German cutting tool manufacturer Mapal says that consolidated group sales rose by around 6% from €540m in 2015 to €575m in 2016. Together with the increase in sales, the number of employees also increased by 4%, from 4,800 to nearly 5,000 worldwide. Over 3,400 work in Germany. Together with investments in R&D, further Mapal initiatives include implementing several construction projects at international locations. For instance, this year the company is increasing its investment in infrastructure in the USA, China and Mexico. In addition, Mapal has acquired the majority stake in Adico, a South Korean manufacturer of PCD and PcBN.
For further information www.mapal.com

Are ‘Modinomics’ fuelling an industrial renaissance in India? This question will be addressed during the India Day hosted by the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) at EMO 2017 in Hanover, Germany, on 20 September. EMO’s India Day aims in particular to explain clear perspectives for the mechanical engineering, automotive and aerospace sectors.
The day will be supported by the Indian government, with the organisers hosting Shri Sivanand, Joint Secretary of the Department of Heavy Industry in the Ministry of Heavy Industry & Public Enterprises. He will be spotlighting the government’s initiative for boosting the manufacturing sector. EMO will also be welcoming six delegations of high-ranking Indian entrepreneurs, which will be organised and accompanied by various Indian customer associations and staff from the VDMA’s liaison office in Kolkata.
For further information www.emo-hannover.de

The Timken Company,
a global specialist in engineered bearings and mechanical power transmission products, has reached an agreement to acquire Groeneveld Group, a Netherlands-headquartered provider of automatic lubrication solutions used in on- and off-highway applications, for approximately $280m. For the 12 months ending 31 May 2017, Groeneveld Group sales were approximately $105m. The transaction is expected to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in 2017. Additionally, Groeneveld Group has a strong margin profile, which is anticipated to be accretive to Timken’s EBITDA margin.
For further information
www.groeneveld-group.com

SLM Solutions Group AG, a supplier of
metal-based additive manufacturing (AM) technology, has won an order for 10 SLM500 multi-laser AM machines. This is the first order of this magnitude that SLM Solutions has received for the SLM500 model. SLM has been pursuing the goal of further establishing itself in Asia, where it already has subsidiaries in Singapore, China and, since 2017, India. This order is an important step for further growth in the region and is proof of high demand worldwide for AM systems suited to industrial applications. The machines are to be delivered
to a customer in China within the next 15 months.
For further information www.slm-solutions.com

Hexagon has revealed plans to invest approximately €90m in a new 52,000 m2 production facility in Hongdao, China. The new site will primarily produce metrology systems for the MI (Manufacturing Intelligence) division. There will also be office and meeting space, recreational areas for employees and a Hexagon solution centre. Construction is slated to begin this year, with completion targeted for 2020.
“The factories of the future must be flexible, modular working environments with data-driven ecosystems that embed agility and quality into every phase of the production process,” says Hexagon president and CEO Ola Rollén. “Our new facility not only will deliver high-class products and services for our customers in China and the surrounding region, but pioneer new technologies to support smart manufacturing.”
For further information www.hexagonmi.com