Overseas

Kanji Inoue was named executive director of the Japan Spring Manufacturers Association (JSMA) at the 60th Anniversary meeting on May 22, 2008. He replaces Toshio Kuwabara. Inoue comes to the JSMA from NHK Spring. He may be contacted at kanjiinoue@spring.or.jp.

Adolf Schnorr GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, Germany, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Founded as a workshop for cutting and stamping tools, Schnorr pioneered the development of series production Belleville disc springs. Schnorr has become a specialized manufacturer of disc springs, safety washers, and load washers, and an internationally-known problem solver in the field of disc spring and screw locking devices. The company has a global network of 39 branch offices.

Schnorr disc springs support a number of dynamic processes in various applications and sectors, including the automotive industry, mechanical and plant engineering and aerospace technology.

Overseas Events

November 20-22, 2008: Wire & Cable India 2008, Mumbai, India, Cheryl Fernandes, Business Fairs, Confederation of Indian Industry, 91-22-24931790, ext. 470, www.ciionline.org

March 10-13, 2009: BLECH Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia

October 27-29, 2009: BLECH Polska, Kielce, Poland

November 18-20, 2009: BLECH India, Mumbai, India; sheet metal manufacturing exhibitions, Mack Brooks Exhibitions, +44-0-1727-814400, www.blechevents.com

April 12-16, 2010: International Wire and Cable Trade Fair and Tube International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair, Düsseldorf, Germany, Messe Düsseldorf North America, (312) 781-5180, www.mdna.com.

North America

The American Petroleum Institute (API) honored Dennis Fetter, P.E., WireCo WorldGroup vice president of product engineering and research and development, for 25 years of exemplary contributions to the organization. The tribute was given at the API’s Exploration & Production Standards Conference on Oilfield Equipment and Materials in Calgary, Alberta, in June. The announcement was made by API’s director of standards, David Miller, P.E., F. ASCE. API is a leading trade association representing over 400 member companies in the petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries.

Fetter has filled various engineering positions with WireCo WorldGroup, the world’s largest manufacturer of wire rope, for 37 years and is an industry catalyst in the advancement of wire rope technology and the procedures for its use. For more than 20 years, he has headed the API task group responsible for the API specification on wire ropes for the petroleum and natural gas industries and the API recommended practice for wire rope application, care and use in oilfield service.

Electronics Inc. (www.electronics-inc.com) is conducting a Shot Peening and Blast Cleaning Workshop and Trade Show in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 28-30, at the Hyatt Regency. Cincinnati is located in an Ohio aerospace powerhouse corridor with more than 300 industry-related businesses. The comprehensive workshop will cover topics in aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities in the shot peening industry. The workshop courses are recognized by the FAA. Mechanics qualified under FAA rules to perform inspections may receive credit for obtaining workshop Certificates of Achievement. Additionally, the flapper peening classes and exam are of special benefit to shot peening operators in the aerospace industry.

The workshop will cover all aspects of the shot peening and blast cleaning processes including the proper shot peening procedures as required by applicable specifications; the products (air and wheel machines, nozzles, media, and job shop services); how to control the process through media, intensity, coverage and equipment; how to plot a saturation curve to determine intensity; how to establish proper machine parameters to ensure correct stress profiles and fatigue life; proper paperwork procedures and record keeping; how to pass an audit; how to spot a machine malfunction; and machine maintenance.

All workshop attendees will receive Certificates of Attendance. Electronics Inc. will also offer Level I, II and III Shot Peening and Flapper Peening Exams for qualified students on October 31 for a fee of $100 each. Upon passing the exams, participants will earn Certificates of Achievement. For more information, phone (574) 256-5001.

On July 15, 2008, Midwest Spring & Stamping, Inc. paid off all pre-bankruptcy debt and regained its independence from outside control. The largest creditor, John Hancock Insurance, and the vendor creditors had held notes for their debt since the company’s emergence from Chapter 11 in April of 2001. Management, John Hancock Insurance and a representative of the vendors held board of director positions with John Hancock controlling the majority. With the company’s repurchase of the Hancock and vendor debt, control returned to the management of Midwest Spring.

President and CEO of Midwest Spring and Stamping, Jeffrey L. Ellison, said that the working relationship with the board was always constructive and supportive and he expressed his gratitude to them for giving Midwest Spring the opportunity to regain its footing and return to strong financial health. “Although the long term goals of the company and the outside board members were different, the board never failed to support the company’s growth and investment plans,” Ellison said.

The company’s new owners, Ellison, Michael B. Curran, vice president of administration and finance, and C.J. Overmyer, vice president of operations, visited Midwest Spring & Stamping’s two plants in Muskegon, Mich., and Mentone, Ind. the day after the buy-back to announce the news to employees. There was much relief since recent attempts to sell the company would have resulted in an uncertain future for the many families who depend on Midwest Spring for their primary income. Ellison commented that, “The employees of Midwest Spring & Stamping have worked hard to pull the company back to financial health and they deserve to enjoy as much job security as today’s turbulent worldwide conditions will allow.”

The company stated that the policies and strategies that have brought Midwest Spring back to health will not change. In a news release, the company said, “Customers are still the most important focus of the business. We wish to thank all of the customers and vendors that gave Midwest Spring the breathing room to continue its 80 year history.”

Industrial Steel and Wire Co., Chicago, Ill., announces the appointment of Robert J. (Bob) Kerr as district sales manager, south east, responsible for

From left to right: Mark Fridman, marketing manager at Mark-10 Corporation, Dr. Anurag Purwal and Dr. Yu Zhou of Stony Brook University

sales from their Charlotte warehouse. He holds a degree in business administration and economics from St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa. Kerr replaces Richard Potosnak who is retiring after over 40 years in the wire industry. Kerr has a wide knowledge of the wire industry, having previously worked for Insteel Wire Products, Leggett & Platt Group, Cargill Steel & Wire and Bekaert Corporation.

Mark-10 Corporation has announced the donation of more than $25,000 worth of force and torque test equipment to Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y. The equipment will be used in the school’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Center for Advanced Sensor Systems. Mark-10 products will be used by students and faculty in such areas as biomedical device research, robotics, materials science, and other applications. As a leading regional university in the areas of science and engineering, among other disciplines, Stony Brook University is vital in supplying the local economy with well qualified engineers, technicians, and scientists. Mark-10, a designer and manufacturer of force and torque measurement products, is pleased to do its part in educating tomorrow’s technical leaders and ensuring that manufacturing and high tech industries continue to thrive.

The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc., with the support of its Ohio Valley Chapter and more than 100 volunteers, hosted an activity-rich event that included exhibits, technical and social programs as part of Wire Expo 2008 and its 78th Annual Convention in June at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Participation figures totaled 1957 and exhibition space was filled by 308 exhibiting companies. The event attracted participants from 38 states and 31 countries outside of the U.S.

Mark A. Thackeray, senior vice president of North American operations for General Cable, delivered the keynote address at the WAI Awards Breakfast entitled “Pursuit of Manufacturing Excellence – A Journey.” WAI honored its new 25-year and Life members at the breakfast as well as award-winning authors. WAI president Ronald Reed also presented two of the association’s highest honors: the Donnellan Memorial Award, which was awarded to Giulio Properzi and also posthumously to Barry Loudon; and Bhaskar Yalamanchili was honored with the Mordica Memorial Award.

Wire Expo is held biennially for the wire and cable manufacturing industry. The Wire Association International, Inc., founded in 1930, is a worldwide technical society for wire and cable industry professionals. For more information, contact WAI at (203) 453-2777 or visit www.wirenet.org.

At the 2008 Brake Manufacturers Council (BMC) meeting in Mexico, LINK Engineering was presented with the BMC Technical & Engineering award by Mike Zissman, chairperson of the BMC Friction Material Technical Committee. Roy Link, president of Link Engineering, expressed LINK’s sincere appreciation for the award and acknowledged the significant accomplishments which have been achieved through this collaboration. Tim Duncan, LINK’s vice president of test operations, added, “We feel it is a distinct honor to receive this award, and we are particularly proud that our partners in the Brake Manufacturers Council have recognized us in this way.”

The BMC was established in 1973. This not-for-profit organization, whose members include the leading manufacturers of brake systems and components, is dedicated to improving the quality and performance of brake parts and systems for North American cars and light trucks. The BMC is a product line group of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).

Iowa Spring Manufacturing, Inc., a major producer of precision springs for industries worldwide, has added several new features to the company’s website at www.iowaspring.com.

Iowa Spring creates custom spring products for the residential and commercial overhead garage door industry, farm and agricultural equipment manufacturers, as well as specialty manufacturers who produce products such as dock levelers, trailers, and snow plows. The company says the updated website allows market segment users to interact with the company in a meaningful way through breakout pages for each industry that Iowa Spring serves.

In addition to industry-specific content and detail on springs produced, each market segment page also offers a downloadable PDF capabilities sheet for easy customer reference. A growing resource library also provides users with key information and documents needed in the ordering process. In addition, users can now submit a request for quote (RFQ), and technical documents and CAD drawings can be uploaded and sent with the RFQ to easily communicate customers’ design needs.

“Earlier this year we conducted a survey of current and potential customers to learn more about what website features would be useful to them. We collected this feedback and used it as the basis for this update,” said Tim Bianco, president of Iowa Spring Manufacturing, Inc. “This enhanced site will allow us to better serve our customers in a more efficient and effective manner.”

The new website debuted on August 15, and similar updates will be launched for Iowa Spring’s focused garage door spring division, Southern Atlantic Spring (Granite Quarry, NC), later this fall. For more information, phone (800) 622-2203 or visit www.iowaspring.com.

North American Events

Oct. 15-17, 2008: Spring World 2008, Rosemont, IL, CASMI, (630) 369-3772, www.springworld.org.

Oct. 20-22, 2008: WAI International Technical Conference, Monterrey, NL, Mexico, WAI, (203) 453-2777, ext. 138, www.wirenet.org.

Oct. 28-30, 2008: Shot Peening and Blast Cleaning Workshop and Trade Show, Cincinnati, OH, Electronics, Inc., (574) 256-5001,
www.electronics-inc.com.

April 25-30, 2009: Interwire Trade Exhibition (4/25-30) and International Fastener Exposition (4/27-30), Cleveland, OH, Wire Association International, fax (203) 453-8384, www.wirenet.org.