"It's a global market for metalformed parts and assemblies, and if you want your business to mirror the market, then you have to participate globally," preaches the Precision Metalforming Association's (PMA) 2008 Chairman-elect Ralph Hardt. Hardt knows from where he speaks, having served since 2003 as president of Feintool North America, which also has operations throughout Europe and Asia. The multinational company designs and manufactures fineblanking tooling and presses, and also produces fineblanked parts and assemblies, primarily for the automotive industry. "As 2008 PMA Chairman, I will promote the importance of improving global competitiveness for U.S. metalforming companies," says Hardt, "and the mission starts with promoting the 16th ICOSPA (International Council of Sheet-metal Presswork Associations) Congress, which occurs next September in Grand Rapids, MI." The meeting, hosted by PMA, is held every three years and rotates among the participating countries-the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Japan.
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