AMBA Awards over $54K in AMMA Grants

On June 28, 2018, the American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) awarded more than $54,000 to recipients of the American Mold Manufacturing Advancement Grant (AMMA Grant). Developed by the AMBA and launched in 2017, the AMMA Grant invests in the advancement of the mold building industry by supporting programs and projects that fall within three primary areas: training, advocacy/industry promotion, and research and development. To date, AMBA has awarded nearly $150,000 in grants in support of members’ workforce development efforts.

Funds awarded this year will support students at all grade levels with a variety of programs, including job shadowing, new apprenticeship programs, technical training, CNC software, robust career and technical education (CTE) programs, robotics competitions, Manufacturing Day activities, manufacturing camps and more. Winners this year included the following AMBA members: Century Die Company (Fremont, Ohio), Creative Blow Mold Tooling (Lee’s Summit, Missouri), M.R. Mold (Brea, California), Midwest Mold Services (Roseville, Michigan), Mold Craft (Willernie, Minnesota), Prodigy Mold (Haubstadt, Indiana), Superior Tooling (Wake Forest, North Carolina) and Wepco Plastics (Middlefield, Connecticut). Congratulations to all 2018 AMMA Grant recipients!

Nominate a Champion – Educational Outreach Contest Launched

AMBA recently launched the third annual Educational Outreach Contest in celebration of manufacturers that work to engage young people in the manufacturing industry. On Manufacturing Day 2018, October 5, AMBA will name three individual champions from AMBA member companies with the 2018 Educational Outreach Award in recognition of their efforts over the last year. Three scholarships will be awarded – $1,000, $750 and $250 – to the programs of their choice. These champions’ efforts are helping to close the skills gap and mitigate workforce development issues in their respective communities. For contest details or to submit a nomination by Sept. 21, 2018, visit AMBA.org.

Upcoming Webinars

Peer Networking: Senior Leaders
Sept. 19, 2018
One of AMBA’s primary membership benefits is the opportunity for professionals in different functional areas to connect with peers. AMBA will host its next Virtual Round Table, a webinar for senior leaders, on Sept. 19. This quarterly event, facilitated by AMBA Executive Director Troy Nix, will provide opportunities for mold manufacturers to share challenges with industry peers, ask questions and solve common problems. By joining such an expansive and energized group of professionals, members can access the AMBA community for virtual networking without leaving the office. To register, visit AMBA.org.

Getting Ready to Exit Your Business:
“Leaving on Your Terms”
Sept. 26, 2018
Join industry veteran John Carter, Insyght Transitions, on Sept. 26, 2018, at noon CST, for an in-depth discussion on how to prepare a company for a transition that will allow owners to exit on their own terms. Specializing in the manufacturing arena, Carter will cover such topics as how to get started (identifying owners’ “three universal objectives”) and how to design the ideal transition plan for the owner, the business and its employees. Attendees also will learn about the following:

• Assessing all financial and organizational resources – determining the good, the bad and the ugly
• Implementing the key value drivers to maximize the business’s value and owner’s ROI
• Creating a business continuity plan – addressing the uncertainty around the loss of the owner

To register, visit AMBA.org.

Meet AMBA’s Newest Board Members

David M. Bowers II is CEO at JMMS, Inc., Easley, South Carolina. He has served several roles with JMMS since his start in the fall of 1994, including office manager, project manager and sales/engineering manager. Bowers took over executive management responsibilities from his father, the company founder, in 2008. JMMS is a 35-associate operation engaged in both servicing and building new tooling for die casting, thermoset and thermoplastic injection markets. Bowers currently serves as a member of the South Carolina Workforce Investment Board, Pickens County Career Center Machine Tool Technology Advisory Board and the Pickens County Work Ready Communities Board. He also was past president for the South Carolina Chapter of NTMA and former member of the AMBA board of directors.

Andy Peterson has been with Industrial Molds Group, Rockford, Illinois, since 2008, after graduating from Wright State University with a finance and accounting degree. He has studied all aspects of the business, from CNC programming in Industrial’s mold base department to his current position in account management. Following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, Peterson is proud to be part of the third generation at Industrial Molds. As a member of the AMBA board of directors, he looks forward to interacting with other members and sharing best practices to help the industry grow.

New Report on Recruiting the Millennial

In AMBA’s recent report on recruiting the millennial generation, more than 85 percent of respondents indicated that it’s very or moderately important to hire millennial workers. However, more than 50 percent of those same respondents also reported having a workforce with less than 20 percent of employees under age 30. In combination, these responses indicate that – while there is a strong desire to find and train the next generation of mold builders – significant barriers remain to recruiting and retaining them. To read more about these challenges and how the mold building industry is successfully addressing them, purchase the full report at AMBA.org via the Publications page.

2019 AMBA Leadership Summit – Registration Open

Feb. 27-March 3, 2019 • St. Kitts
Registration is now open for the 2019 AMBA Leadership Summit on the island of St. Kitts. The biennial Leadership Summit allows mold building executives the opportunity to reflect on their current business situations while providing activities and engagements that challenge each leader to establish new, robust plans for an improved business model.

Situated between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, St. Kitts Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino in Frigate Bay is steps from the ocean shore and a short walk to the island’s eateries and beach bars. The resort boasts an 18-hole golf course, casino, spa and fitness center, outdoor pools and five onsite restaurants. From water sports, fishing and zip lining to 4-wheeling through the rainforest, St. Kitts offers a wide array of excursions. Details on programming, all-inclusive resort packages and registration are available at AMBA.org/summit.

Support a Great Cause – Alliance/iWarriors Golf Scramble

There’s still time to register for the second annual Alliance Specialties and Laser Sales iWarriors Golf Scramble, at Countryside Golf Course, in Mundelein, Illinois, Sept. 21, 2018. Registration includes an 18-hole golf scramble, putting green, driving range, lunch, dinner, beer, entertainment and gift. All profits benefit iWarriors. To register, visit www.alliancelasersales.com/golf. For information about iWarriors, visit www.iwarriors.org.

Scholarship Winners Announced

AMBA recently awarded $7,000 in scholarship funds for 2018. Each year, the AMBA awards scholarships to the employees or dependents of employees of AMBA member companies. The scholarship program is designed to help facilitate education in mold building in the US. The 2018 AMBA National Scholarship Program awarded $1,000 each to the following recipients:

• Seth Curtis, attending University of Missouri, Creative Blow Mold Tooling
• Breanna Early, attending University of Michigan-Dearborn, Proper Tooling International
• Ryan Goyan, attending Central Connecticut State University, Wepco Plastics
• Allen Johanson, attending Eastern Illinois University, Elba Tool Company, Inc.
• Nicholas Post, attending Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, Reddog Industries
• Jeremy Trollinger, attending University of Texas at Arlington, Schaefer Mold & EDM Services
• Garrison Willard, attending University of Missouri, Creative Blow Mold Tooling

AMBA congratulates each of these deserving students and wishes them the best in their endeavors. For more information on the AMBA Scholarship Program, visit AMBA.org or call 317.436.3102.

New Members

Thal Precision Industries
Paul Thal, Owner
732.381.6106 www.thalprecision.com

As a third-generation mold builder, Thal Precision takes the long-term approach to designing and constructing extreme-precision, tight-tolerance molds for high-critical injection molds.

AA Mold Design and Tool
Mark Vogt, President
574.340.7983 www.aamolddesignandtool.com

AA Mold Design and Tool specializes in small, intricate work as well as larger products. The company has more than 40 years of combined experience in mold design, mold building and mold repair. AA Mold Design and Tool serves several different industries including, but not limited to, automotive, agriculture, consumer products, electronics, medical, military and recreation.

Davalor Mold Company, LLC
Karl Blankengburg, Vice President, Tooling Operations
586.598.0100 www.davalor.com

Davalor Mold Company, LLC, is an industry leader in production and prototype plastic injection mold construction and high-volume production injection molding. Davalor is a full-service plastic injection molding supplier, delivering world-class service and quality for more than 27 years. The ISO9001:2000-certified company provides superior products, utilizing advanced technology with responsive customer service.

Triangle Tool Corporation
Dan Gouge, Vice President of Sales
414.357.7117 www.triangletoolcorp.com

Triangle Tool Corporation is the world’s leading provider of plastic injection molds and large machining services. For more than 50 years, Triangle Tool has exceeded the needs of its customers through the design and manufacture of high-quality, large-scale molds and through its custom machining business. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company works with clients in a variety of industry sectors including appliances, consumer goods, industrial, oil and gas, and transportation.

Whelen Engineering
Jim Putnam, Tooling Manager
603.826.4005 www.whelen.com

Whelen Engineering brings innovative, life-saving products to market quickly, while maintaining strict quality control throughout the process. The company’s tool room assists by providing a state-of-the-art, agile resource for maintaining, building and sourcing high-quality tooling.