New Product Development Event

As A Plastic mold maker assume more responsibility for upfront product development disciplines, the new Euro-uRapid 2002conference is a prime opportunity to learn more about rapid technologies. Euro-uRapid 2002 takes place December 2-3 in Frankfurt/Main at the Frankfurt/Marriott Hotel.

The conference is under the patronage of the president of the Fraunhofer Society in Germany. Lectures will be given in German and English with simultaneous translation. The Fraunhofer-Allianz Rapid Prototyping is a cooperative association of 12 Fraunhofer Institutes involved in leading technologies related to rapid prototyping, rapid tooling and rapid manufacturing.

Their success is based on the development and implementation of innovative concepts, process and solutions for the processes related to product and tool development.

Two Major Forces in Metal Cutting
Consider Combining Activities

Two major organizations in manufacturing, Gildemeister Aktiengesellschaft and ThyssenKrupp Technologies AG, are examining the merits of combining their activities in metal cutting. Representatives of the two companies have agreed to examine a pooling of activities and then consider their next step. A link with ThyssenKrupp’s machine tool business would give Gildemeister annual sales of about €1.8 billion.

Both sides assume ThyssenKrupp would become the largest single shareholder in Gildemeister, without taking control of the company. Together the two companies could offer a full range of products from standard machines to systems solutions on a worldwide basis.

Hardinge Forms Alliance with
Bridgeport International

Hardinge Inc. and BPT Holdings Inc., along with its wholly owned subsidiary Bridgeport Machines Ltd., have signed a letter of intent in which Hardinge will assume responsibility for the manufacture and distribution of Bridgeport knee mills, related parts, service support functions, and other activities in North America previously handled by the Connecticut operations of Bridgeport Machines, Inc.

Hardinge expects to be supplying parts and services as soon as definitive agreements with Bridgeport International are concluded, and plans to be in production of machines at its Elmira, New York, facility in the first quarter of 2003. Customers and suppliers will be contacted shortly to ensure their needs are addressed.

Bridgeport International’s operations were founded over 60 years ago. Its new headquarters and main manufacturing facilities are in Leicester, UK, from which it manufactures and distributes a full line of vertical and horizontal milling machines, flexible grinding machines, lathes, and knee mills.

Bridgeport International has offices in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States, with worldwide production and distribution throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.