Houghton International and Quaker Chemical Corporation are set to combine, creating a chemicals and metalworks powerhouse.

The U.S. economy grew 0.7 percent at the annual rate in the first quarter, starting 2017 off on a soft start as expected. Weaker consumer and inventory spending in the first quarter could explain the lower figures, with government spending also serving as a drag on the headline number. We traditionally have a sluggish first quarter followed by a strong rebound in the second quarter, and in that context, this report is less discouraging than it might seem at face value.

According to a recent report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, U.S. Steel announced plans to spend more than $1 billion in upgrades to plants in Mon Valley and beyond.

It’s less than two months before his company’s initial product launch, and CEO Ric Fulop is excitedly showing off rows of stripped-down 3-D printers, several bulky microwave furnaces, and assorted small metal objects on a table for display. Behind a closed door, a team of industrial designers sit around a shared work desk, each facing a large screen. The wall behind them is papered with various possible looks for the startup’s ambitious products: 3-D printers that can fabricate metal parts cheaply and quickly enough to make the technology practical for widespread use in product design and manufacturing.

A massive shift from the traditional motor to full electric alternatives has pushed demand for electric motors to an all-time high.

This is the only time in 2017 that this course is available. This AGMA course allows students to explore the supporting elements of a gearbox that allows gears and bearings to do their jobs most efficiently. Learn about seals, lubrication, lubricants, housings, breathers, and other details that go into designing gearbox systems.

Thermoset resins continue to play an important role in metal replacement and lightweighting in motor vehicles. And Japanese firm Sumitomo Bakelite continues to push the application envelope through the development of new phenolic resin matrix-based materials targeting the auto sector.

Third Point, the investment firm founded by Dan Loeb, took a stake in Honeywell International Inc. and called for the industrial manufacturer to spin off its aerospace business.

The AGMA Strategic Resources Network Event next month, May 16-18 in Tulsa, OK, will provide high level presentations on the latest data on the energy sector, steel sector, and will have a special panel on workforce development. Additionally, registrants will have a special presentation on 3D printed metals as they pertain directly to the gear industry. This is an important event and seats are limited.

American manufacturing is in the midst of a renaissance. While the sector has been riding a wave of automation, increased efficiencies and changing macroeconomic forces, manufactures say the Trump administration could help fuel further growth with a reduction in regulations and new tax incentives.

Industrial metals have been on a tear since we called a bull market just about a year ago. However, we have recently witnessed some price weakness over the past couple of months.

U.S. manufacturing grew slower than forecast in April as employers reported less hiring and a slower pace of incoming orders, according to the Institute for Supply Management. 

Manufacturing conditions in Minnesota and eight other Midwestern states showed the fifth consecutive month of gains — with solid reports on new orders and employment, according to a widely watched monthly economic survey.

A strategic collaboration between ABB and IBM combines the technology companies’ digital and artificial intelligence capabilities to take gathering and analyzing plant data to the next level.

Return One Million Jobs (ROMJ) was created to raise $20 million to bring one million manufacturing jobs to the U.S. from offshore. The project will utilize global data analytics to help companies compare the total cost of supplying the U.S. market via manufacturing offshore vs. domestically.

While the lack of urgency is understandable, metal and mining companies need to carefully think about how long they can wait to implement digital technologies that can lead to significant efficiency, productivity, and safety gains, improving margins and easing debt.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is driving productivity increases: 72 percent of manufacturers saw increases in productivity and 69 percent saw improved profitability in the past year. According to The MPI Internet of Things Study, sponsored by BDO, half of plant production and equipment processes are already being managed via the IoT, and that number is set to climb. Findings exclusive to BDO reveal, however, that many manufacturers are leaving cybersecurity and R&D financing out of their IoT strategies — if they’ve built a strategy at all.

Early in the internet of things (IOT) adoption cycle, it's often assumed the technologies will permeate industries in roughly the same way. But there will be differences across major sectors of the economy — and it's helpful to understand how those differences will influence IOT adoption.