August 2019 Volume 1

Official Publication of the Forging Industry Association

August 2019 forging.org

FIA MAGAZINE | August 2019 1 FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2019 2 INSIDE: Forge Fair 2019 Recap page 3 Employee or Independent Contractor - It’s More than a Name page 28 “We’re Different” Applying Lean to Knowledge Work page 31 Building Your Workforce at Community Colleges page 33

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FIA MAGAZINE | August 2019

PRESIDENT'S NOTE

Thank You for a Great Forge Fair 2019!

I feel fortunate and grateful to have joined the FIA in December 2017. Since then, business has been mostly up and members generally thriving. No surprise to me, then, how the industry rallied around Forge Fair 2019 tomake it the largest Forge Fair in FIA’s history both in attendance and exhibits. Congratulations to you

The first issue was really great, not only the quality of the content but also the printing is by far above and beyond what the others are doing. - Jim Kravec, head of operations/service - Metalforming Siempelkamp-Forge IQ NewDepartments and Columnist Legal Forum: You know that feeling when you find something so good you just want to share it with whoever will listen? FIA has been blessed with excellent legal counsel and now is happy to say we are sharing this with the membership. Johanna Fabrizio Parker is an attorney and partner (labor and employment) with Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP (Cleveland). Each issue, Johanna will provide a legal forum on a topic relevant to the forging industry. Her first column is entitled, “Employee or Independent Contractor – It’s More Than a Name.” This is a very applicable topic as forgers try to hang on to their knowledge base as Baby Boomers head into retirement or semi-retirement. Still employed or a contractor? Johanna will have the answer. Materials: Each issue, FIA Magazine will now devote articles to the materials that drive the forging process, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, lubrication, die coatings and more. Enjoy the excellent article on die life by Finkl Steel in this issue. Members Speak: Our members have opinions! Each issue, we will devote a column to one member’s thoughts on our industry and what impacts us. Wherever you stand politically, we can all agree we are in interesting times. FIA has stepped up its lobbying and political efforts on behalf of its members. These efforts are led by the board’s Public Policy Committee. Our first Members Speak column is by former Board ChairmanWill Walker of Walker Forge. All those who know Will know he is passionate about our industry being fairly treated when it comes to trade. Give Will’s article a look. We welcome all members to reach out to us to pen a future Members Speak column. Sincerely, James R. Warren

all. You all know how to throw a good party! I’d love to take all the credit for this success, but credit is due to the industry itself, which has remained bullish on investing in technology and developing new business. Credit also belongs to the outstanding FIA staff that I inherited. Please enjoy reading our Forge Fair cover article. We’ve selected many photos for this issue to celebrate our joint success. Speaking of Success … How about that first issue of FIA Magazine that we launched at Forge Fair? We’ve received many accolades, and I could not be prouder of the FIA staff’s effort at launching a world-class print and digital publication in just four months! Thanks also to our FIA Board of Directors team for supporting the staff’s desire to cover and highlight our membership and its issues with our very own magazine. FIAMagazine is here to tell your stories. Some of the Feedback I saw the magazine both hard copy and web based. Looks great! Nice job! - Mike Lucey, Automated Cells & Equipment A variety of great information and awesome look! - Mark Gelhaus, CFO, CPA, JD, Walker Forge Very nice! I like it. - Paul Dennis, CFO, Weber Metals, Inc. Please tell your team that the magazine turned out great. I’m really enjoying the articles; they’re different than those in other similar magazines, in a very good way. I’m sharing many of them with my team members too. Kudos to you guys for putting together a top notch publication, and thanks for including us! - Chelsea Lantto, director of manufacturing, Trenton Forging Company

President and CEO Forging Industry Association Board of Directors

PUBLISHER James R. Warren jwarren@forging.org ADVERTISING Jennifer Christian jen@forging.org Editorial Staff

Gerald Bornman Joseph Cipriani Robert Dimitrieff Mike Gill Jeff Klingerman

Chelsea Lantto Douglas McIntyre David Mesick John Pale Greg Timmons

OPERATIONS Joseph R. Boni joe@forging.org CONTRIBUTOR Angela Gibian angela@forging.org

DESIGN Lorean Crowder lorean@forging.org

CHAIRMAN Alex Jennings VICE CHAIRMAN Kurt Ruppenthal

FIA MAGAZINE | August 2019 1

CONTENTS

AUGUST 2019 | VOLUME 2

p. 3

p. 38

p. 40

31 "We're Different" Applying Lean to Knowledge Work 33 Building Your Workforce at Community Colleges ASSOCIATION NEWS 35 Welcome New Members 38 Member Spotlight: Specialty Ring Products FORGING RESEARCH 40 FIERF Magnet School Profile: Ohio State Univ. 44 Re-envisioning FIERF 46 Staying on the Forefront of Manufacturing 48 Development of a Manufacturing Process for High-Power-Density Hollow Shafts MEMBERS SPEAK 64 Tariffs are the Right Answer

DEPARTMENTS 1 President's Not e 3 Industry News & Calendar 20 Washington Update 23 Economic Update 26 Materials 28 Operations & Management

PRESIDENT'S NOTE 1 Thank You for a Great Forge Fair 2019! INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR 3 Forge Fair 2019 Recap 15 People & Companies Making News WASHINGTON UPDATE 20 FIA Lobby Firm Report 22 FIA Webinar Recap ECONOMIC UPDATE 23 FIA Quick Read Economic Update MATERIALS 26 The Effect of Ductile-to Brittle Transition Temperature to Die Life OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT 28 Employee or Independent Contractor - It's More than a Name

35 Association News 40 Forging Research 64 Members Speak

OfficialPublicationofthe Forging IndustryAssociation

August2019 forging.org

FIAMAGAZINE | MAY2019 2 INSIDE: ForgeFair2019Recap page3 Employeeor Independent Contractor - It’sMore thanaName page28 “We’reDifferent”ApplyingLean toKnowledgeWork page31 BuildingYourWorkforceat CommunityColleges page33

COVER : Largest FIAmember exhibitors at Forge Fair 2019.

All trademarks are properties of their respective owners, and FIAmakes no claim to ownership.

FIA Magazine (ISSN 2643-1254 (print) and ISSN 2643-1262 (online)) is published 4 times annually, May, August, November and February by the Forging Industry Association, 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 615, Cleveland, OH44114. Telephone: (216) 781-6260, Fax: (216) 781-0102. Print version distributed at no charge only to members of the Forging Industry Association. Digital version distributed at no charge to qualified individuals. Subscription requests available at www. forging.org. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid in Cleveland, OH and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Forging Industry Association, 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 615, Cleveland, OH 44114. Copyright © 2019 by the Forging Industry Association in both printed and electronic formats. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations or for any statement made or opinion expressed herein. Data and information presented by the authors of specific articles are for informational purposes only and are not intended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the part of potential users.

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FIA MAGAZINE | August 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

Forge Fair 2019 Recap By FIA Staff

THE ATTENDEES

Forge Fair 2019 had a record 1,966 paid attendees, an increase of 20% over Forge Fair 2017 attendance of 1,637. Attendees at this

year’s Forge Fair were forging professionals, buyers and OEMs from over 700 different companies and 25 countries worldwide.

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

Why did so many people attend Forge Fair 2019?

Forge Fair offers attendees a unique value proposition. For the price of a three-day pass, which has not increased since 2010, an attendee receives more value than the cost of admission. Here is how the value breaks down: First (and most importantly), Forge Fair is North America’s largest event dedicated exclusively to the forging industry. Forging professionals from across the globe come to Forge Fair to learn about new products, make purchasing decisions and network with each other. No other industry event offers suppliers and forgers the platform to connect with more qualified customers. Secondly, included in the price of admission (unlike most other tradeshows) are two continental breakfasts, two hot-buffet lunches

and two cocktail receptions held on the tradeshow floor each night with exhibitors. Third, also included in the price of admission (unlike most other tradeshows) an attendee can attend 71 technical presentations covering six different areas: presses & hammers, heating, tooling & materials, facilities & processes, software simulation, and automation. This is an unprecedented number of technical offerings over a three-day period that included 11 Forging 101 courses. Finally, also included in the price of admission, were three keynote speaker presentations covering diverse topics such as workforce development, additive manufacturing and motivational leadership.

THE EXHIBITORS

Forge Fair 2019 had a record 171 exhibitors, an increase of 6% over the 161 exhibitors at Forge Fair 2017. Exhibitors at this year’s

Forge Fair were forging suppliers and producers from 14 different countries worldwide.

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

WHATWAS NEWAT FORGE FAIR 2019

Forge Fair 2019 featured several new features: keynote speakers before the show opened each day, floor show remaining open during technical presentations and lead retrieval services offered by ATS. Keynote Speakers Before ShowOpened Each Day Day 1 (Tuesday, May 21st) featured Jeremy Bout, the founder and host of Edge Factor, which provides solutions to national workforce development challenges and empowers community stakeholders with tools to inspire students to pursue career pathways, reach parents and build bridges between industry and education. Day 2 (Wednesday, May 22nd) featuredDr. Amy Elliott, researcher, Science TV personality and additive manufacturing expert. Dr. Elliott is a researcher and 3D additive manufacturing specialist at Oak Ridge national Laboratory. She starred on an engineering reality TV show called “Big Brain Theory” and is currently co hosting the new web-series, “RoboNation TV.” Day 3 (Thursday,May 23rd) featuredRocky Bleier, Vietnamveteran and four-time Super Bowl winner. Rocky embodies heroism, determination, teamwork, and leadership, having overcome combat injuries in Vietnam to reclaim his position with the Pittsburgh

Steelers. The hard lessons Rocky learned early in life have paid off and helped him to overcome adversity and reach his goals after football. Floor Show Remained Open during Technical Presentations This year attendees were given the flexibility to choose whether to stay on the show floor with exhibitors or attend one of the 71 technical presentations offered during the morning and afternoon presentation sessions. Both the number of presentation “tracks” and sessions were expanded this year to the highest number ever offered at Forge Fair. Lead Retrieval Services Offered by ATS Exhibitors were offered lead retrieval services by American Tradeshow Services (ATS). These services enabled exhibitors to electronically capture contact information contained in an attendee’s ORC code shown on their Forge Fair admission pass. Exhibitors who used lead retrieval no longer had to collect attendees’ business cards to secure contact information to follow up after Forge Fair on leads. Approximately 36% of Forge Fair 2019 exhibitors purchased ATS lead retrieval services.

WHAT OUR ATTENDEES AND EXHIBITORS THOUGHT ABOUT FORGE FAIR 2019

“Kudos to the FIA team for putting on another successful Forge Fair. We enjoyed seeing all the exhibitors and reconnecting with friends in the industry.” - Jeff Albee, Vice President - Sales &Marketing, Viking Forge “Congratulations again on a successful Forge Fair! My team enjoyed our time networking and listening to the speakers. We’re already thinking about the next Forge Fair and how we can get more involved.” - Chelsea Lantto, Director of Manufacturing, Trenton Forging Company “I would like to congratulate the FIA team on an outstanding Forge Fair success! There was energy at this event that I have not felt in the past. I would also like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak at the Forging 101 series at the show. It was a lot of work to prepare the material, but was deeply rewarding in many ways. Thank you! - Suzanne Tkach, Owner & Innovator, Tkach Metal Forming Consultants

“As a robotics integrator and first-time Forge Fair exhibitor, we had tremendous traffic around our booth and equipment we displayed. We came back with great leads and we appreciated the show staying open during the technical presentations tomaximize our time with attendees on the show floor. We also had a nice audience at our technical presentation.” - JimMorris, President, AutomatedCells &Equipment (ACE) “We wouldn’t miss exhibiting and bringing equipment to Forge Fair! We’ve been successful at meeting existing and new customers and the 2019 show was another outstanding year for us.” - Donna Gordon, Director of Marketing, Blast Cleaning Technologies "I ran into the FIA President at the show and held up a stack of business cards with a big smile on my face! Schuler had a great Forge Fair – one of the best in current memory. Thanks for a great show!" -Ken Setz, Sales & Product Manager—Forging Technologies, Schuler Group

Photos on pages 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are courtesy of Fern Exposition Services, LLC and Dallager photography.

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

THE SPONSORS

Forge Fair 2019 had a record number of premium sponsorships designated as platinum, gold and silver level sponsors this year. These member companies contributed greatly to the success of Forge Fair 2019 and the FIA Staff thanks them for their generous support! Those sponsors are shown below.

Platinum Level Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors

Silver Level Sponsors

THE NEXT FORGE FAIR Forge Fair 2021 will be held May 18-20, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan at the Cobo Center. To receive information about reserving a booth, email Joe Boni at joe@forging.org.

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

‘Additive manufacturing is here to stay’ Oak Ridge’s Dr. Amy Elliott shares insights on power and promise of 3D printing By Lincoln Brunner

All you have to know about Amy Elliott’s love of 3D printing technology, you can see on her wrist. And her feet. And in the research she’s done, the patents she’s been awarded and the work she’s doing right now with X1 company’s inkjet related Binderjet applications. Elliott, a researcher at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, gave one of the

and they’re all at different levels of commercialization. So actually, the technology that I work with in Binderjet is already seeing huge commercialization in metal injection molding replacement. [Showing a tiny, earring-sized engine block created by X1 with tiny holes bored throughout]: That’s the size of a metal-injection molded part, but the complexity is just far past what you could get with a mold. And so, you think about the limitations we’ve had with metal injected molded parts. It’s happening now: We’re seeing the transformation of an industry because of this technology, and it’s in mass-production. FIA: Any projects that you’re involved in right now that you can mention? AE: There’ s a lot of movement in tooling.This is our saying: “The top three applications in manufacturing are tooling, tooling, tooling.” Tooling is high value, low volume, high cost, long lead time. All of those things, we can actually improve with additive manufacturing. We can make the tools very quickly compared to normal cycle times. So, [if] you cut the machining down 90 percent, you still have to do the initial registering of the part, which is something we want to make sure people know we’re not skirting over. I know some of these hard tool steels that we’re doing high-speed machining on, even though it’s called high-speed machining, you still spend hours and hours carving out the bulk of a tool. So, if we can start with a net shape, I think that could definitely make a difference. And then, even the cooling channels—I think there’s a big opportunity in that for forging and other hot work industries, where you can really control the temperature of your tool as you go to really improve your cycle time or maybe improve your tool life. There’s a lot of things you could do with that, and I think we’re just beginning to understand the impact that that could have. FIA: As young people begin to look at careers, what are some things you would say to them in terms of getting them to think about this relatively brand-new technology of additive manufacturing? AE: I think additive manufacturing is here to stay, and it’s going to be in lots of different industries in different ways. The very basic level is now prototyping—I think most shops now have 3D printers to do their prototyping. But then we’ll see so much more of it in use in production, like for tooling and maybe even for low-volume customer orders. Maybe the forging industry could leverage this to take in those low-volume customer orders that may not have been viable before. Who knows what the future will bring?

keynote addresses at June’s Forge Fair 2019 and sat down with FIA Magazine to talk about how she got into additive manufacturing in the first place and what excites her most about the prospects for the technology. FIA: Howdo you see what you do atOakRidgeNational Laboratory merging with heavy industry like what you see here at Forge Fair? AE: That’s actually what we strive to do is work with industry that’s already going full-force with industry that’s already going full-force with what they’re doing. They have an expertise. They’re running with it. We try to catch up, we try to take some fundamental challenges that they’re having and help them with those things that maybe they don’t have the capacity or the expertise to do. And so we really do ty to come together with industry and find those strategic opportunities to partner and to advance their capabilities so that ultimately, U.S. manufacturing can be competitive in the world. FIA: Tellme more about the companies you work with… AE: I personally have a focus on one technology. My focus is in inkjet—I kind of play in that space. So, X1 is one of the older 3D printing companies and they do a technology called Binderjet, which is a metal powder spread into a layer, you pull it together layer by layer, and then you fire the part like a piece of pottery. Our partnerships with companies like that are really the reason that we exist. So, without that industry link, we can’t be relevant, we can’t be useful. We have to have those industry partners to tell us what the challenges are, and we can direct our science toward that. FIA: Right now, as you alluded to in your keynote, a lot of it is a little more theory than practical reality on shop floors at this point in terms of mass production. What do you think it’s going to take to get it to where this is the latest thing across different metal sectors? AE: It’s so interesting. There are so many different technologies,

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

Filmmaker bridges gap between industry, students Edge Factor's Jeremy Bout delivers keynote at Forge Fair 2019 By Lincoln Brunner

The first time Jeremy Bout heard that one of his films helped change a student’s mind about their future, it hit him: He could make an important difference in two arenas he knew a lot about— manufacturing and movies. Bout, 42, spent his 20s and early 30s working in CNC machining and other metalworking jobs. When he started his company, Edge Factor,

conversation made something click in Bout’s mind, a revelation that changed the course of his business and the way he thought about his filmmaking. “I was starting to have different educators come to me, and we realized, education has to be part of what we’re doing,” Bout says. “If we’re going to take their stories and turn them into a tangible something, we need education to be a part of this.” So Bout began inviting educators on-set to advise him on vignettes about different facets of metalworking involved in the people and equipment he was featuring. But that just got the ball rolling on what has become Edge Factor’s main play—giving every stakeholder in the manufacturing career game the information, inspiration and connections they need to build the workforce of the future right now. It appears to be an idea ripe for the times. With American students facing the mounting shortage of skilled manufacturing labor with a collective yawn, companies like Edge Factor are hoping to provide a bridge between young workers and employers that can benefit all parties involved. “We’re saying, ‘Hey, education: Here’s a tool to navigate career pathways. And families: You want a one-stop shop? Edge Factor can bring all that information to your door,’” Bout says. “Edge Factor is really pulling back the veil on that journey of career development for families within their community. “So, it’s much less today about that killer film, even though that’s still a huge part of what we do. It’s way more about actually helping local communities tell their stories.” Lincoln Brunner is an author and editor with 20 years of experience writing for the metals industry. He lives in Texas with his wife and three daughters. Reach him at lincoln.brunner@gmail.com.

in 2009, he carried with him a specialized body of knowledge that he has used to create a unique niche in the filmmaking world— documentaries about metalworking that told great stories while showing viewers how things got made. That original concept, like a movie series, has grown to become a multimedia idea factory that offers story-based tools to connect businesses, communities, workforce development organizations, schools and families with solutions that fit their needs—employees, job growth, better labor forces and careers. “The stories are important, but delivering the stories at the moment at student needs to hear them is really what we’re focusing on,” Bout says. Finding great manufacturing-based stories came easy for Edge Factor, even from the start. In Oct. 2010, Edge Factor filmed a real-time documentary about Center Rock Inc., the small Berlin, Pa., company that created the drill that helped rescue 33 Chilean miners who were famously trapped underground for two months. Center Rock’s hammer drill cut the 2,200-foot shaft through which rescuers pulled the men up to safety. While Bout was filming that documentary in Pennsylvania, he got a phone call from a professor near Seattle. The teacher had just shown his students a short trailer that Bout had made called, “The Beginnings.” The trailer detailed how Bout’s crew had fabricated a specialized camera rig from scratch, which enabled them to shoot their first feature film in 3-D—a sort of behind-the-scenes sneak peek and manufacturing documentary all in one. That trailer had, by itself, convinced a student in that professor’s class to change their major to a manufacturing-related field. That

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

2019 FIA Theory & Applications of Forging & Die Design Workshop Recap

Twenty-six participants representing 17 companies attended the 2019 offering of FIA’s Theory & Applications of Forging & Die DesignWorkshop. The course is facilitated by a team of six industry experts and engineering professors who work together to carefully explain the principles and practices of forging. Over the years, this program has continued to evolve and expand, offering insights into the latest forging technology and metal flow simulation software. FIA offers this popular workshop annually, typically at FIA Headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. FIA is continuously working to incorporate plant tours into its programming. For this year’s Theory & Applications of Forging

& Die Design workshop, FIA was offered a plant tour hosted by a student from the 2018 class – Kristen Holub, Vice President at Wodin Inc. “Kristenwas an excellent student during the 2018workshop. I’ve always wanted to incorporate a plant tour and she volunteered the tour for the 2019 event and even taught a mini-module with a hands on experiment during the tour of Wodin! The tour and presentation by Kristen added a nice touch to the workshop and attendees overwhelming enjoyed the tour!” stated FIA’s Forging & Die Design workshop curriculum coordinator -- Kester D. Clarke, Ph.D., FIERF Professor, Colorado School of Mines.

Kristen Holub, Vice President and Grant Murphy, President, Wodin Inc. receive an appreciation plaque for hosting an FIA plant tour

Grant Murphy, President of Wodin Inc. in action during the plant tour

Participants take in Kester Clarke’s presentation at FIA Headquarters in downtown Cleveland

Companies investing in their employees included the following:

• Colorado School Of Mines • Edgerton Forge, Inc. • Standard Forged Products • Eaton Corporation South Bend Forge Plant • Hauserman Die &Machine Co. • Aluminum Precision Products, Inc. Alton Facility • Stanley Black &Decker • Superior Die Set Corp. • Ohio University Dept. Of Mechanical Engrg. • Honeywell Intl - E&S Phoenix • Trenton Forging Company • Scientific Forming Technologies Corp.

• Bourdon Forge Co., Inc. • Malco Products, SBC - DeWitt, NE • Moen, Inc. • Marshalltown Company • Arconic Forgings & Extrusions - Cleveland Operations • Weber Metals, Inc. • Arconic Wheel Products • Thornton Industries, Inc. • Brass Aluminum Forging Enterprises, L.L.C. • American Axle &Manufacturing, Inc. Ft. Wayne Manufacturing Facility • Modern Forge Indiana, LLC

Workshop class outside Wodin Inc.

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

Gasbarre Announces New TeamMember

Gasbarre is pleased to announce that Tom Spicer has joined the organization as a Field Service Technician for Gasbarre Industrial Furnace Systems (OEM of J.L. Becker brand equipment), located in Plymouth, MI. Tom brings over 20 years of industry experience to Gasbarre; having previously worked with OEMs assembling and servicing

Tom Spicer can be reached by telephone at 734.656.2000 or via email at tspicer@gasbarre.com. About Gasbarre Gasbarre is a full-service international OEM offering industry best equipment and services for powder compaction, thermal processing, and design and manufacturing technologies. GasbarreThermal Processing Systems provides top quality industrial heat treating equipment, engineering, and service to customers around the world. Gasbarre’s product offering, which includes the product lines of Sinterite, C.I. Hayes, and Industrial Furnace Systems, offers batch, continuous, atmosphere, and vacuum furnace systems, as well as a wide range of auxiliary equipment. Gasbarre can solve any application challenge with expertise and passion, and can deliver the right equipment to make any process consistently productive and profitable. For more information, contact: Donna Spillane, Marketing Coordinator

equipment and in maintenance at a commercial heat treat facility. During his time in commercial heat treating, Tom gained extensive knowledge in processing and maintaining equipment for nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing applications. Says Ben Gasbarre, President of Industrial Furnace Systems, “With the addition of Tom, we gain yet another team member with many years of industry experience. Tom’s work as an equipment manufacturer and commercial heat treater gives him a perspective that will create more value for our customers. We are excited to have him on board!”

Gasbarre Products, Inc. 814.371.3015 ext. 260 dspillane@gasbarre.com

been closed-die forging,” says Jeff Jones, vice president of FRG. As an ISO 2015 certified organization, Star is predominantly a supplier to the agriculture industry, with additional markets including railroad, oil and gas, mining, construction and firearms. FRG is based in Dekalb, Ill., and operates production facilities in several Illinois locations—Dekalb, Rochelle, Rock Falls, Rockford, and now Freeport.The company also has a facility in Lansing, Mich.

On July 1, Forge Resources Group acquired Star Manufacturing, Freeport, Ill. Star will operate as a division of Forge Resources Group. Its new name will be Star Freeport Co. Star Manufacturing was founded in 1864 in Carpentersville, Ill., when John Carpenter, a blacksmith, built a forge on the banks of the Fox River for the manufacture and repair of plow parts. In 1873, Star was officially instated as the third company to be chartered under Illinois law. In summer 1977, Star moved its production to Freeport. The original Freeport facility was 40,000 square feet. Throughout the years, and as new equipment was acquired, the facility grew to well over 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Primary processes today include hot-forming, fabrication, impression-die and upset forging. “The addition of Star broadens our capabilities in fabrication and upset work, complementing our overall business, which has mainly

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

Motion Industries Names John Watwood to Senior Vice President - Southeast Group

Birmingham, Ala. – Motion Industries, Inc., a leading distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation replacement parts and a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, has named John Watwood Group Senior Vice President of the Company’s Southeast Group – effective May 1, 2019. A graduate of University of North

customers from the food and beverage, pulp and paper, iron and steel, chemical, mining and aggregate, petrochemical, automotive, semiconductor, wood and lumber, medical, and pharmaceutical industries. Motion Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC). Visit our website at MotionIndustries. com. Contact us toll-free at (800) 526-9328.

Alabama (MBA) and University of Alabama at Birmingham, (BS Industrial Distribution/Marketing), Mr. Watwood has over 20 years of experience in the industry. He has worked in various positions with AIT, Fluid Engineering and SMC before joining Motion Industries in 2008 as a Fluid Power Specialist based out of Mississippi. John quickly worked his way up to Branch Manager positions in Columbus, MS, and Nashville, TN, before earning a promotion to Division Vice President, General Manager of the Nashville division in 2014. Kevin Storer, Motion Industries Executive Vice President U.S. Operations, said, “John’s experience, expertise, and leadership style are well-suited for this expanded role and will allow him to move with agility toward success. We are excited that he has accepted the challenge to grow our Southeast market and enhance our initiatives with a fresh perspective.” Motion Industries President, Randy Breaux, said, “John brings an intensity we need in the current market, along with the ability to drive strategic change through efficient operational execution. We look forward to seeing the Southeast Operating Group’s future accomplishments resulting from his influence.” About Motion Industries With annual sales of $6.3 billion, Motion Industries is a leading industrial parts distributor of bearings, mechanical power transmission, electrical and industrial automation, hydraulic and industrial hose, hydraulic and pneumatic components, industrial products, safety products, and material handling. Through EIS, which joined with Motion Industries to form its Electrical Specialties Group in 2018, the company has broadened its offerings with process materials, production supplies, specialty wire and cable, and value-added fabricated parts for the electrical OEM, motor repair and assembly markets. Motion Industries has over 600 locations, including 15 distribution centers throughout North America and serves more than 200,000

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR FIA Upcoming Events

Management Development Institute (MDI)

FIA Fall Meeting of Members October 14-16, 2019, Nashville, Tennessee

NEW for 2019! Each MDI session will take place in a different location with plant tours.

Join your forging industry colleagues and peers at the 2019 FIA Fall Meeting. Conference attendees will enjoy a variety of networking activities, including a reception and dinner at the Blake Shelton’s famous restaurant, Ole Red. In addition, the FIA Safety Awards will be presented at the Fall Meeting. Upsetter Forging Fundamental Workshop & Plant Tours December 2-3, 2019, Cleveland, Ohio Attend and learn all facets of Upset Forging, including basic forging product design to take advantage of the process; equipment suited for upset forging; tooling, maintenance and operation techniques to ensure the process is successful. Speakers have years of knowledge to impart to attendees to ensure full coverage of this important forging process. Lobby Day February 26, 2020, Washington D.C. Make plans to join your forging peers at FIA’s 17th Annual Lobby Day. Lobby Day provides an opportunity for you to discuss key industry issues that directly impact your business with your congressional leaders inWashington, D.C. Key topics for discussion may include fair trade, workforce development and infrastructure. With an upcoming election on the horizon, it is even more important to remind lawmakers of the key issues that impact the forging industry. FIA Annual Meeting of Members May 1-3, 2020, Naples, Florida

• August 11-13, 2019 - Chicago, IL • November 17-19, 2019 - Los Angeles, CA • January 12-14, 2020 - Cleveland, OH

The Management Development Institute (MDI) has been specifically developed to provide middle managers with the skills they need to take their careers to the next level.This programconsists of three sessions during which attendees learn through lectures, case studies, roundtable discussions, expert panels and guest speakers. Forging Automation 101Workshop &Plant Tours August 20-21, 2019, Monroe (Detroit Metro), Michigan FIA is pleased to present a program specifically developed to give forgers a first-hand look into how robotics and automation can help forging companies increase productivity, lower costs and improve workplace safety. The program includes plant tours of four different facilities: LASCO, Trenton Forging, Eaton Steel and Gerdau Steel. Mechanical Press Maintenance Workshop & Plant Tour September 24-25, 2019, Cleveland, Ohio

FIA’s Mechanical Press Maintenance Workshop will show how predictive and preventative maintenance can keep mechanical presses running. It will introduce participants to different types of presses and provide an explanation of various press elements, so attendees can see how each element works and influences the press forging process. The workshop will also cover technologies available to maintain press components, items that should be taken into consideration when planning a repair, and uptime-improving strategies.

The 2020 FIA Annual Meeting of Members provides a great platform for information sharing and thought leadership around some of the most pressing issues facing the forging industry today. Participants can find answers to some of their biggest questions, and will leave the event with the knowledge needed to grow their businesses. In addition to interactive educational sessions and

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INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

inspiring keynote presentations, the 2020 FIA Annual Meeting of Members will feature a variety of networking opportunities and excursions designed for you and your guests top make the most of your time in Florida. International Forging Congress (IFC) September 19-21, 2020, Chicago, Illinois CALL FOR PAPERS NOW OPEN! Individuals interested in presenting a technical or applied industrial focused presentation at the conference must submit the following information in English by August 31, 2019 to www.surveymonkey. com/r/IFC2020 for the Technical Presentation Subcommittee’s review and consideration: • Presentation Title • Abstract (100 words or more) • Presenter Name and Title • Company Name, Address, Phone, Fax and Email The IFC Planning Committee of the Forging Industry Association (FIA) is already at work assembling this one

of-a-kind immersion into forging technology applications in North America. Event features include the following: • Research and development presentation track • Operations excellence presentation track • Regional plant tours across the United States • Exhibition of leading suppliers to the forging industry IFC 2020 immediately follows IMTS 2020 Chicago, the largest exhibition of machine tools and machining technology in the United States.

For more information on upcoming FIA events, please visit www.Forging.org or contact FIA Manager of Events, Angela Gibian at angela@forging.org or 216-781-6260.

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FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2019 19

WASHINGTON UPDATE

FIA Lobby Firm Report Throughout most of our modern history, Congress has adjourned for the month of August. This year is no exception. And prior to that adjournment, there was a flurry of consequential legislative activity that will have an effect on what can and cannot be done this fall. Against all odds, a massive budget deal was agreed to that will avoid a shutdown, fund the government for the next fiscal year and raise the debt ceiling for an additional two years.This ensures our nation’s capital does not face a fiscal and political tsunami this fall. However, this did not come without a cost as the nation’s deficit and debt continue to increase and new revenues are elusive. This will make it incredibly difficult to accomplish major priorities like infrastructure. Couple that with the fact that investigations of the Trump administration will continue at an increased clip, with all of this happening in the shadow of the presidential campaign kicking into high gear and taking up a great deal of political oxygen. The biggest question mark is what all this can mean for our nation’s trade agenda. Below, we go into more on what you can expect inWashington over the next fewmonths. USMCA The White House continues to work with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats on a path forward to getting the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (aka “Nafta 2.0”) passed through Congress. Though there was discussion of the possibility of taking USMCA up before August, that was always more so the hope of House Republicans and was never a realistic option. House Democrats are not ready to vote on the deal in its current form and are calling for the reopening of the agreement to make changes to enforcement provisions, as well as pare down the number of years of patent exclusivity for biologic drugs. Thus far, the White House has shown an unwillingness to do this (and bothMexico and

Canada have not communicated a willingness either). Given that Speaker Pelosi has full control over when USMCA can get a vote in the House of Representatives (and a trade agreement must be voted on in the House before it can get a vote in the Senate), this has created an impasse. To further complicate the process, in June, Speaker Pelosi formed a trade working group whose charge is to work the White House on getting USMCA to a place where it could be acceptable for Democrats to support. Nine members of Congress were appointed with Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, tasked with leading the group; the remaining eight members divided into four subgroups focused on drug pricing, labor, environment and enforcement. The members appointed are a complex mix of folks who are pre-disposed to be supportive of USMCA along with members who are unlikely to vote for the agreement, no matter what changes are made to it. This move was interpreted as one to slow walk the process all but ensuring the agreement would not get a summer vote. From our vantage point, barring some larger deal where this is included in a budget agreement, it is tough to see USMCA passing in 2019. And it is even more unlikely to see it get a vote next year before the presidential and congressional elections. The more likely scenario is that USMCA is taken up in November or December of 2020 in a so-called “lame duck Congress.” CHINA The trade war with China continues, though it is fair to say that it hasn’t escalated yet in ways that some have feared. Yes, there are substantial tariffs currently in place that are having dramatic economic effects across many industries, particularly agriculture (which has a significant effect on the forging industry: if farm country is not making money, then they aren’t buying heavy equipment, which means equipment producers are not ordering our specialty products). Increased pain has been put off for now following the G-20 summit in July where the U.S. and China agreed to halt additional tariffs for the time being. That said, though many in the U.S. business community are pleading with the administration to lift the tariffs that are currently in place, that is unlikely to happen. In the end, the president truly believes that tariffs not only are the most potent arrow in his quiver, but that they are also currently effective at getting countries to do as he asks. One need only look to how he used the threat of tariffs with Mexico to enlist that country’s help in stemming the tide of asylum seekers into the United States to see that the president is willing to use tariffs to solve any problem, economic or otherwise. On top of this, China tariffs make for good politics. No politician has faced major electoral consequences for saying that China is manipulating the system. The question then remains: how long can

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WASHINGTON UPDATE

this trade war continue without having a major economic impact where average Americans began to feel the effect of these tariffs in their personal finances? With politics always top of mind, it would not be surprising if the president homes in on a deal to lift tariffs – so long as he gets what he considers to be favorable concessions – around 2Q of next year right as the presidential race shifts into high gear. DEBATES, THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN & ITS EFFECTONCONGRESSIONAL AGENDA

be sure that Speaker Pelosi would not risk her majority by making Sisyphean, potentially politically damaging legislative attempts that would do nothing except come off as pure messaging exercises. To put it another way, the Democratic presidential primary race will drive voter enthusiasm, but it will not determine the Democratic congressional agenda for the remainder of the 116th Congress. OTHER LEGISLATIVE ITEMS OF NOTE Export-Import Bank The bank’s authorization runs out on September 30th. If this happens the bank would be unable to help U.S. companies cut deals with other countries to buy high priced items like airplanes, agricultural equipment and the like. This is a huge deal for the forging industry and should be watched closely. For decades the Export-Import bank operated without controversy. It has only been in the last five years that certain members of Congress have given to calling the bank’s mission “corporate welfare” and have thrown wrenches in its ability to operate. Infrastructure Though the congress began in January with bipartisan hope on a major infrastructure package, it is fair to assess at this point that that hope has faded. Agreement still exists that we should do something, but there is substantial disagreement on how to pay for what is estimated to be a $1-2 trillion package. With the difficulties that exist on agreement to a base federal budget as mentioned above, it is nearly impossible to see any major infrastructure package getting across the finish line this fall. S. 1955, the Made in America Act Finally, on a more positive note, we are proud to share the news that FIA has enthusiastically endorsed Senator Tammy Baldwin’s (D WI) Made in America Act. If signed into law, the bill would identify federal programs that fund infrastructure projects not currently subject to Buy America standards. It alsowould ensure that materials used in these federal programs, including steel, iron and aluminum, are domestically produced. Given that approximately 45,000 people from coast to coast are employed by the forging industry in the United States, this legislation would go a long way in supporting our industry.

Since going to print, there have been two rounds of Democratic presidential candidate debates. The lesson learned thus far is that no candidate has been rewarded for moderation. Though former Vice President Joe Biden maintains a lead, it is most viewed by political scientists as a product of long-time name ID and not for his moderate stances on most issues. Other moderate candidates – Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, Governor Steve Bullock of Montana and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota among others – have not seen a substantial increase in their support, suggesting that Democratic primary voters are looking for their candidates of choice to be further of center-left. The candidates so far who have benefited the most from this posture include Senate Kamala Harris of California and Senator ElizabethWarren of Massachusetts. This, however, does not allow us to infer that the Democratic presidential primary race will swing Democratic congressional priorities too far to the left. They can’t. There are too many Democrats who won in 2018 in districts that President Trump won in 2016 who would be compromised should the Democratic agenda make a sudden shift to anything considered radical. Democrats currently make up 235 members of the House of Representatives – if they lost 18 seats, they lose the majority. Of the 63 new Democrats who came toCongress following the 2018 election, 40 are considered moderate members who serve in swing districts. With Republicans comfortably controlling the Senate and the president happy to use his veto if a bill considered too far left was even to get to his desk (a highly unlikely scenario given the make-up of the Senate), you can

Steve Haro is Principal at Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas and can be reached at sharo@mc-dc.com

FIA MAGAZINE | August 2019 21

WASHINGTON UPDATE

FIAWebinar Recap Public Policy Update - 232 Trade Remedy for Imports of Steel Forgings By FIA Staff

On June 11, FIA’s Public Policy Committee held a webinar to raise the issue of a 232 trade remedy for imports of steel forgings. More than 40 FIA members and industry representatives participated. FIA staff has compiled the presentation highlights delivered by trade attorneys Jack Levy and Thomas Beline of Cassidy Levy Kent LLP. The webinar slides and audio recording are available to members on FIA’s website (www.forging.org) under the ‘Member Services’ tab as well as a full webinar transcript. Access to the documents requires membership and a login. Import Challenges Facing U.S. Forging Industry Some of the challenges forgers face are imports placing downward pressure on U.S. prices, which limit the ability of U.S. producers to implement cost-based price increases. Import volumes erode U.S. producers’ sales volumes and market share. These reduced U.S. production levels translate to reduced capacity utilization and higher fixed unit costs. Traditional trade remedies—such as antidumping and countervailing duty cases—are narrow in coverage and generally not a feasible solution for the U.S. forging industry. FIA’s webinar began with an overview of U.S. trade policy initiatives under President Trump, which includes Section 232 actions on steel, aluminum, autos and uranium; Section 301 actions on China; and the USMCA. The presenters next addressed the import challenges facing the U.S. forging industry, including the difficulty of small manufacturers mounting anti-dumping and countervailing dumping trade cases. FIA’s question to its membership is: Has the opportunity for a Section 232 trade remedy for imports of steel forging now arrived? If the answer is yes, the association and its members would engage in these next steps to drive the process forward: 1. Completion of an FIA survey to identify areas for further examination. FIA members are completing a diagnostic survey to identify product segments that are potential candidates for Section 232 relief. The completion rate and quality of information turned in will serve as a gauge for support frommembers. 2. Deep-dive assessment of relevant product segments. Members will confidentially submit their surveys to Cassidy Levy Kent LLP to identify unfair trade trends and the specific forgings affected. 3. Tollgate decision on whether and how to proceed. This

decision will be highly influenced by the number and quality of survey submissions. Assuming we have adequate data and there is a path forward, we would align on a budget for government relations and legal costs, begin work on a draft petition and vet the draft petition with the administration. FIA set a deadline date of July 12 to have the initial batch of surveys turned directly into Cassidy Levy Kent LLP. FIA will still accept completed surveys. Next Steps: Working with the administration If the FIA Board of Directors, through its Public Policy Committee, decides to move forward and a budget is established, the administrative process to file a Section 232 challenge is as follows: • File petition; Commerce Department initiates 232 investigation (in consultation with DoD). • Companies required to answer detailed questionnaires fromDepartment of Commerce. • Written briefs from interested parties submitted; hearing held and post-hearing briefs from interested parties presented. • Commerce to issue formal report and recommendations within 270 days after initiation. • Remedy phase (advocacy before White House). ºº Decision due within 90 days (assuming no extension), plus 15 days to implement (remedy may include tariffs, quotas, or tariff-rate quotas) ºº Report to Congress within 30 days of decision. Complete the Assessment of Impact of Imports of Steel Forging Products on National Security FIA, through Cassidy Levy Kent LLP, encourages members who want to get involved to complete this survey. The survey is available by contacting Jim Warren, President & CEO of FIA. For more information: FIA: James Warren: 216-978-2263 or jwarren@forging.org Cassidy Levy Kent: Jack Levy: 202-230-6630 or jlevy@cassidylevy. com

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