Nate Hendley

Author

December 2021 / In Focus / Current / 2021

Pivoting to a Prefabricated Construction Solution

Written by Nate Hendley

The IDP Group has done a major pivot, with a new focus on steel-based pre-fabricated construction solutions that might help address housing needs in rural or isolated locales. The company has also embraced an innovative manufacturing methodology that aims to “turn construction into Advanced Manufacturing,” as Operations Manager and Partner Hamed Asl puts it.

November 2021 / Current / 2021 / Engineering & Design

Shifting Gears with an Innovative Product Line

LasX Industries

Written by Nate Hendley

LasX Industries, Inc., founded in 1998 in St. Paul, Minnesota, has new products, a new customer service initiative, and a new focus. When profiled April 2018 in Manufacturing in Focus magazine, LasX custom designed and manufactured industrial laser systems for materials processing. Since then, the company has been shaping its most popular ‘Engineer to Order’ platforms to a ‘Configure to Order’ product line to offer customers more competitive options with quicker order fulfillment—still customizable, and tailored to meet customer requirements.

October 2021 / Current / 2021 / Engineering & Design

This Joint Venture Has Big Plans for Growth

ArtiFlex Manufacturing

Written by Nate Hendley

From its Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters, ArtiFlex Manufacturing, an innovative, vertically integrated enterprise, has big plans for growth based on partnerships with other businesses. The firm’s name—an amalgam of artisan and flexible—summarizes its unique approach to design and manufacturing, with the company organized into four groups devoted to innovation, tooling, automation, and manufacturing.

October 2021 / Current / 2021 / Engineering & Design

The Strictest Specifications

Machining Tolerance Measurement Meets Industry 4.0

Written by Nate Hendley

Metrology equipment manufacturers are increasingly adding Industry 4.0 features to instruments that measure machining tolerance. The goal is to improve accuracy, speed inspection times, enhance data collection and analysis, and lower verification costs.

October 2021 / Current / 2021

Super Service and Top-of-the-Line Waste Management Products

Metro Compactor Services

Written by Nate Hendley

If there is a secret to the success and longevity of Metro Compactor Service, Inc., it is that the family-run firm offers top-of-the-line waste and recycling equipment as well as ‘Super Service.’

August 2021 / In Focus / Current / 2021 / Electronics & Components

Celebrating 75 Years of Innovation and Employee Relations

Columbia Plastics

Written by Nate Hendley

Last year marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of Columbia Plastics, a family-owned, custom injection moulding company based in Surrey, British Columbia. Unfortunately, the advent of COVID-19 meant that birthday celebrations, as well as the company’s traditional summer barbeque and Christmas events, were cancelled in 2020. While staff parties are fun, putting the health and welfare of its workforce came first.

August 2021 / In Focus / Current / 2021 / Electronics & Components

Expanding its Staff, Facilities and Portfolio

Industrial Magnetics, Inc.

Written by Nate Hendley

Industrial Magnetics, Inc. (IMI) designs and manufactures both standard and customized magnetic workholding, material handling and separation devices. Most of these products are made in the United States—a point of pride for the company, which also offers magnet-related services to its clientele.

August 2021 / In Focus / Current / 2021 / Modern Methods & Materials

Marking a Major Milestone with New Products and a Spirit of Determination

KSPT

Written by Nate Hendley

KSPT SGS Precision Tools (KSPT) of Ohio is marking its sixtieth anniversary with new products and a spirit of optimism.

July 2021 / In Focus / Current / 2021

Bringing Innovative Solutions Back to an in-Person Event Format

Foam Expo North America and the Adhesives & Bonding Expo

Written by Nate Hendley

The Foam Expo North America and the Adhesives & Bonding Expo are back! Representatives from the industrial foam, adhesives, and bonding sectors are gearing up for a dynamic exposition running July 13–15 at the Suburban Collection Showplace venue in Novi, Michigan. The event promises to be big—and not just because it features hundreds of exhibitors and leading industry specialists.

Uncategorized

How Technology is Transforming Traditional Manufacturing

Industry 4.0

Written by Nate Hendley

Pundits love to use the term Industry 4.0 to describe the future of manufacturing. But what does the term really mean, and how will the tenets of Industry 4.0 impact day-to-day manufacturing operations?