Master distributor agreement

Dr. Stefan Hansch, CEO of EMCO Group, Hallein, Austria, announces that EMCO Corp. has signed master distributor agreements with Motch & Eichele, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; and Crotts & Saunders, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Motch & Eichele and Crotts & Saunders are affiliated with the HEH Group based in Cuyahoga Falls.

“Both distributorship groups have been distributors of EMCO machine tools, 10 years and 5 years respectively, and we are pleased at the opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with EMCO and to bring more regional support and value added services to our customers,” says William R. Eichele, president, HEH Group.

“The new agreement will provide precisely focused service, sales, and application support to customers in Ohio, Kentucky, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina,” says Gary Hulihan, president, EMCO Corp.

Each distributor location provides machine demonstrations and application assistance. Together, the distributorships employ seven factory-trained service engineers and three application engineers to assist customers in optimizing their EMCO solutions, providing turnkey service and support for EMCO machines and UltraTech automation, also an affiliate of the HEH Group. www.emcomaier-usa.com, IMTS 2016 Booth #S-8780; www.mande.com; www.crottsandsaunders.com

Intelligent tools designed, tuned, optimized for Okuma

At IMTS 2016, Velocity Products, a division of Morris Group Inc., will introduce Velocity SMART Tool products. The line of intelligent tools is designed, tuned, and optimized for Okuma machining centers, the result of a collaboration among several companies with expertise in toolholding, cutting tools, machining dynamics, and distribution. Velocity SMART Tool products offer enhanced digital manufacturing for users of Okuma machining centers with the Okuma OSP-P control.

“We are extending our business, based on the success of the Velocity SU-matic line of live and static toolholders for Okuma lathes,” states Robert L. Bauer, vice president, Morris Group and head of Velocity Products. “We see a natural progression to advanced tooling for Okuma machining centers and believe that Velocity SMART Tool products will allow Okuma users to reap significant benefits in terms of improvements in efficiency, productivity, and overall operations through the application of digital manufacturing technology.”

Bauer credits partners Briney Tooling Systems of Bad Axe, Michigan; BlueSwarf of State College, Pennsylvania; and Fullerton Tool Co. of Saginaw, Michigan; for their roles in developing and manufacturing the line. Products will be sold as complete and balanced toolholder assemblies consisting of a pull stud, toolholder, solid carbide cutting tool, and BlueSwarf Dashboard interface for the Okuma control. Replacement cutting tools for the Velocity SMART Tools will be sold separately through Velocity Products.

Velocity SMART Tool products will be integrated into several machining demonstrations at Okuma’s IMTS Booth and will be available to users of Okuma machining centers through the Okuma distributor network supported by Velocity Products, . www.okuma.com/americas, IMTS 2016 Booth #S-8500; www.morrisgroupinc.com, IMTS 2016 Booth #S-9410; www.velocityproducts.com

WARDJet giving away 2 waterjets at IMTS Build It! Challenge

As part of the SmartForce Student Summit during IMTS 2016, WARDJet Inc. will be hosting the first Build It! Challenge with Hypertherm. The event, held at McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, Sept. 12-17, 2016, will see industry professionals go head-to-head with engineering students to build one of two WARDJet waterjets. At the end of each day, both waterjets will be quality tested and the winner will be crowned at the end of the week.

Attendees will have the chance to assemble a WARDJet Z-Carriage and get hands-on experience changing seals on a Hypertherm pump. Also, attendees will be able to see WARDJet’s 5-axis cutting head, the Infini Winder, and be able to remotely cut a part at WARDJet’s production facility – directly from the show floor via live video.

Register your team now to lock-in your build slot and for a chance to win a waterjet for your business or school. Or, stop by WARDJet’s booth during IMTS 2016 and try to snag one of the remaining build slots. There are limited build slots available.

All teams and attendees who participate in the Build It! Challenge will be entered for a chance to win one of the two WARDJet waterjets for their business or school. Certain restrictions apply. Registration and full details on the IMTS Build It Challenge can be found at www.wardjet.com/build-it-challenge. IMTS 2016 Booth #NC-733 & #NC-738, www.wardjet.com

Wallover Enterprises acquired by Houghton

Houghton Int’l Inc. acquired Wallover Enterprises, a North American metalworking fluid and industrial lubricant manufacturer headquartered in Strongsville, Ohio. This acquisition marks Houghton’s latest investment in the specialty metalworking and industrial fluids segment that enables the company to better serve North American manufacturers.

Wallover produces and sells a diverse portfolio of fluid products into industrial end markets throughout the U.S. and Canada and provides advanced technical and applications expertise in electrical discharge machining (EDM) fluids and stainless steel cold rolling oils. The company’s products, sales teams, and technology complement and expand Houghton’s advanced fluid solutions. https://home.quakerhoughton.com/; IMTS 2016 Booth #W-2234

APAC boosting Japan’s machine tools market

The machine tools market in Japan for 2015-2019 is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 6% and reach $15 billion by 2019, according to Technavio’s latest report. This rise in production can be attributed to economic reforms and stimulus package the present government has initiated to pull the economy out of recession. The stimulus package provided by the government has initiated some major reforms in the country’s manufacturing sector. www.technavio.com

Spindle technology sales, service center

GMN USA opened a new 28,000ft2 facility in Bristol, Connecticut. The facility allows for expansion in the grinding and assembly departments along with a larger, state-of-the-art test department, continuing GMN’s commitment to its North American market. GMN USA is the North American sales and service center for GMN in Nuremberg, Germany. www.gmnusa.com; IMTS 2016 Booth #N-7151