Fenner Precision enhances Buffalo facility
Fenner Precision, Manheim, Penn., a developer and manufacturer of custom belts, pulleys, and rollers for paper propulsion, motion control, and power transmission applications, has invested $950,000 in upgrades and new equipment in their Buffalo, N.Y., location, formerly Winfield Industries. The additional equipment will increase production by 40% and will add 10 new jobs. The primary focus of the Buffalo location is custom formulating and molding of polyurethane and silicone products, specializing in unique electrically conductive materials for the digital printing and medical imaging markets. Fenner Precision purchased Winfield Industries in March 2008. Improvements and equipment installations will be completed by February 2009.
PMD announces new president
Performance Motion Devices Inc., Lincoln, Mass., has named Greg Woods as its new president. Founder Chuck Lewin will continue as chairman of the board and VP of engineering, focusing his efforts on development of motion control product lines. Woods has more than 20 years of experience in the industrial automation and motion control industries. His most recent position was as CEO of Control Technology Corp., a supplier of automation controllers based in Hopkinton, Mass. Prior leadership positions have been with Danaher Corp. as president of API Motion Controls, and vice president of sales and marketing at Ormec Systems. Woods holds an undergraduate degree in physics from Colgate University, graduate degrees from Dartmouth College in computer engineering, and an MBA from the University of Rochester's Simon School.
SCHUNK raises money for soup kitchen
SCHUNK Inc., Morrisville, N.C., a manufacturer of workholding, toolholding, and automation technology, continues its partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), one of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Racing teams, by participating in JGR's 2008 FanFest. The event, which hosted approximately 4,000 fans, took place in October at the JGR facility in Huntersville, N.C. More than $25,000 was collected for the Mooresville Soup Kitchen (MSK). Fundraisers at the event included driver autograph sales and a silent auction. SCHUNK serves as the “Official Workholding Partner” of JGR, home of the #20 Home Depot Toyota driven by Tony Stewart, the #18 M&M's Toyota, driven by Kyle Busch, and the #11 FedEx Toyota, driven by Denny Hamlin.
Danfoss to double Illinois facility
Danfoss Drives is doubling its Loves Park, Ill., facility that produces variable frequency drives, adding both production and office space. After expansion, the facility will be LEED-certified and registered with the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) building rating system promotes sustainability in design and construction practices. Danfoss designs and manufactures variable frequency drives (VFDs) for efficient control of ac motors used in applications that include food and beverage, material handling, and other industrial applications. The company moved into their current facility in 2001, located on 18 acres. The building expansion will use the remainder of the acreage, so the company has purchased another 17 acres of land to ensure the possibility of contiguous expansion beyond 2011.
MicroStrain expands to fuel growth
Due to strong growth in sales and development contracts over the last five years, MicroStrain Inc., Williston, Vt., has expanded its corporate headquarters. The new 19,000 sq. ft. facility is double the size of its previous location. Growth is expected to continue at approximately 40% per year, according to company officials. The facility enables MicroStrain to significantly increase its production area, with additional space dedicated to increased capacity for its robotic calibration systems, which automate the process of embedding intelligence into its inertial, wireless, and micro-displacement sensing systems. MicroStrain's new street address is 459 Hurricane Lane, Suite 102. All phone numbers and e-mail addresses are unchanged.
Bodine Electric completes consolidation project
Bodine Electric Company, Chicago, Ill., has completed its strategic plant consolidation project. The company, a manufacturer of fractional horsepower gearmotors, motors, and motor speed controls announces that their Peosta, Iowa plant is now fully operational. More than 100 new CNC machining jobs were created and the size of the company's facility was more than doubled to 140,000 sq. ft. It is now home to most of the company's manufacturing and all assembly operations. The Peosta plant is designed around flexible cellular manufacturing principles, allowing the company to continuously adapt its manufacturing processes to the needs of its customers, both in the U.S. and globally.
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