index Develops Training Program for Junior Technicians
Index has created the Index Technician Development Program (ITDP), which is an eight-month formal training program for junior technicians. Developed in response to the ongoing skilled labor shortage, the ITDP incorporates both classroom and hands-on instruction, including two months spent at the company’s global headquarters in Germany. “The manufacturing industry as a whole is facing a skilled labor shortage,” says Jose Zamora, Index training and development manager. “That issue is even more pronounced when you look for people with the breadth of knowledge required to service and install advanced machine tools. We have very consciously developed the ITDP curriculum to grow the pool of labor in our industry.”

Save the Date for The Automated Shop Conference Oct. 10-11, 2023
The Automated Shop Conference (TASC) is a new event focused on the necessity of manufacturing automation for CNC job shops. Set for Oct. 10-11, 2023, in Novi, Michigan, this event is sponsored by Modern Machine Shop, Production Machining and Gardner Business Media. With a program curated by the editors of Modern Machine Shop, organizers say TASC 2023 will feature a full curriculum of technical content, networkiing with the industry’s best and brightest, and facility tours led by the experts who run them.

Employees from Star Cutter’s Tawas Tool location showcase their Going Pro funding. Photo Credit: Star Cutter Co.

Star Cutter Awarded Workforce Development Funding for Employee Training
Star Cutter Co.’s Tawas Tool, Ossineke Industries and H.B. Carbide facilities have received 2023 Going PRO Talent Funds from the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development (LEO-WD) through the Michigan Works! agency. Going PRO is a competitive funding source that is said to provide a solution to skill shortages throughout the state of Michigan that awards employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Past statistics from employees trained through the program indicate a retention rate of over 80%.

Mazak Adds New, Expanded Partnerships to Distribution Network
Mazak has made strategic changes to its distribution network as it focuses on total customer support. Pioneer Machine Sales is now providing sales and service support for Mazak customers in Arkansas and Oklahoma, while long-time Mazak distributor A.W. Miller Technical Sales will expand its territory to serve customers in eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and the southern half of New Jersey. With the new and expanded partnerships, Mazak is reinforcing its strategic model of direct sales and distribution in North America. In doing so, the company says it partners with only the best distributors, reflecting its steadfast commitment to continuous improvement, ongoing excellence and dedication to customers.

Productivity Inc. customized integrated robotics system. Photo Credit: Productivity Inc.

MMT Productivity Adopts Productivity Inc. Name to Complete Merger
MMT Productivity, formerly MMT LLC and Moncktons Machine Tools, has officially changed its name to Productivity Inc. The name change is the final official step in the merger of the two leading metalworking distributors. In 2015, Productivity joined forces with Moncktons Machines Tools to expand its presence into the Rocky Mountain region. In 2020, Moncktons Machine Tools took the name MMT Productivity, representing another step in the integration. This final name change is designed to streamline communications and processes, and strengthen the company’s offerings.

If you would like to learn more about the latest news, product technology and operational best practices in the precision machining industry, consider subscribing to Production Machining’s free monthly print magazine.