Medical engineering is dynamic, evolving, and as with other industries there is a great deal of activity between companies as they seek to increase market share by better serving their customer base. Here are some recent market moves.
- Doosan Corp. acquires controlling interest in Daewoo Machine Tools. In becoming a private sector enterprise rather than the Korean-run asset management company, little more than a name change is involved, according to Steve Lesnewich, vice president of sales and marketing for the Machine Tool Division. "We will continue to produce our turning and machining center at the same factory under the Daewoo name and continue to distribute through the 42 distributor offices that have represented us in the U.S. and Canada." The new name of the machine tool division will be Daewoo Machine Tool Division of Doosan Infracore. In addition to machine tools, the new company has construction and forklift divisions. Daewoo was the first Korean company to introduce its machine tools to the U.S. and has become one of the three largest suppliers of CNC machine tools in North America. Products include horizontal, vertical and inverted turning centers, vertical and horizontal machining centers. Too, the machine tool division has signed a worldwide strategic relationship agreement with Pathtrace PLC of the United Kingdom. The two will cooperate on future development of new production machining techniques for milling, turning and mill/turn machining. As part of the agreement, Pathtrace will provide licenses of its EdgeCAM software for implementation in Daewoo's technical center in Changwan, Korea as well as facilities in Europe, the Americas and other parts of Asia.
- Cognex
Corp., a leading supplier
of machine vision systems, has acquired Duluth, Georgia-based DVT Corp. A leading provider of low-cost, easy-to-use vision sensors,
DVT sells primarily to the fast-growing factory-floor segment of the machine vision industry. Its principal product, Legend, is used by a large number of customers in a variety of applications, including inspection and quality control.
Recently, Cognex has been expanding its product line by adding lower-cost, easy-to-use vision products, including In-Sight and Checker. Dr. Robert J. Shillman, chairman and CEO of Cognex, explains that, "Reaching thousands of prospects for these products in factories around the world requires a large third-party sales and distribution channel to supplement our own direct end-user sales force. With the acquisition of DVT, Cognex immediately gains a worldwide network of more than 150 additional industrial distributors, all fully trained in selling and supporting machine vision products."
- S&W Plastics, a 35 year old plastic injection molding manufacturer, has been acquired by Minnesota Rubber and QMR Plastics. The two plastics manufacturing companies have had particular focus on the medical, electronics and industrial markets. S&W has a strong customer base in the medical industry."The S&W acquisition demonstrates our commitment to our expanding presence as a supplier to the medical community, as it adds new capacity and resources to our QMR Plastics operations," says Robert W. Carlson , Jr., Minnesota Rubber Chairman of the Board. "The acquisition is an excellent fit and will provide immediate press capacity for expanding project launches."S&W facilities include a Class 10,000 clean room with assembly and packaging services. The company's free molding capability complements Minnesota Rubber's expanding silicone surgical tool over molding business.
- In addition to its agreement with Daewoo, Pathtrace has signed a strategic alliance agreement to deliver EdgeCAM with E-Line Machines from Industrias Romi, the largest manufacturer of machine tools in Latin America. EdgeCAM programming software will be offered with Romi's Cetur 30D and 30G Lathes and their E, G and Galaxy Turning Centers. Romi's E-Line includes turning configurations from single spindle/single turret machines up to twin spindle/.twin turret. All configurations can include C&Y functionality. The alliance between the two companies includes: offering EdgeCAM with each machine configuration; machine simulation within EdgeCAM; delivery of factory approved post-processor; delivery of training and technical support; and cooperation on future developments within EdgeCAM.
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