Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire Air Liquide’s subsidiary, Air Liquide Welding.
Air Liquide Welding is subject to a definitive agreement between the parties and customary conditions and provisions for a transaction of this type, including the “information-consultation” process with the employee representative bodies and the applicable competition authorities’ approval.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as the financial adviser and Jones Day is acting as legal adviser to Lincoln Electric.
| A n AMN release | march 06, 2017 ||
Wouldn’t it be cool to have something as hard as steel and still malleable? Researchers from Hokkaido University in Japan have gotten a one up on this thought, they’ve built a new hydrogel material that has been reinforced with fibres and according to them it is five times harder to break than carbon steel. Along with this use the material is also very easy to bend and stretch.The researchers made a material that’s super tough and flexible at the same time
The researchers developed the fabric which is called fibre-reinforced soft composite (or FRSC). They did this by combining hydrogels- containing very high levels of water- with glass fibre fabric. The process of combining two materials together to get the best mix of both their properties is something that has been going on for a long time. This is a useful technique and can be used to create some really wonderful things. The idea is that you end up with a better product than the two standalone source materials.
Creating a substance that could easily bear heavy loads and was also very resistant to fractures was something that the scientists set out to create. These traits were easily found in hydrogels while the extra rigidity and durability was provided through the glass fibre fabric.
Just imagine the uses that this material could have. One good use would be building artificial ligaments or tendons for people who have ruptured their original ones. It could also be alternatively used in the fashion industry for manufacturing a very elastic but tough material.
| Originally published wccftech | March 07, 2017 ||
According to a report from China’s central government, production of steel and aluminium by producers in over two dozen cities will drop significantly over the winter months. The move is seen as another salvo in the ongoing battle against smog.
The document, which is a joint statement from the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), Finance Ministry, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Bureau, in conjunction with local governments, carries a date of February 17, also includes plans to limit coal use in Beijing as well as pulling back on coal transport to northern China.
According to the document, steel producers in the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Tianjin, and within the city of Beijing will be called upon to cut production in half during the peak heating months between November and February, inclusive. The amount of steel capacity to be curtailed is dependent upon the emission cuts to be made in the region, per the report.
The document details cuts in aluminium capacity by over thirty percent and alumina by nearly the same amount in those cities as well. Cuts in Hebei, Henan, and Shandong are particularly significant, as seventy percent of China’s total aluminium production is located in those three provinces.
The cuts would see China’s yearly steel output fall by 8 percent per annum and aluminium output lowered by 17 percent per year, according to calculations performed by Reuters, the news service that originated the story.
In addition to capacity cuts, the transportation of coal will be limited to railroad in Hebei and Tianjin, eliminating trucks as a method for transport starting in September. As the lion’s share of aluminium production in China is powered by coal-fired power plants, the implication for aluminium production is obvious.
China has long been battling smog, and this winter’s air quality has proven to be the worst in decades. Heavy industry, coal burning for heat in private homes, and increased transportation has taken a toll on air quality in cities like Beijing, which finds itself engulfed in even worse levels of smog than normal.
| From Aluminium Insider | March 01, 2017 ||
AutoInformed.com on Chinese Steel DumpingThe Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) announced at its National Conference that it will take legal action against Chinese steel dumping. Newly elected national secretary Daniel Walton said that the union would lodge a complaint with the government’s Anti-Dumping Commission. The resolution calls on the Commission to impose a significant tariff on Chinese steel. “Dumping is cheating,” it says.
The Commission has the power to impose tariffs to address dumping. However, in 2004, Australia became one of only two major developed economies to grant market economy status to China (after New Zealand), severely hampering its policy options for addressing Chinese steel dumping.
“Chinese dumping has put our manufacturing sector on the brink of collapse,” he said. “There can be no place for trade cheats.”
Walton explained that vast sums of money are being spent by the Australian government on infrastructure projects that use no Australian steel. At the same time, more than 8,000 workers at the Arrium steel plant in South Australia face an uncertain future as it went into administration (bankruptcy) last year.
The AWU is holding its National Conference on the Gold Coast in Queensland this week. Following a panel discussion on Chinese dumping, where experts debated the effects of dumping on the domestic market and strategies to fight it, delegates passed an anti-dumping resolution, accusing China of flooding the international market with 100 million tons of steel sold at prices below the cost of production.
The steel industry is in crisis across the world, of course, and IndustriALL affiliates are taking action to defend the industry and the jobs it provides. In November last year, thousands of steel workers marched through Brussels to demand action on dumping.
An action plan was adopted at IndustriALL’s base metals conference in Duisburg, Germany, committing affiliates to coordinate initiatives to oppose market economy status for China, on the grounds of unfair trade practices. In 2004, Australia became one of only two major developed economies to grant market economy status to China (after New Zealand), severely hampering its policy options for addressing Chinese dumping.
IndustriALL will participate in the next OECD Steel Committee on 23-24 March and together with affiliates, as well as in the G20 forum on steel overcapacity, for measures to be taken against dumping.
IndustriALL assistant general secretary Jenny Holdcroft, who was at the AWU National Conference, said:
“This is neither free nor fair trade when a country subsidizes its own industries at the expense of workers, their jobs, families and communities, in other countries. The AWU has taken an important step by demanding that its own government stands up to dumping. We will support them, and coordinate with our affiliates in the steel industry across the world to develop a united trade union response.”
| An AWU release | March 02, 2017 ||
High-tech company Rapid Advanced Manufacturing (RAM3D) in New Zealand has opened a new facility in Tauranga’s Tauriko Business Park, with the aim of making metal additive manufacturing more accessible to the Australian and New Zealand markets. RAM has been collaborating with global engineering technologies company Renishaw and, as a result, is using several AM250 metal additive manufacturing systems in its Tauranga facility.
RAM3D was spun out of the research organisation Titanium Industry Development Association (now TiDA) and it has the biggest Australasian centre for 3D metal printing. RAM3D’s new facility allows companies from a range of sectors, including aerospace, defence, consumer and industrial, to explore the benefits of metal additive manufacturing.
RAM3D works with its clients to improve the design of production parts and prototypes. It also uses additive manufacturing to make these parts in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. RAM3D is collaborating with companies as far away as Singapore and the products manufactured at the Tauranga centre are used around the world.
The diversity of the parts RAM3D manufactures ranges from titanium knives used by the Team Emirates America's Cup crew to customised handlebar extensions for the New Zealand Olympics cycling team, as well as titanium lugs for high-end Australian custom bike maker Bastion Cycles.
“The additive manufacturing market is on the rise in New Zealand and Australia,” explained Warwick Downing, Managing Director of Rapid Advanced Manufacturing. “This growth is fuelled by realism, not hype; the enquiries we are getting show a clear understanding of the potential of design for additive manufacturing. This is an encouraging trend. We believe this trend is being driven by industry collaborations that facilitate a better understanding of the technology, such as the one between RAM3D and Renishaw.
“The key to the successful and sustainable implementation of additive manufacturing into the production process is to have a good understanding of the technology and work in partnership with suppliers and clients.”
“RAM3D strongly believes that additive manufacturing is a competitive production technology with an unprecedented potential for industry,” continued Mike Brown, Managing Director of Renishaw Oceania. “The company’s unique combination of skills, facilities and experience make it an industry leader in this part of the world. It is a privilege for Renishaw to collaborate with such a key player in the market to grow the region’s adoption of additive manufacturing.”
RAM3D is planning to continue its growth and accommodate for 20 metal additive manufacturing systems by the end of 2020. The company is keen to work with a wider range of clients from different industries who want to explore the benefits and potential of metal additive manufacturing.
| A RAM release | March 02, 2017 ||
What Trump gets wrong about manufacturing
President Trump has promised to revitalize American manufacturing by bringing back mass production to the United States. This past Thursday, he convened a “listening session” with his manufacturing council, and a week ago, in front of thousands of Boeing factory workers in North Carolina, the president reaffirmed his mantra to have “products made in America, made by American hands.”
President Trump is right in his call to invest more resources in manufacturing in America. But, he is mistaken to focus solely on mass production. The future of the sector lies not just with mass production but also with low-volume manufacturing and precision machining (a $60 billion industry) where America already offers a strong value proposition for its customers right here in the U.S.
For example, the president missed an opportunity to nurture this large manufacturing base when he filled his manufacturing council with executives mostly from Fortune 500 companies. Small- to mid-size machine shops, that specialize in low- volume manufacturing, also deserve airtime for their contribution to the rising tide of manufacturing in America. Whether through traditional machining or newer 3D printing processes, these manufacturers are often on the cutting edge of product development.
In an interview following the manufacturing council meeting last week, U.S. Steel CEO Mario Longhi said it was “totally realistic to bring [manufacturing] jobs back.” As we put in place policies to bring back these jobs, however, we must be mindful of the realities of the 21st century economy.
Low volume manufacturers in the United States already offer a tremendous value proposition versus our main overseas competitors. These smaller businesses are much more sensitive to the cost of regulation and such regulation often prevents them from expanding, either through the purchase of additional capacity or additional employees.
By embracing new, smarter technologies like 3D printing, low volume manufacturers are both adapting to a more advanced economy and creating jobs in America. Operating 3D printers or CNC machines provides machinists, who now must be a combination of artisan and computer programmer, the requisite skills to adopt quickly the most advanced manufacturing technologies.
The United States has significant advantages in low-volume manufacturing. It demands a high degree of quality control and supply chain management. Sourcing in the U.S., where there are no cross-border issues and every destination is no more than a day away, is safer than offshoring.
While we don’t expect President Trump to spend the next press conference lauding new jobs at Bikle Manufacturing or pressuring Ashby Manufacturing to keep jobs in Pennsylvania, it would be wise for his administration to be more inclusive of the low-volume manufacturing sector.
It would be misguided to think that reshoring jobs from a handful of companies that are household names will be enough to bring back the glory days of manufacturing in this country. The government must also invest in the small machine shops that you probably have never heard of. These shops, many of which are third or fourth generation American have been making America great for decades.
| An opinion from Randy Atschuler on The Hill Washington | March 01, 2017 ||
Mettler Toledo is inviting New Zealand manufacturers to a one-day event at its newly established Centre of Excellence in Hamilton on March 29.
The free event will include a range of workshops covering key industry topics such as foreign object detection, food safety and compliance, and hazardous area weighing. Centre experts will also provide hands-on product demonstrations, guides on good analytical practice, and a new approach to pH measurement.
The workshops are designed for food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical producers interested in improving contamination detection, analysis of pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen, and hazardous area weighing processes.
“This one-time event is an opportunity for manufacturers to obtain industry insights and product training in one convenient location,” said Country Manager Andy Cashen of Mettler Toledo New Zealand.
“In addition to the workshops, the whole range of METTLER TOLEDO equipment will be available for live demonstrations and use. Attendees have direct, hands-on access to products such as metal detectors and x-ray systems, hazardous weighing equipment, pH, conductivity and DO sensors, and more.”
Partners and customers in New Zealand will also be given an opportunity to tour the new facilities to celebrate the opening.
The newly established Centre of Excellence is the main facility for the company in New Zealand.
For customers and local suppliers, the facility offers many great opportunities, including access to training and demonstrations, expert consulting from technical sales professionals, skilled factory trained local service technicians, and local customer support.
| A Food Australia article | February 27, 2017 ||
NZ founders and former shareholders of the Compac fruit sorting company are in line for up to $230m in earn-outs paid for the company by Norwegian firm Tomra.
The New Zealand founders and former shareholders of the Compac fruit sorting company are in line for up to $230 million in earn-out payments on top of the $70 million paid for the company by the Norwegian food, recycling and mining sorting business Tomra.
The detail of the deal, announced last October, emerges in the Overseas Investment Office's notification of foreign investments approved in January and in a presentation to shareholders published by Tomra with its fourth-quarter results last week.
Tomra executives disclose that they had bought Compac in a distressed state, making losses caused by a lack of cash flow owing to over-extension in some parts of its fast-growing business, in spite of $152 million of revenue in the most recent financial year, ended June 30.
"The financial history shows a company that has been in distress, short of cash flow because of loss-making activities in some areas," Tomra president and chief executive Stefan Ranstrand told analysts last Thursday in a video briefing published on the Tomra website.
Presentation slides say Compac disposed of businesses in Spain on February 1 and is "refocusing its operations in Latin America to be sales and services, and not manufacturing".
This was expected to cut revenue by around $25 million in annual revenue.
The New Zealand vendors were planning to continue operating distribution businesses in Spain and Italy, said Mr Ranstrand.
The OIO documents list Hamish and Kim Kennedy and Brian Leaning as owning 75.03 per cent of Compac prior to the sale. Hamish Kennedy founded the company in 1984.
Other New Zealand shareholders owned the remainder of the business, which developed technology ideal for sorting fruit such as apples, kiwifruit, and stone and citrus fruits.
Mr Ranstrand described Compac's fresh fruit sorting equipment as world-leading, with a strong position in the US market.
The New Zealand-developed equipment digitally examined the inside and outside of fresh produce to allow very accurate grading and customer satisfaction.
| A Tomra release | February 28, 2017 ||
The company is making advancements with its Xantu.Layr product, the reportedly world’s only commercially available nanofiber composite reinforcement veil.
Revolution Fibres is increasing its production output to meet growing world-wide demand for its nanofiber strengthening product used in Formula One race cars, fishing rods and the aerospace industry. The company says that demand for Xantu.Layr, which it says is the “world’s only commercially available nanofiber composite reinforcement veil,” has increased as a result of extensive research and development conducted in 2016, which helped to further validate Xantu.Layr’s performance in composites.
Nanofibre Applications Engineer Gareth Beckermann says significant advancements have been made by using nanofiber interleaving veils to increase the impact strength, delamination resistance and fatigue life of composites.
“We are also increasingly seeing evidence that nanofiber veils outperform thermoplastic toughening particles and microfiber veils, and nanofiber veils can also improve the mechanical properties of composites containing already toughened resin systems.
“In some situations, the addition of lightweight nanofiber interleaving veils can improve delamination resistance by up to 170%, impact strength can be improved by up to 20%, and fatigue life can be improved by nearly 400%, all with negligible laminate weight and thickness gains.
“Nanofiber veils can also be used for localized reinforcement as opposed to having to apply veils to the whole composite part,” he says.
Revolution Fibres’ Operations Manager Brent Tucker says production capacity has recently doubled to meet the additional demand for Xantu.Layr for new and existing clients, which include Kilwell Fishing Rods and Kiwi Composites.
“We expect 2017 to be a significant year for Xantu.Layr production as many clients are coming to the end of their R&D program cycles with positive results,” says Tucker. “This increased production capacity is a huge benefit to all because it will lead to cost reductions, especially for customers wanting larger volumes.”
In 2015, Revolution Fibres achieved its AS9100c certification. This world-first certification provides internationally recognized assurance to customers that the systems and procedures behind the nanofiber production meet aerospace standards.
Revolution Fibres CEO Iain Hosie says the company’s aim now is to get more people using Xantu.Layr, which is why it has introduced smaller quantity Hobby and Starter Packs to the range.
“It’s an incredibly versatile material and our goal is to make it easier for designers, production engineers and hobbyists to purchase Xantu.Layr in smaller quantities and to give them greater access to the technology. For some smaller composite users the 100m MOQ was a barrier but with the new Hobby and Starter packs it’s so much more accessible. It’s surprisingly easy to use, and it should be used more often for improving composites.”
Revolution Fibres is interested in talking to distributors to spread the technology further, especially in Asia and the U.S.
“It’s a product that will fit well with a number of distributor’s product portfolios to provide a significant and unique offering for their clients," he says. "We’re also keen to work with more carbon fiber pre-pregging companies to integrate Xantu.LayrTM directly into prepreg materials as an additional toughening measure.”
Revolution Fibres' electro-spinning technology creates nanofiber out of a range of synthetic and bio-derived polymers.
| A CompositesWorld release | February 27, 2017 ||
New Zealand manufacturer XLam has developed a locally produced cross-laminated timber (CLT), which could cut construction cost that will be available by the end of 2017, according to the AFR.
The new CLT material and the way it is made, promises time, labour and wastage savings. Construction occurs offsite in the buildings with CLT. The timber is designed and shaped into panels, which can then be brought onsite and assembled.
The CLT will be produced at XLam plant in Albury Wodonga. It will be produced from local pine, which will be a boon for the local forestry industry.
The plant is expected to create 60,000 cubic metres of CLT annually and be built by April when manufacturing material is installed. It is anticipated to create 54 local jobs.
XLam chief executive Gary Caufield said that the new plant would have a direct jobs impact and also an economic multiplier for the Albury-Wodonga region.
| A Manufacturers'Monthly release | February 21, 2017 ||
See Also: NZ company XLAM to open manufacturing plant in Australia
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242