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a AMADA AMERICA INC. building

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The North Carolina Technical Center of AMADA AMERICA INC.
JUBILEE

Machinery builder celebrates 50 years of innovation in the United States

AMADA AMERICA INC. recently celebrated 50 years of operation in the United States along with another important milestone. The event was held at AMADA’s Carolina Technical Center (CTC), which marked its one-year anniversary.

Based in High Point, North Carolina, the CTC is located on the same campus as the 197,000-sq.-ft. Carolina Manufacturing Center that produces AMADA’s newest line of press brakes—the HRB Series. Both facilities were built to support U.S. fabricators. Since opening in October 2020, AMADA’s technical staff welcomes visitors for one-on-one machine demonstrations and technical events.

AMADA’s growing network of U.S. manufacturing sites has established the company as a leading American manufacturer of sheet metal fabrication equipment. In California, a full line of 3kW to 12kW laser cutting systems and modular automation systems are built at the Brea Manufacturing Center. Tooling for the high-performance HRB Series is manufactured at AMADA TOOL AMERICA INC. in Batavia, New York. Coast-to-coast manufacturing capabilities give American fabricators advantages like expedited delivery of AMADA’s machine tool solutions.

Coast-to-coast manufacturing capabilities give fabricators advantages like expedited delivery of machine tool solutions.

To provide hands-on demonstrations of the latest generation of equipment, AMADA continues to expand its network of customer-centered sites. The CTC, Schaumburg Solution Center and the Los Angeles Technical Center provide regional access to AMADA’s knowledgeable staff, including applications engineers and service/support personnel. Each of these facilities is also linked via live video feed—allowing customers to verify machine performance using their own parts on the broadest possible selection of AMADA equipment.

Attendees at the 50th anniversary celebration participated in a variety of events, including facilities and factory tours. The CTC’s 24,000-sq.-ft. Verification Floor showcases the latest AMADA machines and automated systems. As a result, guests viewed equipment demonstrations. Attendees also toured the AMADA Press Brake Academy, established to address the need for experienced press brake operators. In addition to training, the 43-acre campus provides manufacturing, service and a state-of-the-art Technical Center all at one location. The event was meant to provide proof that AMADA is committed to support North American fabricators.

Founded in 1971 as a research and development company, AMADA AMERICA INC., plans to continually design and develop machine tool solutions and automated systems to maximize its customers’ productivity.

TRADING

Reibus secures funding

Reibus, Atlanta, an independent metals marketplace whose 2021 revenue rose more than sevenfold over 2020, recently raised $75 million in Series B funding. This latest funding round brings Reibus to total funding in excess of $100 million and a valuation of $750 million. The new funding fuels the company’s growth, including expanding the marketplace and mobile app tools and services; accelerating new financial and logistical products; and expanding European business activity with a new dedicated team and resources.
Headshot of Harry Moser
Headshot of Harry Moser
PEOPLE
Harry Moser inducted into AME hall of fame
The Association for Manufacturing Excellence, Rolling Meadows, Illinois, inducted Harry Moser, president of the Reshoring Initiative, into the AME Hall of Fame during the 2021 AME International Conference. Moser founded the Reshoring Initiative to bring five million manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. after working for high-end machine tool supplier GF AgieCharmilles, starting as president in 1985 and retiring in 2010 as chairman emeritus. The AME Hall of Fame recognizes industry leaders and influencers who support the values, principles and practices found within leading enterprise excellence organizations.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
Desktop Metal partners with university
two nickel-titanium (Nitinol) alloy parts
Desktop Metal, Burlington, Massachusetts, and the University of Toledo Institute of Applied Engineering Research, Toledo, Ohio, formed a partnership to support the development of nickel-titanium (Nitinol) alloys, Rene alloys and other non-weldable nickel-based, high-temperature materials on the Production System platform. This platform leverages patent-pending Single Pass Jetting technology, designed to achieve the fastest build speeds in the metal additive manufacturing industry.
INVESTMENTS

Vorteq completes buyout

Vorteq Coil Finishers LLC, Pittsburgh, has completed a management-led buyout. Collaborating with Shadowbriar Capital Partners, Vorteq’s senior leadership team partnered with private investors to acquire the coil coating experts from Los Angeles-based Peninsula Pacific.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
TRUMPF and Equispheres collaborate
microscopic view of additive materials taking the form of small textured balls

TRUMPF, Farmington, Connecticut, is working with Equispheres Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, to qualify its aluminum additive manufacturing powders on TRUMPF 3D printers. Equispheres offers three lines of AlSiMg10 powders optimized for laser powder-bed fusion manufacturing systems. TRUMPF reports positive initial results using Equispheres’ powders and expects to complete the qualification process early next year. Once the qualification process is complete, the company will be recognized as one of TRUMPF’s recommended powder suppliers, and the materials will be supported by applications engineers at both Equispheres and TRUMPF.

Headshot of Kevin Kowalski
Headshot of Kevin Kowalski
PEOPLE
Tooling Tech Group appoints sales director
Tooling Tech Group, Macomb, Michigan, a provider of engineered tools and automated assembly equipment to a wide range of industries, has hired Kevin Kowalski as director of sales for its stamping and die division. Kowalski will be responsible for increasing the company’s automotive customer base, finding and developing new business markets and opportunities, and creating synergy with the company’s other sales managers in the die casting, composites, thermoforming and automation sectors.
Headshot of Stacy Greiner
Headshot of Stacy Greiner
PEOPLE

Protolabs names Stacy Greiner to board

Digital manufacturer Protolabs, Minneapolis, has named Stacy Greiner to its board of directors. Greiner serves as the general manager, North America sales and marketing business for Dun & Bradstreet, a global provider of business decisioning data and analytics.
ADDITIVE manufacturing

GE Additive unit inks agreement with Airbus

microscopic view of additive material
AP&C, Montreal, a GE Additive company, has signed a new agreement with Airbus to provide titanium powders (Ti-6AI-4V) for use in metal additive manufacturing applications. The new multiyear agreement to provide Ti-6AI-4V powders deepens AP&C’s working relationship with Airbus, which dates back several years.
Headshot of Paul Maietta
Headshot of Paul Maietta
PEOPLE

BLM Group adds regional manager, Canada

BLM Group USA, Novi, Michigan, appointed Paul Maietta as regional sales manager for the Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador. Prior to joining BLM Group, Maietta spent 20 years working at PLI Metal, Montreal, serving most recently as general manager for metal processing operations. He has experience with laser cutting and metal bending machinery. Maietta is fluent in English, French and Italian.
Headshot of Tom Bellizia
Headshot of Tom Bellizia
PEOPLE
Mid Atlantic names sales manager
Mid Atlantic Machinery, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, named Tom Bellizia as steel fabrication machinery sales manager. With over 25 years in the machine tool and steel fabrication industry Bellizia will serve customers from Maine to Florida with a focus of the structural steel industry.
EXPANSION
MC Machinery dealer expands territory
MC Machinery at work cutting
Demmler Machinery is now the exclusive dealer for MC Machinery, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, lasers, press brakes and automation equipment in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. Based in Pittsburgh, Demmler Machinery also represents Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and northern West Virginia.
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