Manufacturing

Discussion heated up at the standout afternoon panel about the skills gap at the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership's “Manufacturing Matters!” event on Thursday afternoon.

East Troy-based Wisconsin Precision Casting Corp. is celebrating its 50th year in 2014. The company now employs 85 people, has reached $13 million per year in annual sales and is looking to grow.

Several Milwaukee-area companies were honored at the 26th annual Manufacturer of the Year awards last week at a black tie banquet at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. The nine winners were selected from among 34 nominees by an independent panel of judges from manufacturing, education and public sector backgrounds.

Gov. Scott Walker was among the keynote speakers at Thursday’s “Manufacturing Matters!” conference presented by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP).

A key measure of Milwaukee-area manufacturing activity indicated contraction in February. The Purchasing Managers Index was below 50 for the first time in six months, according to the Marquette ISM Report on Manufacturing.

Milwaukee-based Renaissance Power Systems has acquired Roebuck, S.C.-based Griffin Gear Inc.

Kewaskum-based Regal Ware Inc. announced the appointment of Tracy Pearson as senior vice president and chief financial officer.

New Berlin-based Velvac Inc., a manufacturer of components to the truck, bus, recreational and specialty vehicle industries, announced today it has acquired the assets of the ViewMaster mirror product line from the former Mirror Lite Company of Rockwood, Mich.

Milwaukee-based Brady Corp., a world leader in identification solutions, announced it has reached an agreement to sell its Die-Cut business to Boyd Corp. of Modesto, Calif.

Milwaukee-based Brady Corp. reported fiscal second quarter net earnings of $16.4 million, or 31 cents per share, up sharply from a net loss of $8.7 million, or 17 cents per share, in the second quarter of 2013.