PM News: Italian Machine Builder Opens U.S. Facility

Italian Machine Builder Opens U.S. Facility
To support its U.S. customer base and actively market its high production, automated and turnkey centering, facing and endworking machinery, Costruzioni Meccaniche Caorle has officially opened its new sales, service and U.S. corporate facility in Elgin, Illinois. The decision was made to choose a central location with easy access to its growing customer base. The new facility consists of a fully staffed sales, service and project engineering office, with substantial warehouse area for shipping, receiving and stocking of spare and critical parts. Because centering, facing and endworking machines typically perform all machining operations that pertain to the "1st Operation Qualifying" process, the U.S. management and sales staff are skilled so it can effectively respond to the often complex and technically advanced turnkey projects. Through its U.S. facility, the company is committed to maintaining its position as a supplier of automated and manufacturing companies throughout the world.

UNOVA, Inc. has agreed to sell its Cincinnati Lamb Group to MAG Industrial Automation Systems LLC, an entity established by Maxcor, Inc. (New York, New York).

Under the terms of the agreement, MAG will purchase the global operations of UNOVA’s Cincinnati Lamb Group for approximately $60 million of consideration, subject to closing balance sheet adjustments. The consideration consists of $16 million in cash, $10 million in notes and the assumption of approximately $34 million relating to certain pension and other post-retirement obligations.

"This is the first of two anticipated transactions that reflects our progress in meeting our stated commitment of divesting our industrial automation business," says Michael Keane, UNOVA chief financial officer.

Haas Automation, Inc. has produced, sold and installed its 50,000th CNC machine tool. The machine, an SL-20APL CNC turning center with an automatic parts loader, came off the production line February 16. Bearing a commemorative plaque, the machine went to Western Saw in Oxnard, California.

Superior Tube Corporation (Collegeville, Pennsylvania) announces the accession of Scott Myers to company president. After joining the company in 2004 as vice president of sales, Mr. Myers lead the restructured the company’s sales efforts that has resulted in a fundamental corporate repositioning in the marketplace and improved the business focus and outlook for the company. He replaces Jeffrey Stam, who has elected to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.

Mr. Myers joined the company after a long tenure as general manager of e-business for Carpenter Technology Corporation (Reading, Pennsylvania).

John Stedge also holds a new position at Superior. He was promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer. Since joining the company from Drever Group, John has directed the plant engineering and maintenance, planning and manufacturing operations critical and made many changes to the operation.

Niton LLC announces the opening of Niton China Inc. The new office, located in Shanghai, will provide local sales and service support to Niton’s distribution network within the Peoples Republic of China.

"We are extremely pleased with the growth we are experiencing in the Asia/Pacific markets and China, in particular," says Bill Kinsey, managing director of Niton China Inc. "This new facility will provide superior local support to customers quickly and efficiently. In addition to the Shanghai operation, we also have a service center in Beijing, China. The company is now positioned to not only assist existing customers, but to expand within new emerging markets for portable XRF."

Dr. Ralf Kammermeier was appointed general manager and Matthias Gläser as co-general manager at Körber Schleifring GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany). Heinz Poklekowski, who previously was the general manager of Schleifring Company K. Jung GmbH, has been appointed co-CEO of Walter Maschinenbau GmbH (Tübingen, Germany).