August 2008 - Industry Today - Leader in Manufacturing & Industry News

Magazine Issue August 2008

High Voltage

Terroza Exploration Services, Inc.

Well-Oiled Enterprise

Canadian-based Terroza Exploration Services transcends physics by conquering time and space. That is, its equipment and highly skilled personnel can drill anywhere and accomplish any job on time. Dan Harvey describes how this small, vibrant company keeps pace with larger competitors in the fast-moving field of energy exploration services.

NARMCO

Putting a Stamp on Metal

Ever wonder how automobiles are made? Maybe; maybe not. The good news is you don’t have to because as Armando Diana found out the NARMCO Group has it all under control for the North American population.

Parkway Products

Breaking the Mold | Industry Today

Parkway Products is a global leader in custom molding technologies, supplying components and assemblies.

Rigmaster Machinery Ltd.

Rig Masters

Rigmaster Machinery Ltd. & Rigmaster Technology Ltd. have made themselves the experts in drilling equipment and components. Lorie Greenspan

Semeato

Reaping and Sowing

Since the beginning of the colonial era, agriculture has been the main driver of Brazilian economic growth. As the country’s premier manufacturer of seed planters and sowers, Semeato S/A is revolutionizing machinery and techniques and greatly improving farming processes. Reuben Ford explains how the company continues to sow the seeds of success in Brazil and abroad.

Taylor Made Systems™

Stem to Stern

Taylor Made Systems™ is the world’s largest manufacturer of marine glazing systems and is the OEM division of Taylor Made Group, Inc.®, which includes partner companies Taylor Made Products, Trend Marine Products Ltd. and Waterbonnet Mfg., Inc. Barbara Kram reports on the company's framed-glass windshield technology for powerboats and other marine product lines.

Metalurgica Albras

Screwing Tight

Albras is a leading hardware company in Brazil whose products have reached a growing number of households. Fabio Silva explains how it screws tight the bolts of this business.

Mitsubishi Electric de Mexico SA de CV

Going Up

Mitsubishi Electric is the global technology leader in research and development of elevators and escalators, boasting the Guinness World Record in vertical speed at 750 meters per second in Yokohama’s Landmark Tower in Japan. Its Mexican subsidiary, Mitsubishi Electric de Mexico S.A. of C.V., has for over 30 years facilitated this technology. Mauricio Chan reports.

Monsanto

Major Miners

Monsanto’s phosphate mining operation in Idaho produces a key ingredient for the company’s Roundup® and afterwards, gets reclaimed as near to its original state as possible through a careful and laborious process that is kind to habitats, landscape and environment, as Lorie Greenspan discovers.

Napoleon Products

Grilled Perfection

Napoleon® Appliance Corporation – Gourmet Grills is a division of North America’s largest privately owned manufacturer of wood and gas fireplaces, gourmet gas and charcoal grills, outdoor living products and waterfalls. David Soyka gets a taste of how this Canadian maker of premium grills meets the growing worldwide consumer appetite for quality cooking in the great outdoors.

Maritime Steel and Foundries

Materials that Matter

With more than a century of production and growth, Maritime Steel and Foundries Limited continues to offer an endless array of cast steel products and metallurgical solutions to its ever-growing list of customers. Pat Whiteman reports.

Lunday-Thagard Company

Through the Roof!

Like every U.S. business, Lunday-Thagard company has been severely impacted by rising oil prices. However, the California-based oil refinery, which produces asphalt-based products, has taken active measures to increase its energy efficiency. At the same time, it’s reducing the size of its carbon footprint. In this way, Lunday-Thagard is adapting to a brave new world.

M.S. Willett, Inc.

Metal Maker

M. S. Willett, Inc. has been specializing in metalforming services since 1929. David Sokya tells the story of this unique company.

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KSM, Inc.

Fuel Industry Fabricators

Whether customers are in the market for new oil field equipment fabrication osimple repairs, KSM Inc. rises to any challenge.

Libreleato Implementos Rodoviarios

Timely Transport

In the last five years Librelato Implementos Agrícolas e Rodoviários Ltda, one of the companies of the Librelato Group has experienced remarkable growth in the road transportation industry. President José Carlos Librelato and Marketing Director Thayni Librelato talk to Reuben Ford about just how far the company has come since its inauguration, and how Librelato Implementos continues on the road to success.

KSB Brasil

Pumped for Business

The Brazilian affiliate of KSB, a leading manufacturer of pumps and valves, has obviously benefited from the name and experience of its German parent company. However, as President Carmelo Fernandez Moldes explains to Michael Sommers, the cutting-edge products KSB Brasil has designed for domestic markets such as sugar and petroleum have not only conquered Brazil, but are also attracting global interest.

Hoist Liftruck

Moving the Goods

Hoist Liftruck manufactures heavy-duty lifting products engineered to meet the needs of any industry. Janice Gable Bashman reports.

INACE Industria Naval do Ceara

Successful Sails

INACE’s first product – an aluminum lobster boat – revolutionized northeastern Brazil’s modern fishing boat segment. As Michael Sommers discovers, today the Ceará-based shipbuilder is not only a leading player in Brazil’s naval sector, but is also poised to take on the world.

Grupo Ferrosider

Steel Entrepreneurs

Much of Brazil's prosperity today is due to the increasing industrial activity of auto companies that demand the availability of products and components for their manufacturing operations. Among those service providers is Grupo Ferrosider, a conglomerate of companies that uses steel and steel-aluminum alloys to make parts used to assemble cars and trucks. Luis Miranda reports.

Grupo Penoles

Mineral-Rich

Part of Grupo BAL, Mexico-based Industrias Peñoles S.A.B. of C.V. is the world’s top producer of refined silver, metallic bismuth, and sodium sulfate, as well as the leading Latin American producer of refined gold, lead, and zinc. Founded in 1887 as a mining company, today Peñoles features integrated operations in the areas of exploration, mining, metallurgy, and chemicals. Mauricio Chan reports.

Grupo Urrea SA de CV

Going with the Flow

Founded in 1907 as a distributor of toilets, faucets, and other bathroom components, Grupo Urrea has for more than a century hedged its bets on the growing importance of aesthetics and the functionality of bathrooms in Mexican households. With over $400 million in annual billings in 2007, the Mexico-based company constitutes the largest producer of bathroom faucets and valves in the nation. Mauricio Chan reports.

Grupo Ceres

Farm to Table

Grupo Ceres, a group of Mexican companies that focuses on all aspects of business related to agriculture in Mexico, has helped both large and small farms operate at their fullest capacity since 1960. Rachel Hartman reports.

Eagle Drilling Services Ltd.

On the Wings of an Eagle

When Derrick Big Eagle co-founded Eagle Drilling Services Inc. in 2005, he became the youngest owner of a Canadian drilling company. A member of the Ocean Man First Nation, he also became the first aboriginal to own and operate such an enterprise. The Saskatchewan-based business, which services the burgeoning Canadian Bakken oilfield area, achieved rapid growth in three years through advanced technology and commitment to its employees’ health and safety, Dan Harvey describes.

Engemix

Quality Mix

Engemix, Inc., is a subsidiary of Votorantim Cementos, the tenth largest cement maker in the world, and the largest operator in its home base of Brazil. David Soyka gets into the mix.

Fitedi Cia Fiacao e Tecelagens Divinopolis

Tough Material

Brazil’s Fitedi is a third-generation textile manufacturer. For years, its steady growth was a given. However, as Michael Sommers discovers, the challenges of foreign competitors, rising costs, and a plunging dollar caused the company to launch an offensive campaign that involves adopting new strategies and moving in new directions.

Fletes Mexico Chihuahua SA

King of the Road

Going from a small family business that serviced one company to becoming one of the most important and biggest freight service companies in Mexico, Fletes Mexico Chihuahua is also setting the standards for what clients can expect from their transportation carriers. Gilbran Haq reports.

David Round Company

Defying Gravity

David Round Company is not only one of the most innovative material handling manufacturers; it’s also one of the oldest. The Ohio-based organization successfully remained in the game over the long haul by providing an expansive line of standard and custom engineered products, writes Dan Harvey.

Designer Doors

Harmonious Openings

Designer Doors is an employee-owned company that manufactures high-end architecturally distinctive wood garage doors and complimentary entranceways, shutters and gateways. David Soyka pulls to the curb to see how this company harmonizes home appearance.

Dimplex Thermal Solutions (DTS)

Liquid Chiller Manufacturers | Industry Today

A subsidiary of the Glen Dimplex Group, Dimplex Thermal Solutions (DTS) was formed in 2006 .

Crowe Buiding Products Ltd.

The Ultimate Roof

Crowe Building Products Ltd. is the Canadian manufacturer of Authentic Roof™, the world’s first synthetic slate made from a proprietary blend of the most resilient recycled polymers. David Soyka reports on how this environmentally-friendly and highly durable product puts a roof with classic appeal over people’s heads at a reduced cost.

Danfoss Industries SA de CV

Cooling the World

As a leader in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, Mexico’s Danfoss, a branch of the Denmark-based company, produces state-of-the-art components that help cool places in North America and beyond. Rachel Hartman reports.

Compania Minera Autlan SA de CV

Mining Elements

With its state-of-the-art mines and production plants located throughout the country, Compañía Minera Autlán leads Mexico in the mining and distribution of manganese mineral and ferroalloys. Rachel Hartman reports.

Constructora Lintel

The Building Source

Lintel was one of the first construction companies to offer design build services in Mexico since its inception in 1983. The step, considered ‘risky business’ at the time, has now just proven to be the foundation of Lintel’s early success. Gibran Haq reports.

Corporacion M&S Internacional

Construction Pioneer

Corporación M&S of Costa Rica is the leading heavy construction enterprise operating in the whole of Central America. Piotr Sadowski reports on the company’s success story.

Crestwood Inc.

Cabinet Magic

Kansas-based and family-owned, Crestwood Inc., manufactures fine custom cabinetry for kitchens, bathrooms, libraries and entertainment centers. David Soyka reports on how this company leads the custom cabinet industry in going green with the latest designs in a range of colors and exotic woods.

Comex

Color Dynamics

As the leading architectural paint and coatings manufacturer, wholesaler and distributor in Mexico and Central America, Comex México, part of the Comex Group, brings the top trends in colors to the residential and commercial sector. Rachel Hartman reports.

Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen

Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen | Industry Today

Service quality and leading-edge technology improve the regional competitive position of Panama's Tocumen International Airport, as Paul Har

Bailey Bridges, Inc.

Crossing Bridges

Join Armando Diana as he learns that selling a bridge is no joke for those at Bailey Bridges, the experts in supplying portable, component bridges and heavy duty bridge gratings.

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Cesde Ltda.

Appliance Whiz

The Brazilian household appliance company Mallory has gone from a humble $25 million in revenue in 2002 to a whopping $130 million for 2007. The secret? Vision, innovation and technology, as Gibran Haq finds.

Clayton de Mexico

Steam generators and Hot water generators

After a booming growth rate during the last two years, Clayton de México, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Clayton Industries that produces

AeroParts Manufacturing & Repair

Dynamic Duo

AeroParts’ in-house capability to fabricate detail parts as part of its repair process, coupled with its expert ozone converter reconditioni

Watteredge, Inc.

Welding Connections

Watteredge, Inc. partners with employees, customers and vendors to give it a competitive edge in a growing industry. Armando Diana learns th

Wright Manufacturing Inc.

Taking a Stand

Wright Manufacturing, Inc. developed the first commercial riding lawnmower that allowed the operator to stand up while mowing and is today t

Urbanizadora del Bajio (UBSA)

Building the Industrial Future

For a country to enjoy proper development it needs to have a strong infrastructure. In Mexico, Urbanizadora del Bajio, a construction compan

Volkswagen de Mexico

One Factory, Global Destinations

With its high production rates and successful global strategies, Volkswagen de México, the North American branch of the Volkswagen Group, pl

Walworth

Opening up the Profits

For more than 165 years, Walworth has represented the summit of valve technology. But when Mexican businessman Salomon Waisburd purchased th

Universal Instruments

Instruments of Innovation

Universal Instruments is a company that has outpaced others in the industry since 1919. Weathering a great sea of changes since that era, Un

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