INTERNATIONAL NEWS

4000th panel bender rolls off Salvagnini line

Salvagnini Maschinenbau is celebrating the production of its 4000th panel bender. The milestone, celebrated at the Ennsdorf, Austria plant, is for CMAlifts, an Italian manufacturer of elevators and lifting platforms.

Salvagnini says it is consolidating its leadership in panel bending technology with over 4000 installations in 80 countries, Europe’s largest plant entirely dedicated to panel bender manufacturing, over 600 technology specialists and more than 40 years of experience. Since 1977, when Guido Salvagnini designed and built the first P4, the panel bender has never stopped evolving: today it is a fully automatic solution for the modern smart factory.

Salvagnini Maschinenbau’s 4000th panel bender is part of an industrial journey marked by significant milestones: number 1000 (installed in Germany, 2006), number 1500 (USA, 2011), number 2000 (Korea, 2016) and number 3000 (China, 2020).

Number 4000 is a Generation 4 P4-3220 with a maximum bending length of 3200 mm and a maximum bending height of 203 mm. The machine is configured with CUT, CLA, CLA/N, P, PSE and DPM options, broadening its application range. It will see integration into an FSL (flexible smart line), which also includes an S4 punching machine and multiple automation devices, at the new fully automated factory that CMAlifts is building in Corato, Italy.

“Being part of the Salvagnini Group’s history is a source of pride for the whole CMAlifts team,” says Giulio Caputo, CMAlifts Co-CEO. “This P4 reflects our culture of continuous growth and innovation. With the new P4 we will manufacture many panels fully automatically, even our most complex profiles, with consistent quality and shorter lead-times.”

More information www.salvagninigroup.com

New director for MAPAL

Mark Lich is now director of global key account management at cutting tool manufacturer MAPAL, taking over leadership of a newly established department of the same name. He reports directly to the chief sales officer Claudio Gabos. Lich joined the company at the end of 2013 and has experience in various sales positions at MAPAL. Since January 2023, he has headed the company’s sales management office, which is responsible for steering and supporting global growth and efficiency goals within strategic sales management. Lich will continue to fulfil this role alongside his other responsibilities.

More information www.mapal.com

Stratasys launches post-processing partnerships

3D printer manufacturer Stratasys has launched its Post Processing Partnership Programme, an initiative that simplifies how customers access validated post-processing solutions as part of complete, end-to-end additive manufacturing workflows. Stratasys has also named its first participant in the programme, PostProcess Technologies. Under the commercial agreement, Stratasys will offer validated post-processing solutions from PostProcess Technologies through its global sales channels, enabling customers to purchase post-processing equipment under a single Stratasys PO alongside their Stratasys systems.

More information www.bit.ly/4tuU18z

German Machine Tool Output Expected to Grow

After two years of decline, the German machine tool industry expects production to grow by 1% to €13.7bn in 2026. “The fundamental basis for this increase is the expected recovery of domestic demand,” says Franz-Xaver Bernhard, chairman of the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association).

In 2025, investments were stifled by high costs, insufficient planning security and the absence of economic reform to revitalise Germany as a manufacturing location. In the current year, positive effects are expected from the so-called “special assets” of the German federal government, which have been set up for investments in infrastructure, defence, climate protection, digitalisation and mobility.

More information www.vdw.de

DN Solutions Completes Heller Acquisition

DN Solutions, the world’s third largest and Korea’s leading machine tool manufacturer, has completed its acquisition of Heller, a high-end German machine tool OEM. The transaction has been approved by regulators in various jurisdictions, including Germany, the US and the UK. The strategic integration will enable a more comprehensive service network, offering tailored solutions across key manufacturing regions such as Europe and North America.

The acquisition is set to boost DN Solutions’ consolidated sales to approximately $2.4bn. Together, DN Solutions and Heller produce over 13,400 machines annually, enhancing economies of scale and purchasing power. Strategic investments in the Heller site at Nürtingen and other international facilities, will further strengthen offerings and customer support.

More information www.heller.biz, www.dn-solutions.com