In 1963, Smith’s son, Don Hughes, came on board, followed by Bradley Hughes in 1996. The company remains a family affair to this day, owned and operated by the third generation.

When Bradley Hughes joined the company, he spearheaded efforts to update and modernize, and Smith Hughes expanded beyond its original business model. “I realized we were a little bit antiquated and out of date,” Hughes laughs. “I got our computers networked and got everything computerized—our inventory and all of our quoting and everything. And we started expanding, getting more service techs so we could do installation of the equipment that we sold.”

These upgrades included a new facility. “We were operating out of about 1,900 square feet, basically an office building with a small area in the back for part storage and small parts repair,” he remembers. The company moved into an 18,000-square-foot facility in 2007, which allowed the team to expand into the rental boiler market. “What we do there is we buy the equipment, we buy a shipping container, and we [put together] a complete boiler room in the shipping container,” Hughes explains.

The rental boilers have been a huge hit with customers. “These units that range in size from 30 horsepower to a couple thousand horsepower can be rolled up to a customer’s location that’s in need of temporary steam, hot water, or hot oil service,” Hughes says. “They simply roll it up next to the building, and they can use hoses that we provide to connect the steam, the water, the fuel, and electric.” If the customer wants the help, “we provide the service to pipe, install, and connect that rental unit to the building for temporary service.”

Business boomed with the addition of the rental boilers, and soon the company needed even more space. “We did run out of room pretty quickly,” says Hughes. There was no choice but to expand yet again and in December 2024, the team completed construction on a 34,000-square-foot facility to suit their specific needs. “The new building we built is for nothing but fabricating and repairing these rental boiler units.”

When asked how the company has managed to maintain success through three generations of family ownership, Bradley Hughes sites an eagerness to evolve with the marketplace and deliver a complete solution. “I think it’s our ability to adapt and change,” he says. “It’s our ability to have the full gamut of supply services, meaning anything that you can think of in a boiler room we can provide, whether it’s a small $2 part or a two and a half million-dollar piece of equipment—and all of the service and the installation, from supplying, to installing, to servicing, to upgrading, to operator training, welding repairs, and temporary equipment.”

Customers appreciate this convenient, one-stop shop approach. “Somebody makes one phone call to us, and we don’t have to defer to anybody else. We have the ability to take care of anything and everything from start to finish, front to back—anything you can come up with in the boiler room. And I think that’s what has enabled us to continue to be successful.”

This commitment to solving the customer’s problem—whatever it may be—has led to repeat business. “We’re able to get [their problem] taken care of,” Hughes says. “It may be a small thing, it may be a big thing, but either way, they understand our abilities. So they’re always going to call us back in.”

Customers are so loyal, in fact, that some have been working with the company for decades. “We still have customers that my grandfather originally sold equipment to,” Hughes says. “We’re still working on that equipment. And if we’ve upgraded and replaced the equipment, we’re the ones that supply the new replacement equipment; we’re the ones providing all the service. We have a couple of companies that were originally family owned, and now they’re in their second or third generation. I’m dealing with their grandsons just like my grandfather dealt with their grandfathers when they started the business,” he says.

“That comes back to the culture that we’ve tried so hard over the years to keep—a good culture of good people that understand that we’re in the problem-solving business,” he continues. “It can take sometimes years to acquire a customer, but it can take you 30 seconds to lose one and never get them back. So, once we have a customer and we get set up with them, we hold on to that customer for decades at a time.”

Customers are not the only people who stay with the company for the long term. “I’m lucky to have a great group of people that have been with me—some for over 20 years—and have dedicated their careers to help building the place,” Hughes says. The company is “a place designed to retire from. People get on board and stay.”

Looking ahead, Smith Hughes’ new facility will have everything the team needs to fully serve their ever-growing customer base. “We’ve got a 40-ton overhead crane,” says Hughes. “We have a ton of room for storage. We’re fabricating six, seven units at a time. We’ve got plenty of parking once we get the units built to keep them out of the way. We’ve got room to do our repairs. We’ve got a big test fire bay where we can test fire an 82.5 million BTU steam boiler that we were not able to do at the other facility.”

Never ones to rest on their laurels, the team plans to expand their rental fleet even more in the future, which is not a simple endeavor. “It takes quite a bit of funding and a lot of effort and planning,” Hughes tells us. “You know, these things, you’re not buying them off the shelf. You’ve got to buy all the raw components and put them all together. So, that takes engineered drawings, and that takes scheduling of equipment being delivered, and parts being available, and then the actual fabricating process. So, my goal in the future is to continuously streamline our manufacturing process so that we can turn around these units at a much quicker pace to keep up with the market demand.”

After nearly 80 years in business, Smith Hughes continues to push forward and leave its mark on the industry. “We’re making some waves and have a really good market share and a grasp on the market across the country,” Bradley Hughes says. With a solid legacy in place, the market leadership of this third-generation company is bound to endure far into the future.

The post 80 Years of Success<p class="company">Smith Hughes Company</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

A vehicle purchase is typically a serious financial commitment, and EVs are no exception. In fact, EVs often come with unique financial challenges for those seeking affordable transportation. According to an entry on EV Industry Blog detailing the biggest hurdles facing the sector, “The EV industry’s biggest challenge is vehicle purchase cost.” Lithium-ion batteries and other advanced components used in EV manufacturing significantly increase costs compared to established internal combustion models.

Gas-powered vehicles still dominate the market, vastly outnumbering available electric models, and this contributes to the perception that EVs are harder to find. While there are around 56,000 charging stations in the U.S., the infrastructure is still far from ubiquitous.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that the average cost of a new non-luxury light-duty vehicle in 2022 was nearly $44,600, while comparable EVs averaged over $65,000. Prices range from around $25,000 to more than $90,000 depending on the make. Exro Technologies reported in 2023 that the average transaction price for a new EV stood at about $48,008, with the average new vehicle costing around $58,940.

Even accounting for federal tax credits, this investment remains substantial—and is increasing. Dan Irvine for Forbes notes that government subsidies have been rolled back, making EVs on average 5.5 percent more expensive. In 2024, only seven EV models qualified for the full federal tax credit, keeping affordability a pressing issue.

Political complications further affect affordability. In a piece for The Conversation, Charles Conteh and Tia Henstra explain that the future of EVs in Canada is influenced by ongoing U.S. tariffs and pre-existing challenges. High costs, limited battery range, and sparse charging infrastructure are “concerns [that] continue to affect firms here in Canada,” with companies like Stellantis managing high inventory, slow sales, and falling revenue.

Conteh and Henstra also argue that if countries like Canada hope to maximize investment in the EV industry, they must increase the use of critical minerals in manufacturing and adopt policies to better support these efforts.

Environmental factors also influence EV adoption. Irvine notes that the technology used in EVs can be susceptible to cold weather, which in some parts of North America prevents proper charging. Moreover, large-scale EV adoption would increase reliance on the electric grid. EV Industry Blog projects that this could require a 38 percent increase in electricity consumption by 2050 and would demand a major expansion of grid capacity.

Beyond market and environmental issues, cultural perceptions also impact EV acceptance. In PsyPost, Eric W. Dolan discusses a study published in Travel Behaviour and Society, which found that countries with more feminine cultural orientations show higher EV adoption rates. In contrast, countries with more masculine orientations—where traditional values emphasize power and competition—show lower adoption and may associate EVs with femininity. According to Dolan, “beyond financial and infrastructural considerations, symbolic and cultural meanings of vehicles may play a significant role in shaping consumer behaviour at a national level.”

Tesla remains the most recognizable EV brand to the average consumer. However, recent developments have hurt the company’s public image. DigiDay reports that Tesla’s Q1 2025 vehicle deliveries dropped 13 percent year-over-year, with its stock experiencing its worst performance since 2022. Much of this is attributed to CEO Elon Musk, whose polarizing public persona and reported internal company issues have fueled negative sentiment—particularly on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter).

Still, the outlook may be improving. Musk’s departure from the Department of Governmental Efficiency at the end of May could allow him to refocus on Tesla, which may help the brand rebound.

Amid these challenges, there is positive momentum. Exro Technologies cites an International Energy Agency projection that EVs will represent 60 percent of global vehicle sales by 2030, up from just 14 percent in 2022. The U.S. government’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 allocated over $7 billion to expand EV charging infrastructure, signaling continued public investment. Additionally, EVs still have lower annual operating costs—around $485 per year—compared to more than $1,000 for gas-powered vehicles.

Despite the numerous hurdles facing the sector, electric vehicles are becoming an increasingly viable and attractive alternative to traditional cars. If manufacturers, governments, and consumers can work together to overcome current challenges, the future of EVs looks promising—not just in North America, but worldwide.

The post Charging Toward the Future<p class="company">The EV Market’s Cost and Culture Challenges</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Despite this display of unity, trade issues between the two countries became apparent just months later with regards to wood, specifically cedar. Issued in March 1986, Wood Shakes and Shingles, a 232-page report from the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), determined “wood shingles and shakes, provided for in item 200.85 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS), are being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry producing articles like or directly competitive with the imported articles.” The recommendation: impose a 35 percent tariff ad valorem (tax derived from an assessed value) for a five-year period on western red cedar wood shingles and shakes.

Like many other tariff issues, the cedar debate was not new, and was examined under the Trade Act of 1974. The U.S. went ahead with the significant tariff in May 1986, referred to by the media as the “Cedar Shingle Showdown.” In the flurry of articles, the Toronto Star wrote: “By making and carrying out threats, the Americans may be able to manipulate our strategies to ensure even more advantage in the final outcome for themselves. This week it’s cedar shakes; next it could be lumber. If we don’t show fierce resistance to these tactics, we’re simply inviting the Americans to push harder still.”

That June, Canada set retaliatory tariffs on many American goods, contributing to trade tensions between the world’s two biggest trading partners. This move included restoring older, previously abandoned tariffs on computer parts, semiconductors, and certain books and periodicals, along with hiking tariffs on everything from Christmas trees and cider to asphalt and oatmeal.

“The Canadian Government takes no pleasure in implementing these actions but legitimate Canadian interests must be protected,” then-Finance Minister Michael Wilson told the House of Commons at the time. Meanwhile, American officials were surprised and disappointed at Canada’s response.

Like many issues do, stories about tariffs faded from the news cycle, emerging again in 1991. The subject came up again in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first term as President. That September, the U.S. Commerce Department rejected a request from Canadian cedar shake and shingle makers to exclude them from softwood lumber tariffs Washington imposed in January. Elected President a second time, Trump’s ever-changing tariff talk saw him threaten to more than double duties on Canadian softwood lumber, to a staggering 34.45 percent, as of April.

These tariffs, and many others, follow Trump’s January 20^th “America First Trade Policy,” announcement. “In 2017, my Administration pursued trade and economic policies that put the American economy, the American worker, and our national security first,” said Trump. “This spurred an American revitalization marked by stable supply chains, massive economic growth, historically low inflation, a substantial increase in real wages and real median household wealth, and a path toward eliminating destructive trade deficits.”

Since the America First announcement, relationships between Canada and the U.S. have been strained to the point of snapping. Ostensibly to reduce illegal drugs entering America, Trump issued an executive order, Imposing Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border. This would impose a 25 percent tariff on products of Canada, except for energy products, which would be subject to a 10 percent tariff. Canada then retaliated, issuing an order-in-council United States Surtax Order (2025), imposing a 25 percent retaliatory tariff on some goods originating in the U.S.

From politicians to the public, many are shaking their heads in disbelief at the tariff situation between the two former allies, which seems to change daily. Steel, aluminum, energy, auto parts, and other products are on a merry-go-round of ‘are they being taxed more or not?’

Many products, most notably crude oil, are sent to the United States for refining. With the ever-changing threats coming from Washington, Canadian oil has become a lightning rod in the tariff battle. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Canadian crude oil has “become increasingly important to U.S. oil refineries, now making up most U.S. imports,” stated the EIA last August. “U.S. oil refining capacity stood at 18.4 million barrels per day as of January 1^st, 2024. In 2023, 60 percent of U.S. crude oil imports originated in Canada, up from 33 percent in 2013.” Products made from this oil include chemicals, plastics, and transportation fuels.

Although it is impossible for oil refineries to spring up overnight, Trump’s tariff threats have prompted Canadian and American industries alike to question how goods are produced, where raw materials are sourced, and why there is a case for greater refinement in the country of origin. Canadian crude has been sent to the U.S. for refinement since the 1980s, reaching 60 percent of U.S. crude imports last year.

Had the crude been refined in Canada for the past 40-plus years, many believe it would have resulted in thousands of jobs both in construction and the oil sector, with untold sums of money remaining in the country. The issue, however, is far from black and white, and requires billions of dollars in investment to build more refineries and provide access to transportation.

According to the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), 2023 saw $892 billion USD in imports from Canada and Mexico to the U.S. The list includes oil, energy, machinery and transport equipment, lubricants, chemicals, food, potash for fertilizer production, live animals, and more. Canada remains a major supplier to the U.S. of oil and natural gas, lumber, automotive parts, and metals and minerals such as aluminum, diamonds, gold, palladium, titanium and uranium—processed in America.

Unless the United States and Canada do an about-face on tariffs and reciprocal tariffs, confusion and economic uncertainty will persist for both countries. Decades ago, Reagan and Mulroney could at least discuss their points of view on tariffs amicably. The likelihood of seeing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump side-by-side onstage singing a duet—and agreeing to end the current tariff chaos—seems low.

The post Crude Realities<p class="company">How Trade Has Tested Canada–U.S. Relations</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, Maier America’s team of 16 supports North America, Mexico, and South America. Founded in 2000, Maier America is an integral part of the maierGROUP, one of the world’s finest manufacturers of exceptional rotary joints and precision components, with subsidiaries in Italy, China, Singapore, and Mexico.

German ingenuity and quality
The company was created by brothers Christian and Friedrich Maier in Germany in 1925. Initially a foundry, its early years were dedicated to producing castings for the electrical and textile sectors. Soon earning a reputation for quality, Maier began creating dental equipment in the 1940s.

In 1956, the company obtained its first rotary joint patent for the so-called “stuffing box.” In 1971, Maier launched its international business, participating in the world-famous International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITMA) in Paris, which showcases industry innovations.

The coming years saw significant growth, including the first 100 percent subsidiary, Maier Italia, in 1997. Maier America LLC came in 2000, Maier Kunshan (Shanghai) in 2012, and Maier Rotary Joints Singapore Pte Ltd. in 2019. A fourth-generation, family-owned business, maierGROUP has grown to 200 staff members worldwide.

In June this year, Maier America celebrated its 25^th anniversary with its internal team and key partners. And in October, Christian Maier GmbH & Co. KG will celebrate its 100^th anniversary in Germany.

Providing rotary joints, laser coating/laser cladding, and sensors, Maier’s services include predictive maintenance, repair kits, and more. Industries served include paper, textiles, plastics, machine tools, food, chemical/pharmaceutical, renewable energy, and engineering, and no matter the sector, clients receive superior service every time. “We have a client-first attitude, so we’ve always put them first,” says Kuehl. As a result, many clients have allied themselves with Maier for decades.

Maier is one of the last rotary joint companies manufacturing products in Germany, a country with high labor costs. The reason? Because clients, above all, want quality, high reliability, and the best customer service.

“Those are the three things we really sell,” says Kuehl. “Quality, reliability, and service. Once we prove ourselves, clients stick with us because they see we do what we say. Our rotary joints last much longer because of our quality, and the experience of us helping them is worth it for them. It’s never about the price; it’s about those three things: defect-free, being on time, and giving clients an experience that makes them know they have the right brand, and the right product.”

Products and people
Manufacturing an array of pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical rotary joints for water, compressed air, steam, thermal oil, vacuum, and other applications, the maierGROUP proudly states that its products represent “a union for life.” More than a provider of exceptional rotary joints, the company is truly a partner to its many clients.

The team is active with clients in many sectors and is seeing a particular increase in demand for plastics and renewable energy. This includes ‘non-woven’ plastics. A type of plastic used for filters, diapers, and other products, non-wovens resemble textiles, but are really plastics.

On the renewable energy side, Maier is seeing growing demand from some of the world’s biggest battery and automobile manufacturers.

With its quality commitment, Maier surpasses the competition. “We shine in higher temperatures and higher pressures,” says Kuehl, “and we offer sensors as well that nobody else that we know of is doing. Yet what really separates us from the competition is our people.”

Much of Kuehl’s inspiration comes from the bestselling book, Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, which asks the question: “Do you have a grip on your business, or does your business have a grip on you?” Taking lessons from the book, Kuehl began using the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS) to help achieve business success.

Aligning with the book saw the creation of a plan, “The Vision/Traction Organizer,” which holds staff members accountable. This plan encompasses Maier America’s Core Values, which include the company’s core focus, targets, marketing strategy, 3-year picture, 10-year picture, 1-year plan, goals for the year, and “rocks”—goals for the quarter, and any issues. “That has helped us big time,” says Kuehl of the plan, which is regularly reviewed. “It’s our people that make the difference.”

A key core value is continuous improvement, with a commitment to constantly learning. And, Kuehl says, “The most important core value is integrity. We are ethical and honest. We don’t beat around the bush, and make sure that—even if it hurts—we tell the truth, whatever the consequences. Honesty allows us to build strong relationships with customers and clients. It is important for us to give the customer an experience that they will never forget,” he says. “If you solve a problem a customer has, they will come back to you and become your client for life. What we strive for is solving problems.”

Vertical integration and predictive maintenance
Among its many attributes, Maier America prides itself on being a vertically integrated company.

Once the company establishes a relationship, frame contracts are discussed. Maier then ensures certain products are kept on shelves for clients, minimizing their downtime. Machines in some industries, especially plastic and pulp/papermaking, incur thousands of dollars in hourly costs. “When machines aren’t running, it’s not just the machine that’s down, but product they are unable to make and deliver,” explains Kuehl. “And people not working also goes toward that hourly cost. So the more you can reduce downtime, the lower the hourly cost for the manufacturer. Our products are smaller component parts of the whole machine, but we keep parts in stock so clients don’t have to worry.”

Along with vertical integration, Maier America offers predictive maintenance, looking at sensors measuring temperature, torque, and speed, further reducing downtime and profit loss for the client. “The wear sensor is the most important one, because the seals wear out over time,” says Kuehl. “We can, through predictive maintenance, give them an idea of when it’s time to change out that rotary unit, or rotary joint.”

Never standing still
Earning the trust of thousands of satisfied clients worldwide, maierGROUP continues to receive praise and awards. The company was recently awarded the prestigious TOP 100 Award for outstanding innovation achievements and congratulated by physicist and respected science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar at the German SME Summit in Weimar.

CEO Kuehl was also nominated and approved for the German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC). He was one of five powerhouse executives welcomed to the GACC South Board of Directors 2025, “each bringing bold vision, deep expertise, and a passion for driving German American business forward,” said the GACC’s LinkedIn page. Kuehl was chosen for his role in “steering innovation and growth in advanced manufacturing.” The company also received recognition for its state-of-the-art sensors.

Maier’s latest offering is the Rotary Joints Series DS. Replacing the DP and DX, the Series DS provides higher operating parameters and better quality, with Maier in effect taking two different products and combining them into one. Released in late 2024, the DS is now integrated into the marketplace. “By the end of this year, the DS will be the primary catalogue product,” says Kuehl of the series, which is well-suited for high speeds with low frictional torque.

With a century of experience, maierGROUP is well-positioned for Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “We are highly involved in Industry 4.0 here in America, in Germany, and in the world,” says Kuehl.

Even with advertising, the Internet, and massive trade shows like K, the foremost international trade fair for innovations in plastics and rubber held annually in Düsseldorf, word-of-mouth remains Maier America’s best sales tool. “We spend a lot of time researching and targeting our customers,” says Kuehl, “so we create specific sales plans for specific customers and target them.” And to better serve these clients, Maier America moved into a new building just last year. At 20,500 square feet, the structure nearly triples the size of the company’s previous facility in Gwinnett. Formerly a Netflix building used for producing DVDs, the structure is fully air-conditioned, unusual for a warehouse. “We are now truly state-of-the-art, and have one of the most incredible buildings you can imagine,” says Kuehl.

At this new location, the company welcomes prospective clients across all sectors. “We give them the true Maier America experience.”

The post Rotary Joints Engineered to Last<p class="company">Maier America</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Responsible for many of the “invisible” parts the modern world hinges on, Clayens Group specializes in conceptualizing, developing, designing, and making components that often comprise sophisticated combinations of materials including polymer composites and metals. To achieve this, the company harnesses the expertise of more than 200 engineers and a range of sophisticated forming, stamping, over-molding, vacuum injection, machining, and other state-of-the-art techniques.

Headquartered in Genas, France, and with nine facilities in the United States alone, Clayens Group serves a diverse range of global industries. Of these, electrical infrastructure is one of its main sources of business. The updating of national infrastructure across the United States also forms a large part of its income via service providers who approach the company for its extensive knowledge of a great variety of engineering solutions.

With a well-equipped research and development team providing customers with long-term support, the company also supplies the medical industry with custom machinery. An extensive plant in Chicago fabricates medical consumables, while other outstanding infrastructure includes six engineering centers, eight cleanrooms, and eleven healthcare-specific facilities, of which two are in the United States, one in Mexico, and five in France. The medical industry also benefits from the firm’s expertise in fabricating components for pharmaceutical packaging, in vitro diagnostics, and more.

To this end, Clayens Group is also working on nano mold technology for improved fluid flow across textured surfaces in drug delivery devices. While this technology is currently aimed at the world of medicine, the company is looking at ways to implement its use in other industries as well.

With custom, high-complexity yields being a standard part of its everyday output, Clayens Group’s considerable European footprint, with all its enhanced capabilities, serves as a significant draw for discerning clientele, while its American presence increases its share in the automotive industry, constituting around 25 percent of its annual revenue.

Supporting these fabricators in every way possible, especially in electric vehicle fabrication, Clayens Group fabricates components ranging from as heavy as 25 kilograms to as light as 0.08 grams.

While the main portion of its fabrication for the automotive industry is executed in Mexico, Deric Frisch, Director of Business Development, foresees a percentage of that business returning to the United States due to the new tariff situation many companies are navigating. To this end, Clayens Group is well-prepared for a new influx of business in the United States. Home to 15 plants across North America, the company acquired Parkway Products in 2023—with eight plants—alongside four others and more that have followed since then, significantly expanding its overall market presence and its reach.

Successfully managing an operation of this size means working to the highest safety standards. This is an important aspect of Clayens Group’s reputation for excellence, as the company is known in industry circles for envelope-pushing innovation. Here, precision through automation and superb attention to detail means the team is also accustomed to critical fabrication demands.

One of the company’s latest processes comprises magnesium molding to replace plastic. Favored for minimal weight combined with premium strength, these components are popular in the automotive industry—particularly for insulating camera systems from electromagnetic disturbances like radio frequencies. Naturally, this product has also proven popular in the defense and aerospace sectors.

As markets like the automotive industry and others are generally slow to evolve, Clayens Group’s research and development team offers especially high value, especially since many projects—like those in the medical industry—tend to need long-term support, which the team is well-versed in providing. More recently, the company has been scouting for new industries to serve, bringing semiconductor fabrication and data centers into the fold.

These industries typically benefit from Clayens Group’s vast range of more than 3,000 materials and over 40 custom formulations. As a result, educating clients on its latest capabilities and their possibilities is another large part of the firm’s education efforts. “The plastics industry is so [complex]. Everyone has their secret formula,” Frisch says, highlighting the benefits of the lunch-and-learns the team provides to keep customers abreast of the latest developments.

“It’s been a big push for us to get out there and… get the decision makers educated on what we can offer,” he continues.

As 98 percent of the Group’s offerings comprise custom fabrication, this level of in-person marketing is an important aspect of the evolution and diversification of its business. In the process, being environmentally responsible remains top of mind. Considering itself accountable to future generations, Clayens Group makes its commitment to reducing CO₂ emissions clear on its website and in its marketing materials.

Reaching across continents, including Africa, Europe, North America, and beyond, the company is currently exploring the possibility of an enhanced presence in Asia. The global tariffs “game of chess” that many fabricators face has left the Group unconcerned yet strategic about its future moves. Frisch supports the new tariffs bill, as he notes that it is returning much fabrication to U.S. shores—which he sees as a very good thing as it means more opportunity all around.

“‘A world of opportunities’ is truly our tagline. You name it, our parts are everywhere,” he says, underscoring his pride in the company’s global team and large customer base. Founded in the early 1930s, Clayens moved from being a family business into becoming an international force to be reckoned with through acquisition in stride with market trends. The state of flux in the job market and world economies in recent years served to generate considerable change for the firm. Today, it employs a global team formidable in its diversity.

To cultivate a sense of unity and collaboration in such a vast organization, employees gather online for regular fortnightly, annual, and other meetings. The company also supports staff exchanges between countries. “At the end of the day, people do business with people. That’s one thing I don’t think artificial intelligence will ever [change],” Frisch says of the importance of establishing and maintaining trust amongst team members and extending that to include customers. “We’re really building that momentum now.”

As a result, he is visibly pleased with the more than 5,000 industry experts Clayens Group currently employs. “They all have deeply rooted yet different types of experience,” he says. In his role as the company’s veritable skills matchmaker stimulating good cross-cultural teamwork, the observation is sincere. “I like to use that experience and knowledge to [integrate it into the] whole group,” he shares.

This passion for people—and for developing their true potential—has become the binding force that inspires the company’s evolution. From its 30 percent female management goal to significantly reducing emissions by 2030, it is also set to increase each staff member’s professional development time by 5 percent annually—an approach that promises even further depth of knowledge and expertise.

Welcoming more growth through organic expansion and acquisition, Clayens Group has its sights set on becoming increasingly environmentally responsible. And with its gargantuan fiscal goal at the forefront of all its current plans—and already in reach—wisely tending to and maintaining the relationships that have brought it success remains the golden key to Clayens Group’s continuing success story.

The post Explore, Renew, Rethink<p class="company">Clayens Group</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

“We’ve consistently grown the business at a significant pace over the last eight years,” says Vice President of Sales and Engineering, Tyler Eck, who shares leadership of the company with his cousin, both fourth-generation members of the Eck family to run the business. “That’s been compounded by significant annual growth for a business like us.”

While its longevity is impressive, it is the company’s recent transformation that truly stands out. After years of flat growth, Eck Industries embraced automation and made strategic hires in engineering to scale operations even amid industry-wide labor shortages. “Less and less people want to do the hard, difficult jobs, and we’ve been able to grow with fewer people because of the automation solutions we’ve implemented,” Tyler explains.

Eck Industries got its start in 1948 when Tyler’s great-grandfather, a metallurgist by trade, left another foundry due to a disagreement and decided to launch his own. Harley-Davidson was among the young company’s early customers, and even members of the Davidson family were original investors. What started as a scrappy entrepreneurial venture grew into a respected, multi-sector foundry serving industries from automotive to defense.

Today, the family legacy is very much alive. “We’re proudly a fourth-generation, family-owned business,” says Tyler, “and while there are other family members in the fourth generation, it’s just the two of us involved in the business, which allows us to stay focused and agile.” That focus and agility have enabled the company to evolve into a modern, technology-driven operation without losing its foundational values.

A sense of ownership flows down through the organization. With a workforce of roughly 200 employees, Eck Industries remains large enough to tackle complex projects, but small enough that employees are more than just a number or a face in the crowd. People know each other by name and the leadership team walks the floor regularly, listening to input, recognizing outstanding work, and creating a culture in which employees feel valued and heard.

Rather than chasing volume, Eck Industries has built its business around complexity. The company specializes in high-complexity sand and permanent mold castings, often using specialty aluminum-copper and high-strength alloys that few others dare to handle. This expertise attracts clients in sectors where failure isn’t an option.

“We like the hard stuff,” Tyler says simply. “If a part has failed at other foundries or the customer needs something no one else will quote, that’s where we shine.”

These are not just technical challenges; they are strategic opportunities. By focusing on the difficult jobs, Eck avoids competing on price alone and, instead, builds long-term relationships based on trust, performance, and engineering excellence. This forte has allowed the company to work in the defense, aerospace, and electric vehicle sectors, where high-performance, lightweight components are critical.

“One of the biggest advantages of taking on the tough jobs is the barrier to entry,” Tyler notes. “Not everyone has the capability or the appetite to handle the kinds of castings we do, which gives us a strong competitive edge.”

That edge has been sharpened in recent years by the company’s push into automation, not just on the shop floor but throughout the engineering and production lifecycle. “We brought in a few key automation engineers and started building our own solutions in-house,” Tyler says. “That changed everything.”

Rather than outsourcing, Eck Industries designs and implements automation internally. From robotic pouring systems to custom-built fixtures and process optimization, its engineering team owns every step of development. Traditionally, pouring molten metal into molds was a physically demanding and inconsistent process. But Eck has developed robotic systems that can pour up to 150 pounds of metal with high precision.

“Before, an operator might pour one mold at a time. Now we can pour multiple molds faster, more safely, and with better consistency,” Tyler explains. “That opens up new opportunities for larger parts and better economics.”

Automation also supports employee retention by helping to reduce repetitive or dangerous tasks and improve ergonomics. Instead of replacing workers, Eck empowers them to focus on value-added activities like quality control and continuous improvement. “It’s not about removing people from the equation,” Tyler says. “It’s about enabling them to do more meaningful work.”

Beyond hardware, Eck Industries uses powerful software tools like solidification analysis to simulate casting performance before metal is ever poured. This predictive modeling helps optimize gating, cooling, and alloy behavior to avoid common defects. Gating is part of the casting process that smoothly directs the metal to the mold so that the mold is evenly filled for better quality. “It lets us pour the casting in the computer first and see where it might fail,” says Tyler. “That helps us move faster and get it right the first time.”

The benefits are measurable: shorter development cycles, higher first-pass yields, and better customer outcomes. However, these improvements do not happen in isolation; rather, they are the product of a deliberate strategy to keep engineering at the core of the business. “A lot of our wins and losses start in engineering,” Tyler says. “We invest heavily there because if we miss something early on, we pay for it throughout the process.”

To keep the talent pipeline flowing, Eck Industries recruits from top foundry programs and supports the Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF). The company is also proactive about mentoring its young engineers and giving them early ownership of meaningful projects. One junior engineer, for example, was recently given the lead on designing a new robotic grinding cell, an initiative that is now being scaled across the plant.

“That sense of ownership is critical,” Tyler says. “We want people who can grow with us and bring new ideas that challenge the way we’ve always done things.”

This growth mindset extends across all departments. From quality assurance to production scheduling to finishing and shipping, Eck’s employees are encouraged to take initiative. “If someone on the floor has a better idea, we’re all ears,” Tyler says. “That’s how we get better.”

In a competitive manufacturing environment, customers increasingly seek partnerships, not just vendors, and Eck embraces this fully, working closely with clients on design for manufacturability (DFM), cost optimization, and performance improvement. “We’re involved early in the process, often before the part is even fully designed. That’s where we can make the biggest impact.”

This collaborative approach has helped the team forge deep relationships with original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers. One recent example involved redesigning a part for a military contractor, which cut production costs by 20 percent and improved durability in the field. “It was a win-win,” Tyler says. “They got a better part, and we deepened the relationship.”

Beyond technical success, Eck Industries contributes to its local economy in Manitowoc through job creation, internships, and civic engagement. The company regularly donates to local schools and sponsors science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives, believing that investment in the next generation benefits both the community and the industry at large.

Sustainability is also a growing priority for this team. Eck recycles nearly all its scrap aluminum, uses energy-efficient equipment where possible, and is evaluating carbon footprint reduction strategies. “It’s the right thing to do,” Tyler says, “and our customers increasingly expect it.”

After nearly eight decades in business, Eck Industries is just getting started. With its automation scaling up, engineering talent deepening, and customer demand growing, the company is positioned for continued expansion—but do not expect this team to compromise its values in the process. “Our goal isn’t to become the biggest foundry out there,” Tyler says. “We want to be the best at what we do, and we want to keep that family feel, that culture of craftsmanship and care.”

That means more investment in people, more automation innovation, and more bold bets on complex castings others will not touch. With the next generation of leadership already proving its mettle, the Eck Industries legacy seems poised to shine even brighter in the years ahead.

“We’re not afraid to try hard things,” Tyler Eck says. “We believe if you do the right things long enough, the results will follow. That’s how we’ve built this company, and that’s how we’ll continue to grow it.”

The post Forged for the Future<p class="company">Eck Industries</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Founded by Larrie York and Terry Sumner, Frontier Power Products’ primary goal from the start was to provide the best solutions for the challenging conditions in Western Canada, from servicing sea level to the summits of the Rocky Mountains to some of the most isolated places on the planet, where engines must operate in extremely cold or hot conditions.

Creating products that take site conditions into account to overcome these obstacles, Frontier’s technology has helped clients design engines and generator sets that have performed around the world in the deserts of Mexico and Libya, the highlands of Chile and Peru, and the frigid Antarctic, but the company’s roots remain deep in Western Canada.

“Frontier has steadily grown into a trusted power provider in Western Canada,” says JP Ouellette, Vice President and General Manager. The company has, in fact, recently expanded into Ontario with its acquisition of Mississauga, Ontario’s M-K Power Products in April of 2023. “The Frontier history lies in the motto: ‘If you dream it, we build it.’ If you can think of how you want to power your machine, we will make it happen. ‘You dream it, we build it’ was the resonating ideology behind how Frontier grew and captured so much business,” Ouellette says. “That is a platform that has made Frontier great.”

The company prides itself on maintaining the perfect size—not too big for smaller projects, but not so tiny that it can’t take on a big project, he adds.

Historically, the company’s client portfolio was largely North American-based, with products required to handle climatic swings from minus 50 degrees Celsius to plus 40 degrees Celsius, which meant building design equipment that can work in that type of environment, adds Sales & Service Support Specialist Dave Vandeburgt. This is what pushed the mechanical and electrical engineers to think outside the box. What Frontier saw coming from the southern hemisphere wouldn’t make it in a northern Alberta climate.

“The durability wasn’t there, but we always had to be conscious of the economic dollar amount too, where there wasn’t an open chequebook,” adds Vandeburgt. “We’ve got great product that we represent; we still have to build with the practical price and economic value in mind, trying to find that balance and then having the durability they keep coming back for.”

This means extreme heavy-duty packaging in the “really harsh environment” that is the northern oil and gas fields, adds Ouellette. “These are abused horribly, so you can’t pull something off the shelf from a big box store for that location.” Frontier, he adds, has been around a long time and has proven itself.

“It isn’t a 10- or 15-year business,” Vandeburgt agrees. “I think we’ve navigated the ups and downs of the North American region and all the changes that happen from an economic standpoint.” When it comes to commercial marine generators, Frontier has taken a lead in the industry, he adds, backed by the company’s impressive 40-plus-year history, knowledge, and experience. Vandeburgt emphasizes that Frontier has built its name in the marine business both historically and currently, establishing itself as the number one solutions provider on the West Coast.

“We realized we had to package custom-built product because there wasn’t much competition in the marketplace. The cost to replace a particular generator or upgrade a particular generator vessel is just a small part of it. When a customer says they need this product best-suited for the application—and whether that product must be customized as a generator off the back or generator off the front, along with a hydraulic package off the front or back—they’re really coming and saying it’s a niche application and we’ve got to get creative,” he explains.

Still, he believes there’s always room for improvement. This means new product coming up that includes custom or hybrid packaging, and new John Deere JD14 and JD18 engine packages that bring the company into a different kw/horsepower range, expanding its reach into the market. Frontier is also looking to expand with its marine generators, which are moving into different power nodes. The hybrids, in particular, are becoming smaller, with the engine’s batteries making the combination all the more efficient.

To help address these challenges, Frontier is working on a hybrid package that allows a lower run time on the generator with a higher load to charge the batteries while being able to operate in extreme cold. “We did cold chamber testing, we did site testing, we got proof of concept on our hybrid package, and we’re continuing to review and test and improve this package,” Ouellette explains. “We’re going to create our standard offering, so this hybrid technology is a whole new generator set for us.”

Looking ahead, it will be critical for Frontier to embrace the hybrid packages, whether for marine, industrial, or off-grid applications, along with continuing to form partnerships with battery companies. “As the world goes green to a certain degree, a lot of companies have seen the value—with some high capital cost initially—of what that looks like,” adds Vandeburgt.

And while Frontier and M-K Power will continue to do what they have always done best, the team will also be scrutinizing industry changes and technological advances and working on incorporating them more effectively into its products.

“To strengthen our packaging business, we’re strategically expanding our OEM operations,” explains Ouellette. “Over the past five to ten years, we’ve successfully secured OEM partnerships that consistently take engine shipments, creating a reliable and scalable revenue stream. This dual focus allows us to offer unmatched flexibility—delivering precisely the custom products our customers need, when they need them. It’s a powerful way to meet evolving demands while driving long-term growth.”

Whether it’s servicing customers big or small, low or high-volume, new to its standards or still around after 20 years or more, Frontier knows it is sized just right to fulfill promises and orders and give clients unfailing support every time. “We make every customer feel like they count,” says an emphatic Ouellette. “They know they’re not just an account number. They come in and talk to us, and they feel appreciated.”

Amidst this emphasis on personal attention, Frontier boasts a growing team in multiple locations—Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Toronto. And while some companies economize on personal service as they expand, Frontier hasn’t and is resolved never to do so.

Frontier prides itself on its longevity, but also attributes current growth to new ownership and an ambitious trajectory that remains organic in the North American market. “To a certain degree, we’re worldwide,” says Vandeburgt. “We do feed our product all over the world, whether it’s on a mountain in Ecuador or a Saudi Arabian fish farm. That’s a tribute to how word travels organically in the network. Everybody’s got a website, but realistically, it’s usually word-of-mouth or references that drive or expand the business marketplace.”

And that’s a tribute to Frontier, he adds. Big or small, the company remains dedicated to servicing its clients. “There are customers that, historically, we built our business on, that we can’t leave behind, because it’s them and the next generation that we have to consider. We have to be able to fill that capability.”

The post “If You Dream It, We’ll Build It”— Power Solutions from a Trusted Provider<p class="company">Frontier Power Products</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Firing Industries offers comprehensive equipment solutions for material handling projects and assists clients in choosing the best equipment for the job. Working with suppliers such as Hosokawa, PIAB, Kason, Marion, Matcon, Auburn FilterSense, and ABCO, to name a few, Firing strives to provide top quality service through dedicated, experienced employees who take the company’s success to heart.

Entering a prosperous 52 years, Firing was founded by Lars Firing in Montreal in 1973. The company, headquartered in Niagara-on-the-Lake, has offices supporting clients’ needs across Canada.

Firing Industries is involved in many industries and solves material handling and processing problems in a variety of sectors, including foundry, steel, food, chemical, and pharmaceuticals, selecting and supplying technically complex process machinery and equipment and employing a professional, consultative, and problem-solving approach to help support the general planning of individual projects.

The company is led by President and owner Michel Dubuc, supported by a dedicated team of experienced engineers and administrative staff. “Our main focus is on handling powders, but we also work with liquids at times—conveying, metering, packaging, and blending products,” Michel explains.

“Typically, we distribute equipment on behalf of our principals—Piab, Matcon, Kason, Marion, and others—and often that means selling individual pieces of machinery,” says Michel. “However, in some cases, we also get involved in complete system solutions.” For example, if a customer needs to feed multiple powders into an extruder as part of their process, Firing Industries can provide the expertise and equipment to make it happen.

“We take on projects where we supply everything—from structural analysis and fabrication of mezzanines and supports to providing all the necessary equipment,” Michel explains. “It’s truly a comprehensive solution from start to finish.”

Comprehensive solutions
Providing electrical, pneumatic, and mechanical installation, Firing helps clients with a variety of highly sophisticated projects via vacuum transfer systems, metering systems, mixing systems, micronization systems, storage solutions, packaging systems, and more.

“Because of our close ties with our principals, we can fast-track the project and ultimately deliver it at a favorable cost. We handle engineering and the process design ourselves,” says Michel.

Firing’s industry partnerships are truly impressive, dealing with “all of the majors,” many in the food sector—still a growing industry in Canada—along with the pharmaceutical sector, the mineral sector, transforming components into lithium batteries, and the plastics sector.

Determined to remain relevant and embracing growth, Firing Industries also has several projects in the works involving various waste products in the building sector. “The growth is there for sure,” says Michel.

While that kind of growth is important, maintaining the right balance with staffing is essential. “We have a strong team made up of the right people, and we manage the growth of our day-to-day operations accordingly,” he says.

On being “very specific”
In equipment sales, you have to be very technical and understand the requirements and needs of the customer almost to perfection, Michel stresses. When the customer selects the equipment based on their needs and budget, sometimes Firing offers three different solutions—but the final decision is always the customer’s.

“We have a solid team behind us,” says Michel, who, with his daughter, Danielle Dubuc, Vice President of Business Development, cites Jeff, Roman, Jim, Chris, Luis, and David in the engineering department, with strength in administration from Emily, Denise, Mohamed, Evan, and Steve as key supporters throughout projects. For any company, finding the right mix of employees is crucial to building the best possible organization.

Always pushing the boundaries in research and development, Firing often creates custom equipment tailored to unique customer needs—sometimes designing solutions that have never been made before. Currently, the team is finalizing and testing a specialized bulk bag unloader with its clients. “We offer different versions based on the customer’s requirements and budget,” Michel explains. “There’s a simple model suited for the pharmaceutical and food industries, and a more advanced version for those same sectors. This equipment is valued between $30,000 and $50,000.” This innovative unloader addresses many common problems associated with traditional bulk bags.

Firing plans to showcase this standout product at the upcoming Advanced Design & Manufacturing Toronto expo, taking place October 21-23, 2025, where the team will be present. “We will be featuring our principals such as Piab, Kason, and Hosokawa, amongst others. It’s nice to reconvene with customers and competitors there,” Michel notes.

The SR&ED program
The SR&ED program supports Firing’s research and development efforts by providing government tax credits for time spent on innovation. Since 1986, Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program has encouraged technological advancement, awarding $3 billion annually to around 20,000 Canadian tech companies.

Danielle explains, “Not everyone qualifies for these credits, so we’re fortunate. We earn them by solving industry inefficiencies, like improving a pasta manufacturer’s product conveying process.”

Eligible small and medium-sized Canadian businesses, especially Canadian Controlled Private Corporations (CCPCs), receive substantial federal and provincial subsidies.

In effect, Firing Industries contributes to solutions for companies, and the government recognizes the effort on behalf of the company for that. “The team is doing a phenomenal job,” Danielle adds. It is an enviable position to be in—and one that should serve the company well in its future work as an innovator and problem-solver.

The post Growing with Intent, Purpose, and Vision<p class="company">Firing Industries Ltd.</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Previously profiled in October 2023 in Manufacturing in Focus magazine, Stamtec has bounced back from the COVID pandemic which greatly impacted oceanic transportation a few years ago. Indeed, business has been excellent as of late.

“We’ve sold and installed a number of really large presses. We’ve had two record years: 2023 turned out to be a record year, and 2024 was close,” says North American Sales Manager Lee Ellard, with pride.

“We probably have the broadest product line in the industry, from small 35-ton presses all the way up to 4,000-ton presses,” he continues. “The construction and quality of our machines is proven. We’re not the cheapest on the block, but we’re definitely the best value.”

Mechanical presses, which come in gap frame, straight-side, eccentric-geared, and crank shaft varieties, continue to be Stamtec’s most popular offering. Forging presses are available in cold forging and warm/hot forging styles while servo presses represent a category on the rise. The company’s servo presses are equipped with low-RPM, high-torque servomotors and press controls from firms such as Mitsubishi Electric, Allen-Bradley, and Siemens.

“The servo press [market] is growing,” says Ellard. “Forging is a niche market. It’s rather small in the U.S., and we’re very much interested in doing more in that market.”

Stamtec was launched in 1984 and is based in a 72,000-square-foot facility approximately an hour southeast of Nashville. It has sold over 2,000 presses. The company’s operations extend into Querétaro, Mexico, where it runs a 10,000-square-foot plant with eight employees. The Mexican branch provides metal stamping presses, parts, service, and support for clients in Central and South America.

Founded in the late 1940s, Chin Fong has ISO certification, over 6.5 million square feet of manufacturing space, and employs roughly 1,500 people in multiple plants across Asia. It produces more than 3,000 presses annually. These machines feature high-end steel plates; precision-machined frame components; robust gears, drive trains, brakes, and clutches, all manufactured in Chin Fong factories; and copper bushings.

Stamtec deals solely with Chin Fong equipment. After being manufactured in Asia, these wares are shipped across the ocean to the U.S. Smaller-sized equipment arrives more or less fully assembled, “maybe with a few components removed for shipping,” says Ellard, while larger presses arrive “pretty much completely disassembled.” These larger presses are reassembled by company staff either in the company plant or at the customer’s site.

“Probably 80 percent of the time, we end up handling the transportation [of presses to the client],” says Ellard. “But the customers are completely free to arrange their own inland transportation, either from a U.S. port or from Stamtec. Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense to ship from Stamtec, when it’s five truck loads and a million-pound or half-a-million-pound press.” Given the cost of transporting such gigantic presses, Stamtec usually has them shipped directly from port to client without stopping in at company headquarters.

At any given time, the company has a vast array of presses available for delivery at its Manchester headquarters. “We keep about 50 to 60 presses in inventory at Stamtec—smaller presses, from 35 tons to 600 tons. Most anything above that gets shipped direct to the customer.”

Once a press of any size reaches the customer, a Stamtec project manager supervises the installation. For big presses, this process usually involves a rigger operating a specialized crane or other heavy lifting equipment. And, while happy to offer guidance, Stamtec leaves the rigging to specialized professionals. “The rigger is typically hired by the customer, or they could be hired by us. The rigger does the actual stacking and assembly of the machines. We’ll have somebody there to supervise and assist with that, and to hook up the internal plumbing and various internal components [to make it] functional,” explains Ellard.

After a press is assembled, Stamtec starts the machine and puts it through a test run to ensure everything is working properly. The company’s customers can receive training on proper use of the equipment, and are provided with information concerning inspection, compliance, and maintenance. Customers can buy presses either directly from Stamtec or through a distribution network.

Stamtec also supplies feed and coil handling equipment designed to enhance quality, speed, and precision in stamping applications and quick die change systems for greater speed and productivity and less downtime. In addition to presses, the company has a huge supply of spare parts and offers wide-ranging backup to its customers. It has “a central location in the United States and a full team of service technicians in the field and some satellite representatives with service capabilities for remote areas; we have really good coverage,” says Ellard. “We don’t just stock machines; we really support them very well after the sale.”

Mechanical and electrical engineers and other support staff are on hand in Manchester. As Ellard notes, the company maintains a network of satellite support service centers across the U.S. and into Canada, and clients who encounter problems can contact them at any time. Depending on the issue, support is offered by phone, email, text, or via an in-person visit.

Inspection and maintenance services are also available, and the company can send staff to investigate metal presses at a customer’s site. Inspectors check gears, bushing clearance, drive shaft operation, electrical controls, foundation, frame, lubrication system, and other aspects of the machinery. Customer support videos are even available on the company website, and Stamtec also offers accessories, upgrades, repairs, and rebuilds.

Stamtec’s presses are sometimes included in packages put together by automation integrators as well. “Quite a few integrators have discovered that we’ve very flexible and easy to work with,” says Ellard. “Then there are times when we might actually integrate a feed line, transfer system, conveyors, and other things ourselves. We have project managers who are prepared to do that.”

Automotive continues to make up the bulk of the company’s business, accounting for roughly 60 to 70 percent of revenue. Other major markets served include appliances, solar, hardware, fasteners, and electronics. As of late, Stamtec has been doing an increasing amount of business with electric vehicle firms, providing equipment to make battery trays and chassis components. High-profile customers include Lear Automotive, Toyota, Honda, and Ford, plus General Electric, Electrolux, ThyssenKrupp, Hitachi, and Maytag. The team also works with many “Tier 2 and 3 supporters of these big companies.”

While the majority of its customers are based in the United States, the company also does business in Canada and further afield. Stamtec is occasionally hired by American companies that want to set up stamping presses in other countries, and of course, the Mexican branch keeps busy with its own clients.

The company attends trade shows for networking, information gathering, and promotion. These include Fabtech, which is to be held in Chicago in September. Forge Fair is another trade show at which Stamtec makes an appearance, held in Cleveland, Ohio in mid-May. Stamtec occasionally hosts seminars at its Manchester facility and participates in smaller events, such as the Precision Metalforming Association’s supplier nights as well.

In terms of personnel, Stamtec prefers to hire people “with a positive, can-do attitude” who are “focused on the success of the customer. Keeping them up and running… That’s ultimately how we make our money,” says Ellard.

As for challenges facing the company, he expresses some concerns about newly implemented tariffs. He is unsure how these measures might impact the company, given that its equipment is made offshore. Beyond that, he cites “just the normal business challenges of meeting new customer demand and fighting competition from all over the world.”

Going forward, metal stamping presses and forming equipment will remain mainstays for Stamtec. That said, Ellard would like to see certain segments of the business grow. The company aims to “continue to evolve our servo press technology, which is still a relatively small part of our business—but growing,” he shares. “We also want to work with more automation integrators to provide complete production systems.”

The post Supplying Top-of-the Line Metal Presses and Customer Service<p class="company">Stamtec</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.