June 30th, 2009 by Mark Ricotta

An article published in the June 2009 issue of Foundry Management and Technology declares an industry in evolution.  The article asserts that speed to market is increasingly becoming an essential measure of success for rapid manufacturing and rapid prototyping companies. . .and their customers.

The article titled,  “Rapid Prototyping Speeds Up,”  spotlights Clinkenbeard’s (Rockford, Illinois, www.clinkenbeard.com ) business practices and operations, such as the company’s patented Clinkenbeard ® Toolingless Process and its “Fasterestest” marketing slogan and lead times, as successful responses to the relatively new yet critically important speed to market requirements of the industry and its customers.

According to the opening paragraph of the story, which was written by FM&T staff:

“Among all the problems that metalcasters face – quality, cost, competition – time wouldn’t seem to be too critical. However, depending on the production program and the technologies in use, time can make the all the difference. In fact, one producer of metal castings (Clinkenbeard) is making a bit of news because it believes speed is the key to its success.”

The entire article can be found here.

For more information, contact Ron Jr. “Reg” Gustafson, 815.226.0291,
reg@clinkenbeard.com

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Mark A. Ricotta
815.708.7254
http://www.linkedin.com/in/markricotta

June 16th, 2009 by Mark Ricotta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2009

Paris – France

Rockford’s Kaney Aerospace is a finalist for the development of a prototype for Tigerfish Aviation’s Retractable Amphibious Pontoon Technology (RAPT) program.

Tigerfish Aviation Pty Ltd (Adelaide, South Australia) is developing a new class of seaplane to meet the increasing demand for water based air transport.  RAPT is a major improvement over the existing technology of the antiquated fixed float aircraft.

The potential scope of the market encompasses smaller civilian, military and regional aircraft and will enable businesses to capitalize on the growing trend to use waterways for future air transport.

Kaney Aerospace (Rockford, Illinois) is collaborating with Tigerfish and the RAEDC (Rockford Area Economic Development Council) to display the RAPT model and promote the Rockford region’s Aerospace capabilities at the Paris Air Show.

The immediate program for Rockford and Kaney Aerospace is to retrofit a RAPT into a RUAG’s re-launched Dornier 228 NG.  Tigerfish will use the prototype to conduct market demonstrations, complete testing and experimental certification, which will lead to the launching of the production program in 2012.

“The Rockford Area is a perfect fit for Tigerfish because of the breadth and depth of aerospace expertise in the region especially in R&D/engineering, prototype development and MRO activity,” says Eric Voyles, VP of National Business Development.

Kaney Aerospace and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council have been actively pursuing aerospace companies like Tigerfish to interact and compliment Rockford’s current aerospace companies such as Hamilton-Sundstrand and Woodward.

CFK Valley Stade, advanced composite specialists from Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are expected to have a long-term role in the RAPT program.

ABOUT TIGERFISH
Tigerfish Aviation Pty Ltd (Tigerfish) is an aerospace research and development firm dedicated to developing core technology for “Retractable Amphibious Pontoon Technology”, referred to as RAPT.  Tigerfish plans to license the technology to aviation groups to undertake their own development and holistically impress their expertise in associated structural technologies and other transport industries.  Tigerfish has recruited a team of highly motivated professionals, comprising in-depth aerospace experience in engineering, research/development, operations and marketing.  The management team of Tigerfish comprises over fifty years of experience and provides a solid foundation of international, marketable and technical know-how.

To learn more about Tigerfish and their products, please visit www.tigerfishaviation.net.

ABOUT KANEY AEROSPACE
The Kaney Group(TM) is a group of diversified and synergistic companies that include operations in Aerospace, Agriculture, Aviation, Capital Funding, Commercial Real Estate, High Technology and Manufacturing. Its corporate headquarters are located in Rockford, Illinois with holdings in eight states in the USA

ABOUT THE RAEDC
The primary role of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council is to enhance wealth creation in the Rockford Region by marketing the area and helping employers retain and create quality jobs. The RAEDC works closely with many partners to serve as a one-stop resource for clients, to improve the competitiveness of the region and to engage the community in the work of economic development.

ABOUT ROCKFORD’S AEROSPACE CLUSTER
Roughly 90 companies in the immediate Rockford Area make aerospace-related products and have more than 6,000 employees, many engineers.  Rockford has 1.5 times the average number of engineers as the Illinois average.  There are over 130 aerospace companies in the greater Rockford Region making it the largest aerospace community in the state of Illinois and one of the largest and most diversified in the central portion of the United States.  Corporate citizens include: Hamilton-Sundstrand, Woodward, Ingenium, B/E Aerospace, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Parker Hannifin among others.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Jeff Kaney, CEO
Kaney Group
+1-815-986-4359                   

Eric Voyles, VP
RAEDC
+1-815-987-8118

Saxon Rudduck, M. Director
Tigerfish
+61 8 8363 1811