With an investment Schunk is looking to grow internationally. Aside from new production space, a new administration building has also been built recently.

CRP Technology collaborated with Leonardo Helicopter Division on the construction of a wind tunnel model using 3D-printing technology.

EBM-Papst has started to build a new plant in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in China. The company has a sophisticated strategy in place for the Asian market.

Is globalisation a blessing or a curse? During the last year, everything pointed towards the latter. The influence of politics on the European economy has been particularly strong in 2016. The future impact on European tool and mould makers is uncertain.

Latest innovations from within and outside Europe.

Fittings and shower manufacturer Hansgrohe from Offenburg works with Exeron eroding and milling technology. High-precision surfaces are the key task for Exeron.

USA — The Plastics Industry Association released its annual Global Trends report at the 27th Fakuma International trade fair for plastics processing. The report, which analyses trade data from all of 2020 and the first six months of 2021, paints a complex but promising portrait of the US plastics industry in the international market.

Stratasys is set to return to Frankfurt with a bang, using Formnext (16-19 November 2021) as its European debut for the largest line-up of new technologies, printers, materials and software in the company's history. At the same time, the company continues to pursue its strategy of moving from prototyping to mass production using polymer 3D printing solutions.

UK — Just two years after the launch of its range of Powerstir “dual weld-head” friction stir welding machines, UK-based Precision Technologies Group (PTG) reports achieving double-digit sales of these specially developed FSW technologies for electric vehicle OEMs.

The good news is Germany and German products enjoy an excellent reputation in Vietnam.