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The International Magazine of Spring Manufacturing

Vol. 65 | No. 1 | Winter 2026

Electrification and the Spring Industry 24 Electrification: The Quiet Revolution I 28 Forecast 2026: Rising Costs, Sluggish Consumers I 32 Smart Safety and the Future of Manufacturing

The SMI Annual Meeting is an exclusive member benefit. Be sure to register before Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, to enjoy SMI’s discounted group hotel rate.

Annuall Mee Annua Meettin ing g 2026 SMI

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Contents 24

Features 21

Electrification and the Spring Industry Phil Sasso

24 Electrification: The Quiet Revolution Martin Bauer and Simon Haase

28 Forecast 2026: Rising Costs, Sluggish Consumers Phillip M. Perry

32 Smart Safety and the Future of Manufacturing Gary McCoy

Columns

Departments

7 10 36

President’s Message Powering What’s Next 13 Be Aware Management of Change: A Safety Perspective 17 Trainer’s Desk A Fourslide Primer 19 Technically Speaking Hard-Drawn Wire Spring Design Safety Considerations 49 A Message from Gary Details Matter 57 Podcast Picks CLEAR 59 Book Corner Principles of Winning

Global Highlights Regional Reports Flashback Partnering: A Shop Floor Perspective 39 Five Questions Ryan Cutter, FENN-Torin 40 Springmaker Spotlight Orlando Precision Gary McCoy 44 Women in Springs Kathleen Dudek Sara Scullin 46 CTE News 50 Inside SMI 61 New Products 63 Advertisers’ Index 64 Snapshot Jason Sicotte, Associated Metal Forming Technologies (AMFT)

DFARS

Trade name of Special Metals Group of Companies. †Trade name of Aperam Alloys Imphy. Trade name of Haynes International. *Trade name of SPS Technologies.

President’s Message

Powering What’s Next Don Jacobson III

As we wrap up another great year for the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI), the theme of electrification couldn’t be more fitting. Across automotive, aerospace and energy, electrification is transforming how we design and manufacture the springs and wireforms that make modern technology possible. Our industry is truly helping power what’s next. When I began my term as SMI president two years ago, my goal was to strengthen our focus on education and the next generation of our industry. I’ve always believed that the future of manufacturing depends on how we inspire and prepare those who will follow us. Over these past two years, it’s been exciting to see that vision spark real momentum. We’ve built a new partnership with SkillsUSA, connecting students nationwide to the opportunities our industry offers. We’re preparing to launch a brand-new online version of our Advanced Spring Design (ASD) software this January, giving engineers and designers powerful new tools for innovation. Our engagement with spring manufacturing organizations around the globe has never been stronger and we’re already leading the charge in planning another year of collaboration and growth as we look ahead to SpringWorld 2026. As my term ends, I’m filled with gratitude and pride. The passion, creativity and collaboration that define SMI are what make this organization so special. Together, we’ve strengthened our foundation for the future, and I have no doubt that the best is yet to come. I look forward to continuing this journey with you, just from a different seat at the table. And don’t forget to attend the 2026 SMI Annual Meeting, “Relax. Recharge. Reinvent.,” March 5–8, 2026, at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar in Río Grande, Puerto Rico. Thank you for the honor of serving as your president. It’s been an unforgettable experience, and I’m proud of all we’ve achieved together — for our members, our associates and the future of the spring industry. “The Force will be with you. Always.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi

SMI Executive Committee President: Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring Vice President: David DeVoe, John Evans’ Sons Secretary/Treasurer: Dave Deerwester, The Yost Superior Co. Past President: Gene Huber Jr., Winamac Coil Spring At-Large: Joe Devany, Betts Company Executive Director: Gary McCoy, SMI SMI Board of Directors Julie Arenz, R&L Spring/Medicoil I Markus Arnold, WAFIOS I Tim Bianco, Iowa Spring I Jodi Boldenow, IDC Spring I Adam Jacobson, FENN/Torin I Chris Kozka, MW Components I Don Lyons, JonSpring I Alex Melnikow, Midstate Spring I Keith Porter Jr., Newcomb Spring I Sanjeev Rivera, Lee Spring I Timo Roeger, Kern-Liebers USA I Monica Shaffer, Novi Spring I Jason Sicotte, Associated Metal Forming Technologies (AMFT) I Bernie Taylor, Hoosier Spring I Tim Zwit, Motion Dynamics Corporation Springs Magazine Staff Gary McCoy, Executive Director/Publisher, gary@smihq.org Phil Sasso, Managing Editor, phil@smihq.org Gaby Carrasco, Associate Editor, gaby@smihq.org Lisa Plefka Haskin, Art Director, lisahaskin95@gmail.com Communications Committee Chair, Keith Porter Jr., Newcomb Spring I Reb Banas, Stanley Spring & Stamping I Hale Foote, Scandic Springs, Inc. I Patrick Gillum, Gilco Spring of Florida, Inc. I Adam Jacobson, FENN/Torin I Lucas Karabin, Acme Monaco I Gary McCoy, SMI I Phil Sasso, SMI I Michael Shapiro, Gibraltar Corporation I Bill Wynn, Gardner Spring, Inc. Advertising Sales I Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. Head Office: 3F,4F, ENDO Sakaisuji Bldg., 1-7-3, Bingomachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-0051, Japan Phone: 81-6-6624-3601 I Fax: 81-6-6624-3602 Tokyo Global Office: 5F Kamei No. 2 Bldg., 2-17-13, Kiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, 135-0042, Japan Phone: 81-3-5646-1160 I Fax: 81-3-5646-1161 E-mail: info@sakurain.co.jp Advertising Sales I Taiwan Charlie Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. 11F-B, No 540, Sec. 1, Wen Hsin Rd. Taichung, 408 Taiwan Phone: +886-4-2325-1784 I Fax: +886-4-2325-2967 E-mail: marketing@acw.com.tw Springs (ISSN 0584-9667) is published quarterly by SMI Business Corp., a subsidiary of the Spring Manufacturers Institute: PO Box 5668, Elgin IL 60121 Phone: 847-450-6848; Website: smihq.org Address all correspondence and editorial materials to this address. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all warranties, express or implied, with respect to advertising and editorial content, and with respect to all manufacturing errors, defects or omissions made in connection with advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all liability for special or consequential damages resulting from errors, defects or omissions in the manufacturing of this publication, any submission of advertising, editorial or other material for publication in Springs shall constitute an agreement with and acceptance of such limited liability. The editors and publishers of Springs assume no responsibility for the opinions or facts in signed articles, except to the extent of expressing the view, by the fact of publication, that the subject treated is one which merits attention. Do not reproduce without written permission. Cover designed by Lisa Plefka Haskin utilizing Shutterstock imagery.

With heartfelt appreciation, Don Jacobson III Newcomb Spring Corp. Please archive or recycle this magazine.

D3@newcombspring.com

Springs archives: smihq.org/springs-magazine

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Winter 2026 I Springs

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Global Highlights NORTH AMERICA Associated Metal Forming Technologies (AMFT) has announced the appointment of Todd Smith as President and CFO of AMFT. This newly integrated organization brings together several brands, Associated Spring, Hänggi, AH Metal Solutions, E. Winkemann and SkoDie, under one global banner to deliver enhanced precision, agility and engineering excellence.

Amstek Metal has hired James Russell as regional sales representative for the Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota) territory. Russell brings years of experience in the industry including key positions at Bekaert, Charter and other leading wire suppliers. Amstek is a service center specializing in stainless steel and high carbon precision wire and strip. Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals

Mike Geiger

Dan Burns

announced several leadership promotions within its Wire Group. Mike Geiger has been named vice president of the Wire Group. Dan Burns has been promoted to general manager of Ulbrich Shaped Wire. Dan Day is the new general manager of Ulbrich Specialty Wire Products. The appointments take effect immediately with planned transition periods. “By aligning our wire operations under a unified structure, we are better positioned to respond quickly to customer requirements, improve collaboration and prepare for the next generation of capabilities,” said CEO Jon Ulbrich. Ulbrich’s wire operations include Ulbrich Shaped Wire in North Haven, Connecticut, and Ulbrich Specialty Wire Products in Westminster, South Carolina and Müllendorf, Austria. The business produces precision shaped wire, fine wire, medical wire and high-performance cable components.

DeSantis Industrial Springs & Stampings Inc. has acquired Bohne Spring Industries Limited, marking the first step toward a future merger of the two long-standing, family-run companies. DeSantis, founded in 1974 in Brantford, Ontario, has been owned by the DeSantis family for 50 years. The company noted its longstanding respect for Bohne Spring’s craftsmanship, technical expertise and multigenerational commitment to customers. Bohne Spring, based in Toronto, has been owned by brothers Chris and Jeff Wharin since 1993, following three prior generations of family leadership. Both will continue to manage the Bohne Spring division throughout the merger process. The merger will expand the combined companies’ capabilities, offering a broader product range, increased capacity and enhanced innovation for customers.

The Heico Companies has completed its acquisition of Electric Eel Manufacturing, an SMI-member company based in Springfield, Ohio that has supplied sewer and drain cleaning equipment since 1939. Electric Eel’s product line includes sectional and drum machines, sewer cables, hydro jetters, municipal cleaners and pipeline inspection systems, with a strong presence in both retail and rental markets. “Electric Eel was founded as a familyowned business,” said Amy Hale, vice president of strategy for Electric Eel. “We’re happy to have found a company who will take it to the next level of success … Most importantly, they understand and respect family businesses.”

Dan Day

Springs I Winter 2026

Global Highlights Edgar Earl Weil III, 76, of Columbus, Ohio, died Sept. 24, 2025. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, he later founded The Spring Works in Columbus in 1981. Weil was known for his entrepreneurial drive, his love of antiques and golf and the many bulldogs that became part of his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar Earl Weil II and Edith Elizabeth Weil, and his Edgar Earl Weil III uncles Creighton Runnette and Robert Runnette. He is survived by his wife, Myra; children, Olivia Anne and Edgar Earl “Teddy” Weil IV; and his close friend, David Dick. He is also survived by aunts Peggy Runnette of Pittsburgh and Christine Runnette of Troy, Michigan, along with many cousins across several states. Weil will be remembered for his dedication to family, strong friendships and lasting impact as a business founder.

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Winter 2026 I Springs

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Paul Sheldon Bernet, beloved husband, partner, brother, uncle and friend, died July 7, 2025, at Otisco Lake in Marietta, New York. He was born Dec. 29, 1954, in Syracuse to Paul H. Bernet Jr. Paul Sheldon Bernet and Norma Bernet. Following in his father’s footsteps, Bernet became a master springmaker and co-led Midstate Spring with Walter Melnikow. Together, they guided the company into the CNC era, expanding its technical and product capabilities and fostering a culture of innovation. Bernet and his wife, Phyllis, built a life on their Marietta farm, raising livestock and enjoying the outdoors. He loved fishing, hunting, archery, boating, motocross and the companionship of his dogs and horses. A skilled woodworker and leather craftsman, he created handmade gifts each Christmas. Though he had no children of his own, Bernet mentored many, sharing his passions, values and life lessons. He leaves a lasting legacy with his family and at Midstate Spring. Leonard M. Carlucci, 78, of Jupiter, Florida, died Aug. 20, 2025, following a brief illness. Born in Sandusky, Ohio, he graduated from St. Mary’s Central and later earned his Leonard M. Carlucci bachelor’s and MBA from the University of Detroit. Carlucci proudly served in the U.S. Army with the Arctic Rangers before beginning a distinguished 27-year career with Barnes Group, retiring in 2003 as vice president of Barnes Group and president of Associated Spring. His career took him around the world, where he was known for his leadership, mentorship and lasting friendships. A gifted storyteller and devoted family man, Carlucci cherished time with his children and grandchildren. He loved sports, especially golf and was an enthusiastic supporter of the Cleveland Browns, New York Yankees and Michigan Wolverines. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, his children, grandchildren and extended family.

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From Sept. 21–24, 2026, wire & Tube China 2026 will once again be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The two trade fairs are expected to cover a total exhibition area of more than 1.2 million square feet and attract more than 1,600 exhibitors from around the world. Exhibitor registration is now open at www. wirechina.net/en and www.tubechina.net/en. The 16th wire Southeast Asia and 15th Tube Southeast Asia trade fairs closed with strong results, drawing 7,435 visitors from 62 countries — a nearly 20% increase from 2023. Held at BITEC in Bangkok, the event also welcomed more than 35 international delegations and saw close to 30% of attendance from outside Thailand. Messe Düsseldorf Asia Managing Director Gernot Ringling said the co-location with GIFA and METEC Southeast Asia strengthened the shows’ role as a hub for industrial collaboration and innovation. Together, the four exhibitions featured more than 400 exhibitors from over 30 countries. The next editions of wire, Tube, GIFA and METEC Southeast Asia will return to BITEC, Bangkok, from Sept. 15–17, 2027. For further information on visiting or exhibiting at the 2026 trade show in Shanghai or the 2027 events in Bangkok, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180 or email info@mdna.com. z

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Springs I Winter 2026

Regional Reports CASMI SpringWorld Returns in 2026! The next SpringWorld Expo and Symposium will take place Oct. 7–9, 2026, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. SpringWorld is renowned for bringing spring-related business professionals together with attendees and exhibitors from around the world. More details will be posted on the SpringWorld website, www.springworld.org, as they become available. Want to exhibit at SpringWorld 2026? Contact the CASMI staff at info@casmi-springworld.org.

2026 EXPO AND SYMPOSIUM ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS • OCT 7-9

SpringWorld 2026 Kickoff Dinner at Alter Brewing CASMI was thrilled to invite members, suppliers, exhibitors and potential exhibitors to join us for the SpringWorld 2026 Kickoff Dinner at Alter Brewing in Downers Grove, Illinois. The CASMI Kickoff Dinner was special as we celebrated being just one year away from SpringWorld 2026, the premier event for the spring manufacturing industry. We had the chance to enjoy a presentation from Raquel Chole, founder of Global Leadership Resources. A seasoned writer for Springs magazine and speaker at the SMI Educational Symposium, she blended industry insight with practical strategies to build high-performing teams and unlock leadership potential. CASMI wouldn’t be CASMI without the incredible support, innovation and dedication of our members, exhibitors and partners. This evening was our way of saying thank you while building excitement for the unforgettable year ahead. Here’s to SpringWorld 2026! SpringWorld Kickoff Dinner at Alter Brewing.

Upcoming CASMI Events Feb. 12 Member Webinar Chris Kozka, MW Components Material Data System (MDS) Training Mar. 19 Member Meeting Pinstripes Oak Brook, Illinois April 9 Member Webinar Topic TBD Events are subject to change. Visit www.casmi-springworld.org for the latest information.

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CASMI Holiday Party The CASMI Holiday Party in December at Cooper’s Hawk in Arlington Heights, Illinois, was well attended. The event raised more than $1,200 for the Alzheimer’s Association.

NESMA By David DeVoe, John Evans’ Sons, NESMA President

Capping off the Year This year the New England Spring and Metalstamping Association (NESMA) brought members together, strengthened relationships and reinforced the value of industry collaboration. NESMA closed the year with two events that celebrated community and industry excellence.

Holiday Party The sold-out NESMA Holiday Party on Dec. 4 drew strong participation from members, guests and sponsors. The evening provided an opportunity to celebrate the year’s successes and build relationships.

Annual Meeting and Awards

Accepting Years in Business Award: Ryan Cutter for FENN/Torin (125 years) and David Devoe for John Evans’ Sons (175 years).

The next day, NESMA hosted its Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, recognizing outstanding industry commitment, longevity and leadership. Awards were presented to:

Years in Business: John Evans’ Sons — 175 years; FENN — 125 years; Industrial Steel & Wire Co. — 90 years; Southington Tool & Mfg. Corp. — 55 years. Spring Industry Community Advocate Awards: Rich DuPont and Cyndi Zoldy. Lifetime Industry Commitment Award: Al Mangels of Lee Spring, honoring decades of dedication and leadership within the industry. The Emerging Future Leaders in Manufacturing Award: Anthony Califano of Southington Tool & Mfg. Corp., recognizing exceptional promise and engagement among the next generation of industry leaders.

NESMA 2026 board of directors (l-to-r): Andrea Tarantino, Rich Bergen, Al Mangels, Bruce Massey, Ryan Cutter, Theodore Lucas, Markus Arnold, John Higginbotham, Angela DeAngelo, David DeVoe and Kara Bosse.

The Golden Spring Community Impact Award: Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., acknowledging the company’s lasting impact on the manufacturing community.

Looking Ahead NESMA continues to demonstrate the strength of its community and the importance of connection within the spring and metalstamping industry. As the association looks ahead, it remains focused on delivering value, fostering leadership, providing education and supporting continued member success. For more information and to join NESMA visit www.nesma-usa.com. z

Pictured (l-to-r): Roxanne Ugbinada and Kristina Ricciardone of Lee Spring at the NESMA Annual Meeting.

Springs I Winter 2026

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Be Aware

Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., SHRM-SCP

Management of Change: A Safety Perspective Are you considering changes in your facility, operations, machinery or processes? With inevitable growth and changes your operations must keep up with evolving customer demands, new alloys, new wire and springmaking equipment. In many ways, change is good, but from a safety standpoint, it can introduce new and unintentional hazards. Perhaps you already have a Management of Change (MOC) procedure in place as part of your ISO obligations. Let’s look at this concept from a safety perspective. An MOC is a subset of organizational management. Safety management formally adopted MOC through the Process Safety Management (PSM) standard that arose following the 1984 Bhopal, India disaster. (More than half a million people near the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India were exposed to highly toxic methyl isocyanate gas, in what’s considered one of the world’s worst industrial disasters.) Even if you’re not a safety professional, you probably realize change increases the likelihood of accidents. (Simply rearrange the furniture in your living room and see how long before you stub your toe in the dark.) Fires, explosions and other workplace accidents often occur when normal routines are disrupted. Start-up, shutdown, maintenance, quick fixes and even rearranging equipment without planning can all lead to serious accidents. More equipment ultimately means more forklift traffic and potentially more struck-by hazards and reduced efficiency. Without careful planning, as the spring and wire industry and new operations change, new hazards may be introduced. Well-intentioned investments in automation, new grinding machines or new alloys can create ignition sources, alter ventilation requirements and disrupt established

routines. Machine guarding, safe layouts and material flows must be considered. But let’s also look at other potential losses as part of MOC. Machine and layout changes may introduce ergonomic issues. Planning for repetitive tasks and how those can be mitigated should be planned and implemented. If fine particles are generated during grinding, the potential for a dust explosion increases and a new explosibility index test should be created. A lack of suitable electrical systems is a common OSHA citation in our industry. This happens most often in grinding areas. Explosion-proof electrical components for Class II, Division 2 locations may be required. A professional engineer familiar with grinding equipment can assist with risk assessment and recommendations. A qualified electrician well-versed in the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) is also a valuable resource. The bottom line is your current safety measures may not be adequate for new conditions. Benjamin Franklin said, “Failing to prepare is preparing for failure.” This is the heart of MOC. Thorough safety planning should be included when purchasing or installing new or used equipment and when implementing hazardous processes such as grinding, heating or welding certain alloys. These changes should also be reviewed by individuals familiar with municipal, state and federal fire protection standards. Respiratory protection program deficiencies are also among the most frequently cited OSHA standards in our industry. You may never have needed to provide respiratory protection based on your last air sampling results. (Hint: This is often available at no cost through your workers’ compensation carrier.) But respiratory hazards must be part of your

Springs I Winter 2026

Be Aware MOC risk assessment. Proper engineering controls — such as adequate ventilation designed or reviewed by a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) — can often eliminate the need for respirators and annual health screenings. Waiting until processes are operational to discover that employees now require full-day respirator use, or that you must comply with the full OSHA respiratory protection standard, is not an efficient MOC. Create a formal process to manage change and use it to plan for safety, health and environmental risks that may arise. You may say, “We don’t fall under the OSHA Process Safety Standard,” which requires a formal MOC. However, MOC is an accepted management tool in any industry and can prevent a wide variety of losses. Any management textbook defines management as planning, leading, organizing and controlling. Here are some ideas to help create a formal MOC for your facility based on those pillars: • Identify proposed changes (equipment, process, layout, material, expansion, relocation, etc.).

• Conduct a technical and hazard review of what’s new or different, using subject matter experts (SMEs) — internal HR/ safety, maintenance, engineering and vendor-supplied experts.

• Assess the impact on existing safety and health controls. Create a checklist to

Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., SHRM-SCP, is SMI’s regulatory compliance consultant. She is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, teaching graduate and undergraduate classes. Contact Rhodes at SMI: 847-450-6848 or laurahrhodes@gmail.com.

14 Winter 2026 I Springs

ensure all areas are reviewed (i.e. ergonomic stressors, electrical classification, machine guarding, lockout/tagout procedures, housekeeping, respiratory protection and forklift traffic).

• Update procedures, training and maintenance programs based on findings.

• Implement changes in operations. Do you need new dust collection systems, a confined-space program, hot-work permits, suitable enclosures, improved ventilation, housekeeping to reduce dust accumulations, spark arrestors or ignition-source controls? Should you separate hazardous operations or install explosion venting/suppression?

• Update responsibilities, accountabilities and authority based on findings. Confirm that all stakeholders understand their roles and how completion of assigned tasks will be measured. You can best manage risk through a dedicated and formal MOC process. When new equipment or processes are introduced, the nature and level of risk changes as well. A structured MOC system provides a systematic way to identify, evaluate and control hazards that affect both business continuity and employee safety. As the industry continues to evolve to meet EV, aerospace and other high-tech demands, proactive change management will protect both workers and investments. z

Helpful Resources to Create MOC Procedure What is Management of Change (MOC), Safety Culture www.smihq.org/go/mocguide Combustible Dust: An Explosion Hazard — Overview, OSHA www.smihq.org/go/oshacmbst

Safety Management — Hazard Identification and Assessment, OSHA www.smihq.org/go/oshahazmat

Small Business Safety and Health Handbook, OSHA www.smihq.org/go/oshasmbiz

Combustible Dust in Industry: Preventing and Mitigating the Effects…, OSHA www.smihq.org/go/oshadust

Respiratory Protection — Overview, OSHA www.smihq.org/go/osharesp

Milling and Grinding Operations, Aviva Risk Solutions www.smihq.org/go/grindops

Trainer’s Desk

By Rodney Poore

A Fourslide Primer If you’re new to spring manufacturing, a fourslide machine can look like a tangle of moving parts. In practice, it’s a reliable, straightforward way to form wire or flat stock into parts such as clips, hooks and springs. Fourslide machines have been around for more than a century, and they remain popular because they’re efficient, versatile and approachable with the right process and training.

What is a Fourslide Machine? A fourslide is essentially a horizontal metalforming machine that feeds stock side to side. It’s named for four main slides (tooling “arms”) that move in from the front, rear, left and right to form material around a center post. Manufacturers such as U.S. Baird have produced these machines for generations, and they’re commonly used for small parts, often under 3 inches long. Unlike a basic punch press that primarily forms in one direction, a fourslide forms in multiple directions. In one cycle, a shop can often cut, bend, pierce and, in some setups, weld. Fourslides are well-suited for highvolume production, typically running about 20 to 60 parts per minute with minimal scrap. They can handle wire up to ¼ inch thick or strip up to 1 ¼ inches wide.

How a Fourslide Works Think of the process as a series of timed steps as the material moves through the machine. Feed the Material. Start with a coil of wire or strip on a payoff reel. Straightener rolls (often grooved for wire) remove twists and set the stock up for consistent feeding. Cut to Length. Grips pull the stock forward. A cutoff blade shears it to length, while a stock check holds it steady to help prevent slip. Form the Part. The four slides are driven by cams, which control timing and movement. The slides bend and shape the stock around

a central mandrel (the post). The front slide typically forms first, followed by the others to create legs, hooks, twists and other features. Finish and Eject. A stripper plate pushes the completed part out. Optional lifters can add vertical bends when needed. During setup, operators usually inch the machine through cycles by hand, then run continuously and measure with calipers to confirm dimensions. Typical tolerances are often around plus or minus 0.005 inch, depending on the part and process.

Key Parts to Know You don’t need to memorize every component on day one. Start with the essentials. Slides (four): The forming tools that do the bending. Mandrel (center post): The surface around which the part is formed. Cams: Control slide timing (rise, dwell and return). Straightener: Removes curl and twist from stock before forming. Cutoff: Shears material to length. Safety first. Use guards and wear appropriate PPE, including safety glasses, gloves and hearing protection. Test the emergency stop before running production.

Why Fourslides are Beginner-Friendly Fourslide machines are often a good entry point because they combine capability with straightforward adjustments. Low waste: They can reduce scrap compared with many traditional die setups. Adjustable tooling: Tools are relatively inexpensive and can be tuned. If you see springback, for example, you can often correct it by adjusting the tooling and cam timing.

Springs I Winter 2026

Trainer’s Desk Rodney Poore, training manager at R&L Spring Company in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has more than 48 years of experience in spring manufacturing. He’s created onboarding and training curriculum for R&L covering coiler operations, blueprint reading, precision measurement, tolerances, CNC techniques, CNC coilers and Baird fourslide machines. For 11 years, Poore has also taught technical classes at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

All-in-one forming: Blanking, bending and piercing can often be done in one machine and one cycle. Scalable production: Once a setup is dialed in, it can support anything from short runs to large-volume production. Fourslides are best for flat, formed and “twisty” parts, not deep-drawn shapes, but for many everyday spring and clip applications, they’re an excellent fit.

Getting Started: Training Tips If you’re stepping up to a fourslide for the first time, focus on safe repetition and measurement-driven adjustments. Day 1, hands-on: With supervision, practice loading the coil, straightening, feeding and inching through a cycle. Practice run: Make 10 parts, measure with calipers and adjust for fit. Daily checks: Lubricate cams and slides as required and clean chips to reduce jams and wear.

Why SMI?

Troubleshoot systematically: If stock buckles, realign the straightener. If cuts are inconsistent, check grip tension and cutoff alignment. Test your knowledge: A short quiz (for example, “What holds stock steady during cutoff?”) can help confirm readiness for more independent machine time.

Wrap-Up Fourslide machines are a reminder that established technology can still feel modern: durable, versatile and forgiving for beginners who learn step by step. With steady practice and a safety-first mindset, you’ll be forming precision parts that show up everywhere, from vehicles and medical devices to industrial equipment. z

Know a trainer who has great content to share? Send his or her name and contact information to Phil Sasso, managing editor, at phil@smihq.org.

The Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) serves, supports and educates North American precision spring manufacturers in their pursuit of competitiveness in world markets. As the voice of the spring industry, SMI members benefit from: • Valuable technical support for failure analysis, fatigue life, corrosion, spring design and the use of materials when manufacturing springs • Helpful regulatory compliance webinars, audits and training programs • Reduced member pricing for our popular spring design software (ASD7) and training classes designed to help students increase their spring design knowledge • Useful member discounts and access to student scholarships for employees of SMI member companies

Join SMI Today. For membership information, contact Gary McCoy • gary@smihq.org • 847-450-6848 • www.smihq.org

18 Winter 2026 I Springs

Technically Speaking

C. Richard (Rick) Gordon

Hard-Drawn Wire Spring Design Safety Considerations Occasionally, questions arise about safety factors to use when designing springs. There are no formal safety factors included in SMI’s “Encyclopedia of Spring Design” or Advanced Spring Design software (ASD7). However, spring designers may benefit from what some consider to be indirect safety factors. Two notable examples are the use of minimum tensile strength for spring design calculations and strain aging of hard-drawn spring wire products during the stress-relief annealing heat treatment process.

Minimum Tensile Strength Standards for wire products used in spring production typically specify a range of tensile strength values for each wire size. For example, ASTM A228, “Standard Specification for Steel Wire, Music Spring Quality,” lists a tensile strength range of 271–300 ksi for a wire diameter of 0.100 inches (2.54 mm). The ASD7 software uses the minimum value of this range for spring calculations. The actual wire product certification test value is usually higher, often near the midpoint of the specification range. This can be viewed as an indirect safety factor. Note: the test value reported on the certification test report does not take into account the potential tensile strength variability within a coil. When performing spring design calculations, users may encounter a strength warning in the design status window based on the minimum tensile strength. A new feature in ASD7 allows users to input the higher tensile strength value from the certification test report. In some cases, this adjustment clears the warning, giving the designer greater confidence in the design. Note: this must be evaluated on an individual coil or lot basis.

Figure 1. Simple representation of slip that occurs in metal crystals during deformation.

Strain Aging Strain aging can occur during the wiredrawing process and during subsequent heat treatments, such as stress relief, of hard-drawn wire products. During wire drawing, wire is drawn from wire rod or process wire in multiple sequential steps. Heat is generated at each reduction step, and machines are designed to cool the wire before it enters the next die. If heat is not removed sufficiently, strain aging can occur, resulting in increased strength and reduced ductility. As we take a dive into the deep end of the metallurgical pool, we need to talk about atoms and crystals. In both wire drawing and stress relief annealing, it’s all about diffusion or atom movements in the solid metal. Metals like steel are polycrystalline aggregates, and during wire drawing, deformation occurs along preferred crystallographic planes. A simple analogy is a deck of cards: pushing the side of a deck causes the cards to slip rather than remain rigid, as shown in Figure 1. The process is more complex in metal crystals. During deformation, slip occurs and linear or planar crystalline imperfections called dislocations are created. The generation of dislocations leads to strengthening by cold work or wire drawing1. Most atoms in steel are iron atoms. For example, in a 1,000-pound sample of music spring wire, about 980 pounds are iron. Key elements in steel that play a role in strain aging are nitrogen and carbon. Carbon is intentionally added and is a primary strengthening element. Nitrogen is considered an undesirable residual element. Both carbon and nitrogen are interstitial elements and can diffuse more readily with increasing temperature, pinning dislocations. For most springmakers, the focus is on the material’s strength rather than the metallurgical explanation of what happens to the atoms. Suffice it to say, that when springs are stress-relieved — meaning they are

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Technically Speaking 250

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Stress Relief Temperature — F Figure 2. Stress relieving study of 0.080-inch hard-drawn MB carbon steel. Time at temperature was set at one hour while the temperature was varied. The trend line was used to smooth the data2.

C. Richard (Rick) Gordon is SMI’s technical director. He has more than 50 years’ experience in the steel and wire industries and is available to help SMI members and non-members with metallurgical challenges such as fatigue life, corrosion, material and process related problems. Contact Gordon at 574-514-9367 or c.richard.gordon@ gmail.com.

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Stress Relief Temperature — F Figure 3. Stress-relieving study of 0.080-inch music wire. Time at temperature was set at one hour while the temperature was varied. The trend line was used to smooth the data2.

heated after forming — not only are stresses from the forming operation relieved, but the material also strengthens due to strain aging as nitrogen and carbon atoms diffuse to the dislocations and pin them. Figure 2 shows a stress-relieving study of 0.080-inch hard-drawn MB (Medium Bessemer) carbon steel2. Samples were heated for one hour at increasing stressrelieving temperatures. The increase in strength observed up to about 450°F is due to strain aging. ASTM A227/A227M-24, “Standard Specification for Steel Wire, Cold-Drawn for Mechanical Springs,” specifies a tensile strength range of 227–261 ksi for 0.080-inch diameter wire. The room-temperature tensile strength shown in Figure 2 conforms to the standard. The strength increase in this example is about 4%. Figure 3 shows a similar study of 0.080-inch music wire. The increase in strength observed with rising temperature in the initial part of the curve is due to strain aging. ASTM A228/A228M-24, “Standard Specification for Steel Wire, Music Spring

Quality,” specifies a tensile strength range of 282 — 312 ksi for 0.080-inch diameter wire. The room-temperature tensile strength value shown in Figure 3 conforms to the standard. The strength increase in this example is about 7%.

Summary Although formal safety factors are not included in the “Encyclopedia of Spring Design” or ASD7, the use of minimum specification tensile strength values for spring design calculations and the strain aging of hard-drawn spring wire products during stress-relief annealing contribute to more robust spring designs. ASD7 has been updated to allow users to input actual wire tensile strength data, enabling them to see the impact on their designs. z

References 1. Gordon, C.R., Strengthening Mechanisms in Spring Making Materials, Springs, Fall 2022, Vol. 61, No. 4, p. 25. 2. Bartel, T., Heat Treating, Springs, Spring 2018, Vol. 57, No. 2, p. 37.

Want to Learn More? SMI is offering two new webinars in 2026 covering strain aging in greater detail: 302.1 Stress Relieving of Springs and Heat Treatment Simon Fleury, SMI technical advisor Thursday, March 19, 2026

300 Strength of Materials and Spring Material Manufacturing C. Richard “Rick” Gordon, SMI technical director Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026

To register for these classes or others, go to www.smihq.org/go/tech-classes

20 Winter 2026 I Springs

By Phil Sasso

Electrification and the Spring Industry Electrification, replacing fossil fuel-powered systems with electric alternatives, is often framed as being about electric vehicles (EVs). But for springmakers and wireformers it reaches far beyond transportation. It is showing up in power tools, earth movers, industrial equipment and impacting the entire power grid, from generation and distribution to storage. Electrification is not a fad. It is a major shift in energy consumption and delivery, from liquid fuel stored in tanks to electricity delivered through wires in real time. “Electrification is not necessarily the goal, rather a means to achieving a community goal,” states the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) website (energy.gov). These goals include reducing carbon emissions, saving users money and supporting grid flexibility. ›

Springs I Winter 2026

Why Electrification? “Electrification is at the heart of carbon neutrality,” says the DOE website. Electricity generated using clean, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar can lower overall emissions — even with fossil fuel in the mix. While consumer and business electric bills may increase, overall energy costs tend to decrease. “Electrification technologies are often more energy efficient than fossil fuels,” according to the website. Also “using electricity when it is cheap (that is, at night when demand is low) or when excess solar is available allows utilities to avoid purchasing expensive power at peak times.”

Delivering Energy Electrification is already reducing demand for oil globally. The International Energy Agency reports the global adoption of EVs has reduced oil consumption by more

than 1 million barrels a day in 2024 alone. It also reports more than 1.3 million public charging points were added in 2024, a yearover-year increase of more than 30%. Liquid fuels depend on physical inventories and delivery systems: tanks, trucks and pumps. They need energy to deliver energy. Electricity moves through an infrastructure network. As more vehicles, equipment and technologies plug in, the grid must meet this new demand. And electrification demands become manufacturing demands, shaping the need for parts, components and related materials.

Smart Grid Market Shifts “Domestic supply chain realignment and energy-infrastructure investments are driving a new wave of industrial spending,” write Martin Bauer and Simon Haase of WAFIOS in Electrification: The Quiet Revolution (p. 24). “OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are seeking local partners to

U.S. Oil vs. Electricity Consumptions: % Growth from 2015-2024 Electricity shows steady growth while oil declines post-2019 —– Oil

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shorten logistics and secure domestic content. Wire-processing companies that modernize equipment for conductive materials, especially copper and aluminum, can become essential suppliers in these new value chains.” “The global smart grid market, estimated at $49.8 billion in 2024, is expected to quadruple by 2032,” the authors explain. “Each mile of new transmission line, each substation and each high-current connector depends on copper or aluminum conductors to be precisely formed, insulated and assembled.”

Looking Back to the Future Our Flashback from 1998 (p. 36) focuses on partnering with customers, a timely theme as new springs and wireforms often require close collaboration with product designers and manufacturing engineers to meet demanding standards and run reliably on customers’ production lines. “Since it has become our responsibility to make our parts function in the customer’s assembly equipment, it helps our people when they see the assembly process firsthand,” Peterson Springs’ George Hicks said in 1998. “I also think springmakers should be in on the design of the assembly equipment. This should be a must in the future.”

Change Raises Safety Risks “In many ways, change is good, but from a safety standpoint, it can introduce new and unintentional hazards,” writes Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, SMI’s regulatory compliance consultant, in her Be Aware column (p. 13). “Even if you’re not a safety professional, you probably realize change increases the likelihood of accidents. (Simply rearrange the furniture in your living room and see how long before you stub your toe in the dark),” she continues. “Fires, explosions and other workplace accidents often occur when normal routines are disrupted.”

How Electrification Changes Product Design Electrified systems trade combustion complexity for electrical, thermal and integration complexity. Three design themes matter for springs and wireforms across many applications: Packaging gets tighter and denser. • Motors, batteries, inverters, sensors and controls crowd assemblies that are often smaller than legacy counterparts. That means more components in less space and greater demand for repeatable geometry, predictable springback and stable force. Thermal management becomes a first-class requirement. • Heat shifts from exhaust and combustion to batteries, power electronics and tightly packaged motors. Components must perform across wide temperature swings, sometimes with frequent cycling. Noise and vibration take a new form. • Electric drivetrains are often quieter, which can make other noises more noticeable. Rattle control, retention, isolation and preload become more visible to end users and more measurable in validation testing. The takeaway: Springs and wireforms still do many of the same quiet jobs, but under tougher constraints: smaller envelopes, tighter tolerance stacks, more thermal cycling and higher performance demands.

Electrification expands the number of places where springs and wireforms are mission-critical, but it also may change what customers value most from suppliers. Expect more opportunity in adjacent electrification, not just EV programs: charging infrastructure, industrial automation, electrically actuated equipment, battery storage enclosures and grid-connected hardware. This is where many springmakers can win because product demand is growing and customers need suppliers who can partner with them to design and build new springs and wireforms to meet this demand. z

Springs I Winter 2026 23

ELECTRIFICATION The Quiet Revolution The story of modern industry is being rewritten by a single principle: efficiency. Across every sector — transportation, manufacturing, construction and energy — electrification is emerging not as a political choice, but as an engineering inevitability. Electric systems waste less, respond faster and scale better. Whether it’s torque on demand in a vehicle, precision motion in automation or loss-minimized power transfer in grids, electrons simply outperform combustion. This quiet revolution in efficiency is reshaping how metal wire and tube are processed and applied worldwide. Behind every highperformance motor, every smart grid and every rapid-charging station lies one constant: wire. For the springmaking and wireforming industry, electrification isn’t a disruption to dread — it might be the most powerful opportunity in decades.

24 Winter 2026 I Springs

By Martin Bauer and Simon Haase

The Rise of Conductive Components As mechanical systems yield to electric precision, demand for conductive components — copper and aluminum wires, flat conductors, hairpins and busbars — will accelerate. The automotive sector offers a clear example. Today’s electric drivetrains rely on hairpin stators, whose compact geometry allows higher copper fill factors, improved heat dissipation and greater power density. The numbers tell the story. The global hairpinstator market, with production numbers just below 20 million motors in 2023, is forecast to surpass 80 million by 2032, growing more than 12% annually.1 Likewise, the flat wire and hairpin motor segment is projected to expand nearly fivefold by 2034.2 For companies that bend, form and process wire, these trends translate into new business. Motors, batteries and charging systems require conductors with tight tolerances, high surface quality and complex three-dimensional shapes. That means new generations of bending machines, forming tools and automation cells capable of handling both round and rectangular wire while maintaining micron-level precision.

Global Transformation Electrification goes far beyond mobility. Around the world, the energy economy is shifting from centralized generation and fossil fuels toward decentralized, digital and dynamic systems. Three forces are driving this transformation:

1. Grid expansion and reinforcement. Aging infrastructure must support rising electricity demand from electric vehicles (EVs), data centers and electrified industries. The global smart grid market, estimated at $49.8 billion in 2024, is expected to quadruple by 2032.3 Each mile of new transmission line, each substation and each high-current connector depends on copper or aluminum conductors to be precisely formed, insulated and assembled. 2. Digitalization and control. Modern networks are becoming smarter, integrating sensors, converters and communication layers needed to manage fluctuating renewable power production like solar and wind. That demands ever more compact busbars, power-conversion coils and formed conductors to carry high current safely and efficiently. 3. Energy conversion and storage. Windfarm substations, solar inverters and battery packs all require high-integrity conductors. The same is true for electrolyzers, which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen to produce clean hydrogen fuel. Therefore, compact conductor geometries and precise forming reduce resistance, weight and cost. The electrified world is, quite literally, built from shaped and bent conductive material.

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— can evolve into the foundation to produce parts for the electrified automotive industry and all other related electric economy sectors.

Beyond Mobility For the wire-processing sector, this means expansion into entirely new industries and product families — beyond springs or mechanical linkages and into high-value electrical components and assemblies.

The scope of electrification extends far beyond passenger vehicles. Emerging sectors are opening a broad spectrum of applications for advanced wireforming and processing: Commercial trucks and heavy equipment: electrification requires larger motors, thicker conductors and high-power busbar assemblies.

Technology Innovation Responding to these demands, machine builders are rethinking what wire- and tube-processing equipment can do. New developments include: Rotary-draw bending for ultraprecise con• ductor geometry.

Marine propulsion: ferries, tugboats and offshore support vessels are adopting electric drives, demanding robust, corrosionresistant conductors. Urban air mobility: lightweight axial-flux motors and compact flat wire coils make electric flight feasible.

Edgewise bending for flat or rectangular • wires used in axial-flux motors. Integrated solutions for stripping, cutting and • twisting.

Mining, farming and construction equipment: electric or hybrid systems call for high-current connectors, flexible busbars and formed copper bars.

Flexible and modular tooling solutions for • faster reaction times. These technologies enable the economical production of complex conductors, whether for prototypes or mass manufacturing. They also illustrate how traditional mechanical know-how — originally developed for forming steel wire

Charging infrastructure: high-power DC chargers and battery-swap stations rely on precision-bent conductors with reliable insulation. Renewable-energy installations: wind, solar and grid-storage systems need shaped conductors,

Growth of Stator Winding Types 100%

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Technology distribution of winding types. Flat wire winding types will continue to grow in a growing market.

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welded assemblies and custom forms to minimize losses and space. Power tools: efficiency gains and weight benefits make flat wire applications more and more viable for even small power tool applications and industrial motors. In each case, production volumes are increasing and product variety is vast. U.S. wire-processing firms that can combine flexibility for small runs with automation for scaling will find themselves ideally positioned.

Mobility Electrification as of 2025

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Competitiveness and Reshoring

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For American manufacturers, the opportunity is timely. Domestic supply-chain realignment and energy-infrastructure investments are driving a new wave of industrial spending. OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers are seeking local partners to shorten logistics and secure domestic content. Wire-processing companies that modernize equipment for conductive materials— especially copper and aluminum—can become essential suppliers in these new value chains. Moreover, margins in advanced conductor products typically exceed those in conventional wire goods. Entering this field is not just a strategic adaptation–it’s a profitable opportunity.

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Mobility electrification as of 2025 [LISA: Use ring chart. Remove paragraph.

Conclusion Every industrial revolution was driven by a search for more efficiency and convenience — steam replacing muscle, oil replacing coal and now, electricity replacing combustion. Electrification isn’t about ideology; it’s about performance, reliability and sustainability. For springmakers and wireformers, this shift offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity. From electric power train components to grid hardware to renewable-energy connectors, the world needs more conductive parts, shaped with more precision, produced with more intelligence. Firms that embrace this change — investing in flexible automation, precision forming and conductive-material expertise — will not just adapt, they will lead. In an age defined by electrons, companies that shape tomorrow’s conductors, will power tomorrow’s industries. z

Martin Bauer is an industry manager for WAFIOS in Reutlingen, Germany. He joined WAFIOS as a technical salesperson for spring machinery in 2010 and transitioned into the EV market in 2019. He actively explores new worldwide markets for WAFIOS machinery in the electrification sector. He holds engineering degrees from Reutlingen University. Simon Haase is an applications engineer for WAFIOS in Mokena, Illinois. He specializes in the EV industry, providing technical consultation and sample production for parts like hairpins, axial flux coils and busbars. Prior to moving to the U.S. in 2023, he worked six years for WAFIOS in Reutlingen, Germany. He studied mechanical engineering in Dresden, Germany. WAFIOS has been involved in wire bending for 130 years. They entered the EV market in 2014, developing solutions for bending hairpins, axial flux coils and busbars. WAFIOS supports customers from prototyping, tool design and engineering to sample, small series and mass production.

Sources 1. Hairpin Stator Market, Dataintelo www.smihq.org/go/hairpin25 2. Flatwire HAIR-PIN Motor Market, Business Research Insights www.smihq.org/go/flatwire25 3. Smart Grid Market, Fortune Business Insights www.smihq.org/go/grid25 Springs I Winter 2026 27

FORECAST 2026 By Phillip M. Perry

Rising Costs,

As the economy enters a new year, manufacturers can expect a bracing but generally supportive operating environment. “The U.S. economy is holding up admirably well despite a major trade shock caused by tariffs,” said Bernard Yaros Jr., lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. “We look for an acceleration in growth in 2026 as stimulus from the One Big Beautiful Bill gets underway.” Real gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 2% in 2026, according to Oxford Economics up a bit from the 1.7% expected when 2025 numbers are finally tallied. Both years, among the most sluggish growth environments of the past decade, are underperforming the 2.8% increase of 2024. GDP, the total value of the nation’s goods and services, is the most common measure of economic growth. “Real GDP” subtracts the effects of inflation.

HIGHER PROFITS U.S. economic growth depends largely on the launch of new business initiatives. Unfortunately, manufacturers are holding back for several reasons. Interest rates, while declining, are still at the highest levels since 2022. Costs for materials and supplies are increasing. There is uncertainty about the nation’s future trade policy. Lower and middle income consumers, nervous about inflation, are tapped out and closing their wallets. Against such headwinds, a host of otherwise attractive projects can look less promising.

One might also expect business profitability to suffer. Yet Oxford Economics expects it to follow the same general pattern as the GDP. “We look for corporate profits to rise by 4.9% in 2026,” Yaros said. “That’s up substantially from the 0.5% expected when 2025 numbers are finalized.” Even so, the 2026 pace remains slower than the 7.9% clocked in 2024. The expected 2026 rebound in profitability stems from a belief that stimulus from Washington will lift all boats. “We believe the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, with its tax cuts for businesses and households, should help the economy regather some steam in early 2026,” said Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group. The legislation’s 100% bonus depreciation should help fuel business investment, while large tax refunds should invigorate consumer spending. Both activities are important drivers of the nation’s economy. This stimulus from Washington is arriving at the same time manufacturers are getting a more solid footing on the nation’s shifting trade policy. “There has been a bit of a shock to the system in and around tariffs over the past year, and it is taking some time for many companies to understand their impact,” noted Andrew Petryk, head of industrials at Brown, Gibbons Lang & Company, an investment banker.

“ The U.S. economy is holding up admirably well despite a major trade shock caused by tariffs.” — Bernard Yaros Jr., lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics

28 Winter 2026 I Springs

Sluggish Consumers Specifically, companies have responded to China tariffs by sourcing imports from other countries — a move which has also eased the nation’s recent supply chain ills. “Lead times have diminished as companies have found alternative or additional suppliers,” Petryk said. “Those that relied on one or two vendors now have three, four or five.” Manufacturers should also benefit from a decline in the cost of money over the coming months, as the Federal Reserve shifts its focus from fighting inflation to bolstering employment. “We look for inflation to peak at just above 3% when 2025 numbers are finalized, and for the Fed to cut interest rates into 2026 until the federal funds rate falls to about 3%,” Yaros said. That rate, while much higher than the rates of early 2022, is a considerable improvement over the 4.3% of mid-2025. Declining interest rates, which encourage businesses to launch new initiatives, are also a reflection of looser pockets on the part of the nation’s lenders. “Credit conditions have improved significantly for businesses,” Basu said. “Companies with strong balance sheets will find bankers very willing to supply debt. We also know that equity investors, including private equity, remain quite aggressive in supplying capital.”

HOUSING DOLDRUMS Speaking of lower interest rates, they can’t come soon enough for a major driver of the nation’s economic activity: the housing sector. “Housing is in a funk,” Yaros said. “Singlefamily homebuilders are contending with a growing supply of unsold, completed new homes, as well as greater competition from the resale market and falling home prices in a rising number of regions.” The high cost of money is not helping matters.

“A significant increase in interest rates since the summer of 2022 has increased the monthly payments required from buyers of new or existing homes,” Petryk said. “They have also led to a significant market shortage because families who bought homes three to five-plus years ago are loath to surrender their sub 3% mortgages.” Mortgage rates have an important impact on the consumer attitudes that are vital drivers of the economy. While lower short-term rates may be coming from the Federal Reserve, it’s unclear how much effect they will have on the longer-term ones that apply to the funding of new homes. “I do not forecast mortgage rates coming down enough to make a big difference in single-family construction,” said Bill Conerly, principal of Conerly Consulting Wary builders. Reluctant sellers. Sluggish buyers. It’s all impacting the housing market. Oxford Economics expects housing starts to fall by 4.3% in 2025 and decline by another 2.3% in 2026 after dropping by 3.5% in 2024. Prices for existing homes are expected to increase only 1.5% in 2025 and 2.3% in 2026 after rising by 4.4% in 2024. Concerned about the rising cost of living, consumers are cutting back on spending of all kinds. Their hesitancy affects the retail sector, which is an important driver and bellwether of the economy. “Our forecast for year-over-year retail sales growth is 3.8% for 2026, down from the 4.5% of 2025,” said Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics for Moody’s Analytics. Much of the increase in both years is due to inflation. “High prices are a bit of a mixed bag,” Hoyt said. “They undermine consumer purchasing power and confidence, but they also support nominal sales by lifting the prices of the goods retailers are selling.”

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CONSTRUCTION WOES Outside of the single-family home market, contractors are having problems of their own. Multifamily builders, working through a backlog of units under construction, are hesitant to break ground on new ones. “I think we’ll see less multifamily construction in 2026,” Conerly said. “Vacancy rates are going up and rents have been coming down at the rate of about 1% a year.” Meanwhile, contractors attached to the commercial, office and hotel markets are feeling the sting of a slowing economy, high interest rates and an environment rife with uncertainty. “Many areas of nonresidential are trending flat or edging down,” Conerly said. “Even the chip fab (semiconductor fabrication plants), while still strong, are tapering down.” The one bright construction sector: data centers. They show no signs of diminishing and are big customers for electricians, plumbers and suppliers of scaffolding and manufactured products of all kinds. “When I look at the detail and the economic statistics of what kind of capital equipment is being bought, I am seeing a lot of data center-related equipment in there,” Conerly said. “Data centers also require a lot of garden variety wiring, connectors and plumbing for cooling.” Every sector of the construction industry shares a common challenge: labor availability. Oxford Economics forecasts an unemployment rate of 4.4% and 4.3% at the end of 2025 and 2026, respectively. That’s not much higher than the 4.1% clocked at the end of 2024. Low unemployment, largely due to slowing growth

in the nation’s working age population and aggressive immigration policies, can result in rising labor costs.

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE For all business sectors, money and labor are not the only production factors on the rise. “The real problem is the world has become much more expensive in the last few years,” Basu noted. “Construction materials are more expensive. And of course there are tariffs on items like steel, aluminum and copper.” Little wonder the high cost of doing business is top of mind for many operators. “As we head into 2026, the area of most concern for manufacturers is profit margin,” Basu said. “Many operators are simultaneously experiencing an increase in costs of delivering services while demand fades.” Given the variety of business concerns, it’s little wonder many projects are being put on hold. “It’s hard to engage in cost savings when both materials and labor are becoming more expensive,” Basu said. “Too often, the pro formas don’t pencil out. Many manufacturers are responding by not expanding their operations and trying to trim expenditures at the margins. They are focusing more on cash flow preservation by slowing hiring, and being less aggressive in leasing and purchasing equipment, particularly equipment impacted by tariff pricing.” This generalized business hesitation is reflected in the numbers. “We look for business investment to increase by only 1.6% in 2026, after rising by 3% in 2025 and 3.6% in 2024,” Yaros noted.

“Real GDP is expected to grow by 2% in 2026.” — Oxford Economics

30 Winter 2026 I Springs

Poised for a Modest Rebound: U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Annual % Change 7

5 4 3 2 1 0

2015 2.9%

2016 1.8%

2017 2.5%

-1

2018 3.0%

2021 6.6%

2019 2.5%

2022 2.5%

2023 2.9%

2024 2.8%

2025* 1.7%

2026* 2.0%

2020 -2.2%

-2 -3

Source: World Bank; * = projections by Oxford Economics.

A subdued economy will challenge manufacturing operations in 2026.

LOOKING AHEAD As we enter the early months of 2026, economists suggest manufacturers watch these key economic indicators for an idea of how the year will turn out: Employment “I would pay close attention to the unemployment rate,” Yaros said. An unexpected decline in employment would spur faster interest rate cuts as the Fed seeks to reinforce economic expansion. Consumer Spending “How is the consumer faring?” Basu asks. “Bear in mind that many low and middle income people are exhausted financially. Indebtedness and delinquencies are up for credit cards, mortgages and loans.” Inflation “If we get stubbornly high inflation, that will prevent further progress on interest rates,” Basu said. Oxford Economics still expects the nation to avoid a recession, and the expected 2% GDP

growth is right around the level economists peg as the nation’s “natural growth rate” — one that supports business activity, maintains full employment and avoids triggering inflation. Perhaps of even greater importance, though, is a little heralded threat to productivity. “One thing that sort of permeates the whole economic picture right now is the nation’s low population growth rate,” Conerly said. “Immigration is down, due to Trump administration policy. The next generation entering their working years is about the same size as the retiring boomers, so there will be no net growth in the labor force.” Responding to this trend, manufacturing companies will look for ways to maximize their return on labor by increasing output per worker, Conerly noted. “The focus of businesses in 2026 will be increasing productivity — not by whipping people harder, but by providing them with better tools, better training and better first level managers.” z

Springs I Winter 2026 31

Smart Safety and the Future From Ambulances to Academia Helmrich-Rhodes did not begin her career in safety. She started as a deaf education major. But while working for a pioneering ambulance company in Pennsylvania, she found herself surrounded by medical students and safety science majors, people invested in preventing harm, not just responding to it.

One call changed everything

Gary McCoy and Laura Rhodes on the “Springs Are Everywhere” podcast.

When Laura Helmrich-Rhodes walks into a manufacturing plant, she isn’t just scanning for hazards. She is reading the heartbeat of the business. Helmrich‑Rhodes is a board‑certified safety professional (CSP), a SHRM senior certified professional and an associate professor in the Safety Sciences and Environmental Engineering Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, as well as SMI’s regulatory and compliance consultant since 2014. She has spent more than a decade helping spring manufacturers strengthen safety culture, modernize processes and protect people.Her approach blends academic rigor with real-world practicality and has earned her a reputation as one of the industry’s most trusted voices. Recently, Helmrich-Rhodes joined me on the “Springs Are Everywhere” podcast (Season 2, Episode 6) to talk about the state of safety in manufacturing. We discussed risks companies often overlook and the innovations reshaping worker protection. What emerged was a candid conversation about what it takes to build a safe, compliant operation in 2026 and beyond. She is quick to note she is not an attorney and that safety compliance is guided by state and federal rules and regulations. When needed, seek legal counsel.

32 Winter 2026 I Springs

After witnessing the aftermath of a mining accident, she realized she wanted to be on the prevention side of workplace injuries. That moment set her on a path that would eventually lead to the classroom, the consulting field and the spring industry. Today, she brings that same sense of purpose to every plant visit, training session and phone call from an SMI member.

The Most Common Risks Hiding in Plain Sight When I asked Helmrich-Rhodes what she sees most often in manufacturing environments, her answer was immediate: • Caught-in machinery hazards and inadequate machine guarding • Forklift strikes and vehicle-related injuries • Workplace violence • Musculoskeletal disorders, which account for more than half (56%) of workplace injuries, impact the back, shoulder, knee or multiple body parts — costing nearly $32.6 billion according to Liberty Mutual. • Falls aren’t exotic risks. They are everyday issues that can be prevented with the right systems, leadership and attention. But Helmrich-Rhodes is quick to point out that safety isn’t just about compliance. It is about culture. “When safety is integrated into the business process,” she said, “you know they get it.” A truly safe operation isn’t defined by posters on the wall or binders on a shelf. It shows up in leadership engagement, clear communication and a workforce empowered to speak up.

of Manufacturing What Leaders Often Miss By the time a workers’ compensation claim hits the books, it is already too late. That is why Helmrich-Rhodes encourages leaders to watch for early indicators, the subtle signs a facility may be drifting out of compliance. She points to: • Product errors • Customer complaints • Housekeeping issues • Attendance problems “If those things are slipping,” she said, “safety is slipping too.” It is a reminder that safety and operational excellence move together. When one falters, the other often follows.

Daily Practices Helmrich-Rhodes emphasized that meaningful safety improvements don’t come from grand gestures. They come from consistent, intentional leadership. She highlighted several practices that make a measurable difference: • Pre-shift meetings that identify hazards before work begins • Routine equipment inspections, not just because OSHA requires them, but because they save lives • Focused discussions on nonroutine tasks, where many injuries occur • Leadership modeling, where supervisors and managers set the tone “Safety has to be part of the daily rhythm,” she said. “It’s not a separate program. It’s how you run the business.”

By Gary McCoy

The Importance of Safety Committees Safety committees can be transformative, but only when they are structured correctly. Helmrich-Rhodes warned that companies can unintentionally violate labor rules if they set up committees improperly, especially in nonunion environments. Her advice: • Follow state guidance and sample charters • Rotate members to keep engagement high • Make committee service a positive, respected role • Avoid letting the committee become a paperwork club • Be certain to take action and follow up on safety-related issues Above all, she stressed that front-line employees often see risks management misses and companies must build systems that make reporting easy, fast and effective.

Technology That’s Changing the Game At SMI’s upcoming Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico, Helmrich-Rhodes will present “Smart Safety: How Technology and Innovation Are Redefining Worker Protection in Manufacturing.” It is a topic she believes will define the next decade of manufacturing. Her session will explore how emerging technologies are transforming worker protection on the factory floor, including wearables, human-in-the-loop systems, generative AI for OSHA compliance and safety management, QR code applications, computer vision and machine monitoring technologies. Helmrich-Rhodes teaches Ph.D. students heavily involved in safety research as part of her full-time responsibilities at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She will discuss current research, innovations and success stories from companies implementing smart safety. Attendees will gain practical insights and a forward-looking perspective on how smart safety is reshaping manufacturing.

Springs I Winter 2026 33

34 Winter 2026 I Springs

She acknowledges not every company needs cutting-edge robotics or AI-driven analytics purchased packages. But every company can benefit from smarter, more efficient ways to identify and address hazards. She also noted that fatigue and health monitoring are becoming a bigger part of workplace safety as more workers manage prescription medications. We wish our employees were conditioned athletes, but the reality is that many workers have some pre-existing health issues that impacts their workday.

Helmrich-Rhodes also presents four webinars each year to help members understand the latest OSHA information and company safety issues. The webinars are free to SMI members. Nonmembers may participate for $149 per session. A list of topics and scheduled dates will be available later this year.

A Hidden Resource for SMI Members

• Integrating robotics safely

One of the most valuable benefits of SMI membership, Helmrich-Rhodes said, is also one of the least known: direct access to her expertise. “If OSHA shows up at your door, you can call me,” she said. “If you get citations, I can help you navigate them. Perhaps more importantly, let’s prevent those citations and create a safety culture.” She is available to answer questions by email and will often follow up by phone. For small companies without environmental, health and safety staff, that support can be transformative and it is included with membership She also writes regularly for Springs, leads webinars and serves on SMI’s regulatory compliance committee, helping shape the association’s approach to compliance and advocacy. Safety audits are also available to members at a reduced rate to help prepare for OSHA inspections for both companies and risk management audits. Helmrich-Rhodes said members who participate have reduced lost-time injuries, lowered workers’ compensation costs and avoided large fines from regulatory agencies. Seminars and in-house safety training sessions are available by scheduling in advance.

• Managing multilingual workforces

Risks Over the Next 10 Years Helmrich-Rhodes sees several emerging challenges on the horizon: • Modernizing lockout/tagout standards

• Addressing workplace violence • Supporting psychological safety • Navigating a shifting insurance landscape “These risks are 100% preventable,” she said, “but only if we stay ahead of them.”

A Steady Voice in a Changing Industry As I wrapped up the interview, I joked that the conversation had been easy. But the work Helmrich-Rhodes does, preventing injuries, strengthening cultures and guiding companies through complex regulations, is anything but. Her impact is felt quietly in safer workplaces, better decisions and more resilient companies that invest in their people. And for the spring industry, her message is clear: Safety isn’t a cost. It is a competitive advantage. z

Email Helmrich-Rhodes at laurahrhodes@gmail.com. For more information on safety audits, in-house safety training sessions and seminars, contact Gaby Carrasco at gaby@smihq.org.

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Flashback Partnering: A Shop Floor Perspective Plant visits lead to greater satisfaction By By Gail Lauzzana with Dawn Jones, Peterson Spring

Editor’s Note: Rewinding to the Winter 1998 issue, this article appeared during the age of painfully slow dialup Internet, long before smartphones, Zoom meetings and generative AI. But partnerships between springmakers and customers is still all about problem-solving and relationships.

36 Winter 2026 I Springs

Springmakers hear a lot about “partnering” these days, partnering with customers and suppliers to take waste out of the supply chain. But how does this idea play out on the shop floor? How can the people who make the parts establish a partnering relationship with a customer or supplier? Employees of the Peterson Spring Three Rivers Plant in Three Rivers, Michigan, have some thoughts on this subject. Doug Lawson, setup and Sue Hall, operator, run retaining rings for General Motors Corp. Peterson’s rings were jamming GM’s assembly machinery, so Lawson and Hall made a trip to watch the installation process. Lawson had been to customers’ plants before, but Hall had not and she wasn’t so sure she wanted to go. “I was afraid they were going to ask me a lot of questions I wouldn’t know how to answer,” she admits, “but I’m really glad I went. Now, I’m very aware of why helix and small burrs are so important.” Adds Lawson, “I don’t believe a phone call could have done as much. We got to see for ourselves exactly what our customer needs. Their equipment was jamming on parts that were to blueprint, so obviously running parts to specs was not enough.” Frankie Gillis agrees. It’s her job to package all the rings the Three Rivers Plant sends to Saturn. When she visited Saturn, she got to see how the rings were installed. “While we were there, we saw a jam-up of our part in the equipment,” Gillis recalls. “The whole line shut down because of our parts. It was a terrible feeling. Now I’m very conscious of what is required. As I’m packaging the rings, I keep an eye out for any problems, even though I’m not the official inspector for these parts.”

Like Hall, Gillis got to see first-hand how unforgiving customers’ automated installation equipment can be. “I remember years ago, helix wasn’t such a concern because the parts were assembled by hand. Now, even when rings are to blueprint, they can jam the equipment. Even though it’s not a very good feeling, I think seeing this happen at a customer’s plant is an important experience for people making the parts.” Ray Wheeler, a setup person with 20 years of experience in ringmaking, also likes to visit customers. “I can pick up a lot by watching,” he says. “There are things the blueprint doesn’t tell you. I visited Ford and saw two to three jamups while I was there. The guy wondered what I was doing, looking over his shoulder. I told him, ‘I’m from where they make that part, and I’d like to watch.’” “How the part is assembled makes a big difference,” he continues. “If we know how they will load it, we can make it so it will work. When I came back from one customer visit, I put this very simple device to check for helix on top of each machine for the operators. It’s much better than a go/no-go gage. I’ve done other things, too, as a result of what I’ve seen at a customer’s plant. The thing is, if we work together, we can make a better product.” Besides visits to the customer, Wheeler thinks partnering is encouraged by visits from the customer. He likes to meet people face-to-face, show them how he does the setup for their jobs, and demonstrate how their parts are made. Wheeler suggests that customers experiencing problems with the parts they receive should “have a worker come with the boss while the job is running.

Have them bring the parts and show the operator so we can correct the problem at the machine.” “When someone comes up to you from QC two or three months after a problem has occurred and chews you out, you can’t remember anymore what you did,” he says. “Letters and phone calls don’t really get it done, either. They don’t help you learn.” Just as important as partnerships with customers is partnerships with suppliers, says Dawn Jones, purchasing. “We do quarterly supplier performance reports, and we’re thinking of making that monthly, particularly because of delivery issues,” she explains. “These reports let our suppliers know, in a formal written format, whether their quality, delivery and so on are satisfactory. This keeps feedback current and objective.” Jones says visits to supplier locations have been limited, but her department hopes to do more of this in the future. “QS forces you to be more of a partner with your suppliers,” she adds. George Hicks, general manager of the Three Rivers Plant, agrees that making parts to blueprint is no longer adequate.

“Since it has become our responsibility to make our parts function in the customer’s assembly equipment, it helps our people when they see the assembly process first-hand,” he says. “I also think springmakers should be in on the design of the assembly equipment. This should be a must in the future.” “We’ve also been pushing our customers to come to our plant — engineers, quality people, packaging people,” he continues. “Advantages are that they get a better idea of our costs, they might come up with some helpful suggestions and they see why accurate, timely shipping schedules are so important for us. For example, we roll our own wire. I remember a buyer from Ford who was amazed when he realized how much more complicated scheduling was for us when you factor in wire rolling. ‘Now I understand,’ he said. It’s exactly that kind of new awareness that can happen during a plant visit, and which just does not happen in a phone call.” z

Springs I Winter 2026 37

Five Questions Five Questions allows SMI associate members to tell the spring industry about their products and services. In this edition, we talk with Ryan Cutter from

FENN/Torin

Tell us about your company’s history and products.

Founded in 1900 by Wilson Fenn, FENN has designed and built high-quality custom machinery for more than 125 years. In 2003, FENN acquired BHS-Torin. BHSTorin’s Z-Line spring coilers and FENN has built on that legacy advancing designs to align with modern controls, automation and customer requirements. FENN/Torin product lines now include single-point and dual-point spring coilers, dereelers and payoffs, all custom-engineered to specific applications. FENN also manufactures wire-drawing lines, rolling mills, swagers and turks heads. In 2022, FENN acquired MacBee and began providing wire-drawing equipment.

What trends are impacting your industry? How does it affect springmakers?

Tariffs and broader economics influence the spring and wire industries, contributing to higher material costs, longer lead times and more cautious capital investment. These pressures raise equipment manufacturing costs affecting the availability and pricing of raw materials. For springmakers, this can make it harder to justify new capital equipment purchases, even as production demands and efficiency expectations continue to rise. As a result, many customers are maximizing existing equipment while planning future capital spending.

What products and services do you provide springmakers?

We work closely with customers to maximize value from both equipment and service. We build custom machinery engineered to each customer’s production requirements, tolerances and applications.

Beyond manufacturing, we provide on-site training, field service and remote technical support. A key product differentiator is longevity: Many machines built decades ago are still running. That foundation also allows us to upgrade, retrofit or rebuild legacy equipment, such as early CNC-series or W-series coilers from the mid-1900s, by integrating modern controls, automation and safety enhancements.

Ryan Cutter

FENN/Torin 80 Clark Drive, Unit 5D East Berlin, CT 06023

What role does logistics play in serving springmakers?

Logistics is critical to delivering complex machinery safely, efficiently and on schedule. We coordinate handling, crating and transportation from our facility to the customer’s site. Through long-standing relationships with trusted transportation providers, we select shipping solutions that help ensure machines arrive in optimal condition and ready for installation.

What was a recent challenge you solved for a customer?

Phone: 860-259-6600 ryan.cutter@fenn-torin.com www.fenn-torin.com

Follow SMI on social media for bonus content on Ryan Cutter and FENN/Torin.

We faced challenges sourcing reliable payoffs, seeing limitations in availability, consistency and quality. In response, design and manufacture payoffs in-house. Our payoff are customizable and include high-speed vertical shaft (VS-series) payoffs, spooler payoffs and horizontal shaft payoffs, with configurations from heavy-duty construction to compact footprints. Now, we provide a one-stop solution: coilers and payoffs designed, built and assembled by the same team to support seamless integration and consistent quality. z

Springs I Winter 2026 39

By Gary McCoy, Executive Director

Springmaker Spotlight

Equipped to Grow A Profile of Orlando Precision Orlando Precision is a unique blend of companies, capabilities and cultures — an operation built to serve the aerospace and defense industries with high-precision metal components. From custom springs and wireforms to stampings, machined parts and tube forming, the company has positioned itself as a complete supplier of precision metal parts. Pictured (l-to-r): The leadership team at Orlando Precision, president Jeff Mauro and owner Zachary Fischer.

“We’re kind of full service,” President Frank Mauro said. “A lot of times the same buyers who are purchasing springs also need stampings, machining and tube forming.” With certifications including Nadcap, ISO 9001:2015/AS9100D, ITAR and Boeing AQMS, Orlando Precision focuses exclusively on complex, nonstandard work. “We don’t do automotive or industrial applications,” Mauro said. “It’s got to be parts that are a pain in the neck to make. That’s where we excel.” Despite its name, Orlando Precision is not based in Florida. Its main facility is in

Huntington Beach, California, with a second location in Garland, Texas — formerly Gifford Spring — acquired in 2024 and rebranded as Orlando Precision Dallas. Founded in 1957 as Orlando Spring, the company has been owned by Crosse Partners since 2009. Growth has come through a series of acquisitions, including Aero Spring and Manufacturing, Space Spring and Stamping, Alco Manufacturing and the stamping assets of Advanex Americas. Sister companies Fibreform Precision Machining and Delta Machine Co. round out the broader family of capabilities.

We’re kind of full service. A lot of times the same buyers who are purchasing springs also need stampings, machining and tube forming.

40 Winter 2026 I Springs

Recently, the entities were unified under the Orlando Precision name to better communicate the company’s full-service identity. With more than 90 employees across two states, the company has a long-term goal of reaching $100 million in revenue within a decade. Three additional acquisitions are under discussion.

A Family Thread Mauro did not grow up in a family that owned a spring company, but his father worked at Atlantic Spring, an SMI member. “I blame him for getting me into this industry,” he joked. Starting in Atlantic Spring’s grinding department, Mauro learned stamping, coiling, wireforming, engineering, estimating and management. He credits the company with giving him a strong foundation. “You came out of there knowing what you were doing.” His father was a skilled springmaker and tool-and-die craftsman. His brother also worked in the industry and his son now serves as North American purchasing manager for Baumann Spring. At various points, Mauro’s father, brother, sister and wife worked for him. “It made for interesting conversations when you had to tell them to do things they didn’t want to do,” he said, laughing. Mauro has spent his entire career in the industry, with leadership roles at Multi Flex Spring, Midwest Spring and Stamping, Connor Manufacturing and Baumann Spring before joining Orlando Precision in 2013. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Mauro spent 12 years in Catholic schools and graduated from Northeast Catholic High School. He took a couple of courses at a local college but did not earn a degree. “I learned it all on the job,” Mauro said. Mauro said he can read complex drawings better than most employees. Throughout his career, he has also liked staying busy. One of his greatest joys is mentoring younger employees, including California production manager Juan Prieto and Texas plant manager Evan Rodgers (see more about Orlando Precision Dallas on p. 42).

Michael Falco, Machine Operator.

Pictured at a recent trade show (l-to-r): David Phillbrick, business development manager, Gloria Melgar, account manager and Evan Rodgers, Orlando Precision Dallas plant manager.

Prieto, who joined the company in 2004, left for a short time in 2016 and returned a year later, emphasized the uniqueness of their work. “This is something other companies can’t do, which is why they call on us,” he said. Some employees, especially in California, have mixed feelings about certain defenserelated projects. Mauro addresses that directly. “We’re defending the warfighter, which could be your kid,” he said. He recalled a mission in Afghanistan where U.S. troops were pinned down by rebels firing from a cave. A missile containing Orlando Precision components was launched from

Part of the production team at Orlando Precision California, pictured (l-to-r): Juan Prieto, production manager, and Hector Muñoz, production supervisor.

Springs I Winter 2026 41

Spotlight 20 miles away and hit a 4-foot opening, freeing the soldiers. “It was a precision strike that saved lives,” Mauro said. “Yes, it’s destructive — but sometimes for the right reasons.”

Attracting and Keeping Talent Like many manufacturers, Orlando Precision faces challenges attracting skilled workers. Prieto noted a mix of long-tenured employees and newer hires, but finding experienced talent “off the street” remains difficult. Mauro’s solution is to invest in apprenticeships. Three California employees — ages 25, 35 and 45 — are enrolled in a tool-and-die apprenticeship program. Training occurs through the state, in-house and through monthly sessions with a journeyman toolmaker at his shop in Connecticut. Mauro hopes to replicate the program in Texas as part of future expansion plans, including adding stamping capabilities. In Garland, Rodgers has used staffing agencies with mixed results, but employee

Jimmy Mendoza, Grinder

Continuing the Legacy of Ralph Gifford

The exterior at Orlando Precision Dallas located on Gold Street in Garland, Texas.

The manufacturing floor at Orlando Precision Dallas. The building includes 12,000 sq. ft. of office and production space. Plans are to relocate to a larger space to support future growth.

42 Winter 2026 I Springs

Ralph Gifford, an Oklahoma native known for his work ethic and cheerful spirit, began his springmaking career working nights while holding a day job at Geophysical Research Corp. He later managed Associated Spring in Oklahoma and then Midwest Spring’s Texas branch. In 1984, he founded Gifford Spring Co. in his Garland garage. After retiring in 2012, his children — Melany, Missy and Blake — took over. Missy’s son, Evan Rodgers, joined in 2019. Gifford died in 2018 at 84. Three family members still work at the Texas plant: Rodgers (plant manager), Blake Gifford (quality control manager) and Blake’s son Javier (lead operator). Blake, with more than 40 years of experience, is the plant’s longest-tenured employee. The 2024 sale to Orlando Precision brought uncertainty, but Rodgers said the transition has gone well — though not without challenges. “I’m really glad we did this, but please don’t do it again,” he joked. Integrating systems, especially MRP platforms, required significant effort. But Rodgers believes the payoff is substantial. “We could double revenue through our plant today without increasing overhead,” he said. Bridging the cultural and geographic gap between California and Texas has been key. Regular employee exchanges have helped build relationships and unify processes. Orlando Precision plans to relocate the Texas facility to a larger building in the area, a move designed to support future growth. Though the Gifford name is no longer on the building, Rodgers remains committed to honoring his grandfather’s legacy of hard work and perseverance.

referrals and LinkedIn postings have been more successful. Mauro’s pitch to recruits is simple: “We’re growing and growth creates opportunities.”

New and Old Technology Orlando Precision continues to invest heavily in automation and advanced equipment. Recent purchases include a machining center, CNC wireformers, vertical slides and coilers. With California’s high labor costs, automation is essential. “We’re constantly buying new equipment — three to five machines a year,” Mauro said. Prieto noted that labor costs are less challenging in Texas, but automation remains a priority. Rodgers expects additional machines to move from California to Texas as the company expands.

Diego Londono, Machinist

Culture Connections The company’s diverse workforce is reflected in its celebrations. Thanksgiving potlucks in California include Salvadoran, Mexican and Vietnamese cuisine. “One of my favorite pastries is a Vietnamese cake covered in fruit,” Prieto said. Mauro added, “Sometimes you have no idea what you’re eating — but it’s always interesting.” Celebrations in Texas tend to feature more traditional foods, including turkey and ham at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Final Observations The spring, stamping and machining sectors are filled with small, family-run shops — many founded by entrepreneurs who left larger companies. Mauro believes it is becoming harder for smaller operations to compete, especially in California. He sees a trend of aging owners selling their businesses. “If they own their building, the building is worth 10 times the company,” he said. “At 75, you may want to retire and sell the building. You won’t get much for the business, but you don’t care at that point.”

Jose Solorzano, Machinist

Rodgers believes the industry is coming full circle. “Years ago, employees left big companies to start their own shops. Now those second- and third-generation businesses are being reabsorbed into larger companies,” he said. For Orlando Precision, that environment creates opportunity. The strategy is clear: grow through targeted acquisitions and expand the company’s ability to serve customers across springs, stampings, machining and tube forming. z

We’re growing and growth creates opportunities.

Springs I Winter 2026 43

Women in Springs By Sara Scullin

Growing a Workforce Kathleen Dudek Introduces Students to Springmaking Years back, when Kathleen Dudek’s youngest child was entering junior high, she prepared to reenter the workforce. While she was engaged with plenty of volunteer work with school and scouting groups, her husband, John Dudek, then-president of Dudek & Bock and son of founder Joseph Dudek, encouraged her to look for something with pay. “He said to me, ‘You’ve got paperwork everywhere. You’re so busy. Can you get a job that you get paid for?’” recalls Dudek. When she suggested she work at the family business, John wasn’t immediately on board with the idea. But she started part-time and before long, Dudek would work in many different departments at the Chicago-based spring, stamping, wireform and assembly manufacturer.

Engaging Students and Teachers

Kathleen Dudek

44 Winter 2026 I Springs

By the time their youngest got to high school, Dudek was working full-time as an account manager and assisting in human resources, finding her stride in workforce development and coordinating community outreach. As a liaison with local high schools and Triton Community College in River Grove, Illinois, Dudek helped develop Manufacturing Week programs, secured grants and organized tours where students and teachers could see every department from engineering to sales in action. Dudek & Bock engineers also visited schools to judge engineering projects. She wanted to make manufacturing come alive, to illustrate a viable career option for youth in largely underserved communities. “When you drive by you just see this big rectangle of a building. Nobody knows what we do here,” she says. “We would explain to students that the parts we make go into cars, appliances, the door locks on your house;

you donʼt always think about these things, but what we make is essentially the comforts of home.” “I really loved and enjoyed working with the youth,” says Dudek. “I tried to think of ways to encourage young people to come into the business.” One summer, then Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel encouraged companies to hire high school students for summer jobs. Dudek & Bock served 60 youth—providing field trips and 10 students with jobs painting, cleaning, packing, filing and gardening. The young people received a paycheck from the program, as well as exposure to manufacturing jobs. Some students who toured the company or completed internships at Dudek & Bock returned to work with the organization years later as adults.

On SMI Membership While apprenticeship programs have slowed since COVID-19, demand for skilled workers remains urgent as veteran employees retire, says Dudek. “SMI has been a valuable resource for us,” she says. “The education classes are very helpful. They also assist in finding vendors and the networking opportunities have been beneficial as well. Meeting other members has added value,” she says. “Additionally, Springs magazine is widely read in our company, with great articles that we use as a resource. Kind of a Bible.”

A Multi Family Business The company continues to explore new markets, to help future-proof their springs business. “We’re trying to find other markets for our parts. There are opportunities for clips and springs that go into [electric vehicle] sensors and industrialized uses. We’re always looking to stay current with quality control, certifications and new opportunities.” The Bocks opened their first shop in Chicago in 1946 as a two-man operation. Stanley was the accountant and Joseph handled production. The company’s third location, a building purchased in 1974, borders

Cicero, Illinois. Dudek & Bock also has a plant in Saltillo, Mexico since the early 2000s. Dudek’s husband, John, is retired. Her sisters-in-law are board members and shareholders. The 164-person workforce is made up of many large, local families (including her own), just as it has been for more than 80 years. “My father-in-law was an immigrant from Poland. People just gravitated toward him,” she says of the elder Dudek, a man who returned to his hometown in Szerzyny, Poland in 1966 and paid to have the village wired with electricity for the very first time. “We have people from all different countries here. That’s what’s kind of cool with manufacturing,” she says, adding that numbers and math used in measurements to make parts are an international language.

Springs Make the World ’Round Dudek realized the unpaid, volunteer work she did while parenting her young kids prepared her for her work and success developing outreach programs that benefited not just Dudek & Bock, but the community as a whole. “As vice president of the PTA, I was writing grants and working with kids and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I was really in training to do this for our family.’” She has always believed that training people is a worthwhile investment. “For me, the most rewarding part of the job is seeing our employees develop, grow and do well for themselves,” she says. Years ago, Joseph Dudek never got upset if a former employee opened their own, competing springs shop. “He’d just say, ‘There’s enough business out there for all of us. Springs make the world go ’round,” recalls Dudek. “And I think it’s true. There’s so much potential.” z

For me, the most rewarding part of the job is seeing our employees develop, grow and do well for themselves. Springs I Winter 2026 45

CTE News By Phil Sasso

Shifts in Skilled Workforce Skilled workforce recruitment and training have been a U.S. weakness for generations. Some critics of reshoring argue the problem can’t be fixed. The news briefs below from Reshoring Initiative’s eNews suggest a potential shift in education and training.

College Grads Face a Tough Job Market Even as the U.S. economy adds jobs, new college graduates are finding fewer entrylevel openings in many fields. Reporting points to causes including slower hiring and the growing use of automation and AI in entry-level work. Gad Levanon, chief economist at the Burning Glass Institute, told CNBC, “For the first time in modern history, a bachelor’s degree is no longer a reliable path to professional employment.”

Two-Year Degrees Payoff Bureau of Labor Statistics data for people ages 20-29 who completed degrees from January through October 2024 shows a sharp contrast: the unemployment rate was 2.1% for recent associate degree recipients (community college and trade school), compared to 15.3% for recent bachelor’s degree recipients and 8.4% for recent advanced degree recipients.

Student Loan Reforms A U.S. House proposal includes reform ideas like limiting student loans, tightening repayment rules, allowing Pell grants for workforce training and making colleges responsible for a share of student loan defaults. “Even before the pandemic, fewer than half of borrowers were paying down their debt,” says the U.S. House Committee on Education & Workforce website. “The federal student loan balance sheet has ballooned to $1.7 trillion, double what it was 15 years ago.” eNews suggests going further by tying loans to a reasonable expectation that the

46 Winter 2026 I Springs

student can repay them, also proposing government direct loans should focus on areas with clear labor shortages, such as skilled manufacturing and engineering.

Apple’s Free Manufacturing Training Michigan State University and Apple have launched the Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit. The academy provides free training and consulting for small and midsize manufacturers nationwide, including in-person and virtual options.

Job Training Funds Shift to DOL Some career and technical education and workforce development funds are being shifted from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor. The change aligns with the administration’s plan to consolidate federal training grants to favor skilled labor training. In the past, the system often pushed “a university degree for everyone.” The Reshoring Initiative advocates a shift to “a good career for everyone.” z

Sources: CNBC: College Grads Face Tough Job Market www.smihq.org/go/win26-jobs U.S. House: End of the Free College Lunch www.smihq.org/go/win26-edloans Apple: Manufacturing Academy Opens in Detroit www.smihq.org/go/win26-applemfg Bloomberg Law: DOL to Administer CTE Funds www.smihq.org/go/win26-dolcte

To learn more about advances in reshoring and skilled labor, listen to the “Springs are Everywhere” podcast (S2, E5) featuring Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative at www.smihq.org/podcast.

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A Message from Gary

Gary McCoy

Details Matter Leaders understand details matter and set the standard through their actions, not just their words. Author and keynote speaker Ron Kaufman tells the story of a senior Matsushita (Panasonic) executive who demonstrated the importance of detail. During a factory tour, the executive deliberately walked off the red carpet, bent down and picked up a paper clip, silently pocketing it before returning to the tour. This single action, witnessed by 700 employees, instantly set a dramatically higher standard for cleanliness in the plant. Kaufman notes that the executive simply modeled the expectation, proving that “leaders are the people who others choose to follow, not those who simply tell other people what to do.” This principle aligns with former NFL tight end Desmond Clark’s mantra: “Standards over feelings.” Clark applies this in his logistics business, Bear Down Logistics. When an agent made a “monumental error,” Clark told him to let go of the emotion and focus on the standard. He emphasized that dwelling on the mistake wouldn’t fix it. Instead, they must focus on “what are we going to do moving forward” to reestablish their standard, regardless of the customer’s final decision. The standard must be upheld, and the focus must remain on the work. I had the chance to meet Clark last year, which led to an invitation to have him speak at SMI’s 2026 Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico and an appearance on the “Springs Are Everywhere” podcast (Season 2, Episode 5) where he related this customer service story. Clark is the author of “Principles of Winning: 5 Keys to Create a Standard of Excellence.” In his presentation, Clark will share the five keys that empower everyone to win, drawing from his NFL career and entrepreneurial journey. I hope you’ll join Desmond Clark at the beautiful Wyndham Grand Rio Mar to learn how to inspire and elevate others to achieve greatness and why details matter. Registration for SMI’s 2026 Annual Meeting will close in early February. Be sure to visit: https://www.smihq.org/annual-meeting for all the details. Gary McCoy Executive Director

Listen to “Springs Are Everywhere” The bimonthly podcast, hosted by SMI Executive Director Gary McCoy, features leading experts discussing issues especially relevant to manufacturers of springs, wireforms and stampings. Apple https://apple.co/3OJODed

Spotify https://bit.ly/sae-sp

YouTube https://bit.ly/sae-yt

Springs I Winter 2026 49

Inside SMI Join SMI in Puerto Rico

The countdown to SMI’s Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico is underway. The 2026 gathering of SMI members will take place March 5-8 at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar in Río Grande, Puerto Rico. Discounted meeting registration rates are in effect until Jan. 31. After that, full registration rates apply. The cutoff date to receive the SMI member discounted hotel rate ends Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Under the theme, “Relax. Recharge. Reinvent.” the 2026 meeting provides the ideal setting to unwind, connect and learn with fellow spring industry professionals. Through dynamic sessions and forward-thinking speakers, you’ll gain fresh insights on reimagining employee engagement and harnessing emerging technologies to drive your business ahead.

Engaging Speakers Speakers featured Saturday, March 7 will include Raquel Chole, president and CEO of Global Leadership Resources, on “Learning to be the Coach They Need.” Chole’s presentation will be followed by “Principles of Winning,” by former NFL tight end, entrepreneur, author and speaker Desmond Clark. Right after SMI’s annual membership meeting concludes Sunday, March 8,

Raquel Chole

50 Winter 2026 I Springs

Desmond Clark

Dr. Laura Helmrich Rhodes, SMI’s compliance and safety consultant, will present “Smart Safety: How Technology and Innovation Are Redefining Worker Protection in Manufacturing.” The day’s last educational session, “Compete on Awesome with AI,” will be led by Susan Frew,a dynamic entrepreneur, keynote speaker and an acknowledged “Super User of AI.”

Dr. Laura Helmrich Rhodes

Susan Frew

Lots of Activities Several special events are planned. The golf (Saturday, March 7) and pickleball tournaments (Sunday, March 8) will be held on the grounds of the Wyndham Grand Rio. Off-site events include an El Yunque Rainforest Tour and a Catamaran Sail & Snorkel Tour Friday, March 6 and a Bacardi Rum Tasting Tour Saturday, March 7.

Special Events

Thank You.

SMI’s Emerging Leaders group will hold a one-day conference just before the start of the annual meeting Thursday, March 5, 1–4 p.m. Emerging Leaders is a group of young SMI members bringing innovative and experimental ideas to shape the future of SMI and the springmaking industry. Packed with industry-specific content and opportunities for peer connection within our industry, this “conference within a conference” is focused on the needs of critical nonowner employees, emerging, future and next generation leaders within our industry.

This year’s event will feature a presentation by Chole on “Strategic Foundations.” Among the questions she will answer include: Could your future success be in jeopardy because strategic thinking does not fit into your daily activities? Or do you think that strategic thinking does not apply to you or your role in an organization? Or was a past generation the definer of the strategy you have inherited? Attendees will learn an effective approach to strategic thinking that can be employed immediately to both short term and long term needs. A newly developed group within SMI, “Women in Springs,” will meet for a special luncheon Sunday, March 8, 11:45 a.m.– 1:15 p.m. This is a great opportunity for women in the spring industry to meet and celebrate how they are succeeding in their career and personal lives.

SMI wants to thank our 2026 Annual Meeting sponsors. For more information and to register for the meeting, visit www.smihq.org/annual-meeting/. Once you have completed your meeting registration, you will receive a link to make your hotel reservations.

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Silver and Emerging Leaders

Springs I Winter 2026

Inside SMI Exciting ASD Updates For the first time ever, SMI’s popular Advanced Spring Design (ASD) software will be offered in a cloud-based version. The online program is designed to supplement the experience of traditional users of the program. Users of the new ASD online version will be able access the program using a browser interface on smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktop PCs, with the ability to store and access spring designs online. The online version works in tandem with the standard desktop version In addition, a new ASD for Excel add-in is now available. The program allows Excel users to add ASD calculations that will dynamically update in their spreadsheets as inputs are changed. An ASD tab is added to Excel. The tab includes the Spring Explorer tool which is used to create the spring design scenario to be linked. The price for the Excel add-in is $685.00 per user and is only available to those who have an existing ASD Network or Site License. The new online version is bundled as an ASD Premium version. SMI members who are current ASD standalone license users can upgrade to the premium version by paying a one-time fee of $250. Those who purchase an ASD premium standalone version for the first time will pay an initial price of $900. The yearly subscription after that is $250 plus the regular subscription renewal rate of $190. Nonmembers can upgrade their standard ASD standalone license at a one-time fee of $250. For those who purchase the premium standalone version the initial purchase price is $1,150. The yearly subscription after that is $600 plus the regular renewal rate of $490. Other pricing is available for network or site users who would like to upgrade to the ASD premium version. See the contact information for Kari Johnson at Universal Technical Systems (UTS), found below to obtain more information.

New ASD Pricing SMI and UTS have announced a price increase for its ASD software that went in effect Jan. 1, 2026. Recent ASD updates include: • Addition of several new materials

• Updated stainless steel material properties • A second design load point was added to the spiral torsion program

• Enhancement of user privileges, sharing, and protection functionality within the ASD database

• Several new CalcEdge™ apps were added, including compression springs with oval and egg wire cross-sections (please note that all registered ASD users can obtain a free subscription to CalcEdge, a cloudbased platform that enables authors and domain experts using TK Solver and Galaxy to create and share calculations globally) The ASD software simplifies the design of many types of compression, extension, torsion, spiral, washer and beam springs. It combines and expands on the best features of previous SMI software versions. The software instantly makes the necessary calculations, warns of any problems in the design and provides graphical plots and drawings. Desktop version licenses are available for single PCs, multiple users on a network or for an entire site. Initial prices are for one-year subscriptions. Features, enhancements and operating system compatibility are automatically updated upon subscription renewal. No need to purchase upgrade versions later. Periodic ASD Updates, which include software improvements, new features and bug fixes, are provided to ASD users as part of the yearly subscription service.

Encyclopedia of Spring Design Goes Digital SMI’s popular “Encyclopedia of Spring Design” has gone digital and is now available in a yearly subscription format.

52 Winter 2026 I Springs

Spring Design Training Classes The Encyclopedia is written for design engineers, as a practical guide to those responsible for designing springs. Enough detail has been included so that those designers without access to a computerized program can generate an optimum solution to a spring design problem. Many designs do not perform well in service due to incomplete or unclear definition. The assumption is made throughout the encyclopedia that the designer knows the functional requirements of a spring, its space limitations, the environment in which it operates, its service requirements and any special considerations. It includes information for both U.S. and metric units.

As a component of SMI’s Advanced Spring Design (ASD7) computer software, SMI offers spring design training programs to help industry newcomers and veterans increase their knowledge. Training is available to both members and nonmembers.

2026 Classes and Webinars Class

Date*

Shot Peening: Theory, Applications and Quality Control (presented by Curtiss — Wright)

Feb. 12

304 Dimensioning, Tolerancing and Testing

Feb. 19

204 Beam and Washer Spring Design

March 12

302.1 Stress Relieving of Springs

March 19

Included in the Encyclopedia are four volumes of information: • Fundamentals of Spring Design

206 Snap Ring Design

April 16

201 Compression Spring Design

April 23

• Compression, Extension, Torsion and

202 Extension Spring Design

May 21

203 Torsion Spring Design

June 18

205 Power, Constant Force, Spiral, & Torsion Bar Spring Design

Sept. 10

In Person Class at SpringWorld 2026 (subject matter TBA)

Oct. 6

201 Compression Spring Design

Oct. 15

300 Strength of Materials and Spring Material Manufacturing

Nov. 12

202 Extension Spring Design

Nov. 19

203 Extension Spring Design

Dec. 17

Garter Springs

• Other Types of Springs • Testing and Tolerancing The electronic version makes it easier for SMI to update the text, tables and data in the program in real time as part of the ASD Help section of the software. SMI members can purchase an individual license for $29 per year. For existing ASD customers, you can add an encyclopedia of spring design electronic version to your existing subscription at a price of $15 per year. You can add multiple copies with your annual ASD subscription. New ASD subscribers can automatically bundle an encyclopedia subscription with a new purchase at the rate of $15 a year. Those who choose to purchase the premium version of ASD will automatically receive one encyclopedia license. The new online version of ASD and the Encyclopedia of Spring Design are being added to SMI’s webstore. For information on the ASD Excel option or any general ASD questions, please contact Kari Johnson with UTS at 815-963-2220 or via email at kari.johnson@uts.com.

Webinars are scheduled from 1–5 p.m. EST. *Dates are subject to change. For more information and to register for classes, visit www.smihq.org/go/tech-classes or contact Gaby Carrasco at gaby@smihq.org.

We’d love to hear from you! Springs welcomes your notes and comments on the contents of our publication. Please email Phil Sasso, managing editor, at phil@smihq.org.

Springs I Winter 2026 53

Inside SMI 2025 ISO/TC 227 Beijing Meeting By C. Richard (Rick) Gordon

SMI participated in the ISO/TC 227 Springs Meetings Sept. 25–26, 2025, in Beijing. The U.S. delegation joined the hybrid-format meeting virtually by Microsoft Teams SMI serves as the technical advisory group to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for ISO/TC 227 — Springs. The U.S. delegation’s role is to ensure the interests of American spring manufacturers, designers and consumers are represented in international standards development. SMI members and staff who attended the working group and plenary sessions included: Tom Armstrong, U.S. head of delegation and Duer Carolina Coil (retired); Don Jacobson III of Newcomb Spring Corp. and SMI president; Gene Huber Jr. of Winamac Coil Spring and past SMI president; Bernie Taylor and Nick Przygoda of Hoosier Spring; and Rick Gordon of SMI. Armstrong thanked everyone who attended and all who contributed behind the scenes to prepare for the meeting.

ISO/TC 227/WG 05 — ISO 16249 Springs: Symbols This standard is in the late stages of development and will be submitted to the draft international standard (DIS) ballot stage.

ISO/TC 227 21st Plenary Meeting All business was conducted as planned.

Future Activities • Once approved, the integration of ISO 16249 Springs — Symbols into ISO 26909 Vocabulary is a proposed as a new project.

• The Chinese delegation will present its concept for a spring fatigue testing method at next year’s meeting. The 22nd meeting of ISO/TC 227 — Springs will be held Sept. 18, 2026, in Warsaw, Poland. Anyone interested in participating in the ISO standards process should contact Rick Gordon at c.richard.gordon@gmail.com or Tom Armstrong at tgarmstrong@outlook.com.

ISO/TC227 plenary meeting attendees, Sept. 26, 2025, Beijing, China.

Send Us Your News SMI members receive priority placement for their product, company, personnel and events announcements in the magazine. Your news releases should be roughly 50 to 100 words and may be accompanied by color photos (high-resolution .JPEG photos at 300 dpi preferred). Send to gaby@smihq.org.

54 Winter 2026 I Springs

ISW is 2026 SpringWorld Visionary Sponsor CASMI and SMI are proud to announce that Industrial Steel & Wire (ISW) has once again agreed to be the Visionary Sponsor for the 2026 SpringWorld Expo and Symposium. The leaders of both associations are grateful for their contribution to the event. “SpringWorld is proud to welcome Industrial Steel & Wire back as our Visionary Sponsor,” said CASMI president Chris Kozka. “Their continued support and commitment to the industry help make this premier event possible and we deeply appreciate their partnership.” “We couldn’t be more thrilled with ISW’s incredible support in making SpringWorld an unforgettable success,” said SMI President Don Jacobson III. “As our Visionary Sponsor, their dedication to both the expo and educational symposium truly elevates the experience for everyone involved. We deeply appreciate their generosity and commitment to driving innovation in our industry.” Dan Foster, vice president of sales for ISW said, “ISW is proud to once again serve as the Visionary Sponsor for SpringWorld 2026. Our support of this prestigious event reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening the industry and helping ensure that future generations have access to the same opportunities as the industry continues to grow.” In 2024, CASMI and SMI agreed to combine the two organizations’ semiannual events

2026 EXPO AND SYMPOSIUM ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS • OCT 7-9

into one foremost industry event. The joint SpringWorld Expo and Symposium will be held Oct. 7-9, 2026, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. In addition to the CASMI-hosted exhibit hall, SMI will again host three mornings of business and technical educational sessions, including a keynote opening session Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 8 to 9 a.m. just before the opening of the exhibit hall. Exhibit hall hours will resemble prior years and the technical theater and receptions will return. Don’t miss this comprehensive educational and networking event to learn the latest from suppliers and educators. Other sponsorship opportunities are available. Visit www.springworld.org for more information and to register for the show. z

Calendar z Key Events for the Global Spring Industry 2026 March 5–8 2026 SMI Annual Meeting Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Río Grande, Puerto Rico www.smihq.org/annual-meeting April 13–16 wire 2026 — International Wire and Cable Trade Fair, Fairground Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Germany www.wire-tradefair.com May 5–7 WAI WireExpo 2026 Milwaukee, Wisconsin www.we26.wirenet.org/home

Sept. 16–17 ISO/TC227 – Springs Warsaw, Poland Oct. 7–9 2026 SpringWorld Symposium and Expo Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, Illinois www.springworld.org Oct. 21–23 2026 Fabtech Expo Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada www.fabtechexpo.com

Springs I Winter 2026 55

Inside SMI SMI Survey Schedule: Benchmark with Your Peers SMI regularly surveys its members to help them understand their performance compared to others in the industry. We respect your privacy and recognize the importance of confidentiality. No company data is ever shared with SMI members, SMI itself or any third parties.

2025–26 Schedule Key Business Trends (regular and associate members)

Survey Sent

Responses Due

Results Sent

First Quarter 2026

April 7, 2026

April 17, 2026

April 18, 2026

Second Quarter 2026

July 7, 2026

July 17, 2026

July 18, 2026

Third Quarter 2026

Oct. 4, 2026

Oct. 14, 2026

Oct. 15, 2026

Fourth Quarter 2026

Jan. 6, 2027

Jan. 16, 2027

Jan. 17, 2027

Wages & Benefits (every other year — regular member contacts)

Survey Sent

Responses Due

Results Sent

2026

Sept. 3, 2026

Oct. 1, 2026

Nov. 15, 2026

Salary (every other year — regular member contacts)

Survey Sent

Responses Due

Results Sent

2027

Oct. 1, 2027

Oct. 30, 2027

Nov. 29, 2027

Annual Market Survey (regular member contacts)

Survey Sent

Responses Due

Results Sent

Industry Report to SMI

April 2, 2026

May 31, 2026

July 15, 2026

Individualized Reports to SMI Members

July 31, 2026

For more information about participating in SMI’s benchmarking programs, contact Gaby Carrasco at gaby@smihq.org.

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56 Winter 2026 I Springs

Podcast Picks

Gaby Carrasco

CLEAR Office Hours: Business Edition | Monica Langley E2 | Oct. 8, 2025 | 50 min. If you plan to travel soon, perhaps to SMI’s Annual Meeting March 5–8, 2026 at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, Puerto Rico, you may be using CLEAR at the airport. This review of the Office Hours: Business Edition podcast focuses on the CLEAR backstory. Host Monica Langley, a former Wall Street Journal reporter and corporate executive, talks with Caryn Seidman Becker, CEO of CLEAR. It’s a compelling conversation about building a trusted identity-verification platform and navigating the moments that matter: taking calculated risks, recovering from setbacks and why the best leaders never stop learning. After a brief introduction on what CLEAR is, Becker’s background and the path that brought her into the company, she reflects on one of her most viral quotes: “every week is 2% of a year.” This quote embodies her philosophy that life is short and you should move with some sense of urgency in life. Becker discusses some of the analog features in our daily lives that slow us down and the infrastructural updates needed to keep pace with modern expectations. Becker then offers a look at several new products CLEAR plans to launch this year, each designed to enhance the customer experience and move the world closer to frictionless travel and health care. She also touches on the ongoing challenge of balancing her role as CEO with motherhood, offering candid insight into how she manages both with intention. One of the themes Becker emphasizes is the importance of giving real-time feedback. Drawing upon a sports analogy, she notes that coaches don’t wait until halftime to give guidance — they offer it in the moment when players can still adjust. Ambitious team members not only value this immediacy, she says, but often seek it out. And crucially,

feedback isn’t just about pointing out what needs improvement; positive reinforcement matters just as much. In the podcast’s final segment, Becker discusses how she identifies talent, what she prioritizes when hiring and why leaders must be willing to release the biases that contributed to their own success. She believes different strengths drive a company forward; recognizing that diversity is key. She closes with thoughtful advice for young workers entering today’s rapidly evolving landscape. Ultimately, this episode goes far beyond the basics of identity verification, it’s a thoughtful exploration of leadership, resilience and the systems that shape our daily lives. For listeners heading to the airport gearing up to attend SMI’s Annual Meeting, or simply craving a fresh perspective, this conversation is a worthwhile companion. z Want to share a business development podcast for me to review? Please send your suggestions to gaby@smihq.org.

Springs I Winter 2026 57

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58 Winter 2026 I Springs

Book Corner

Reviewed by Phil Sasso

Principles of Winning Desmond Clark did not learn about winning academically. He learned it firsthand in the hardscrabble world of the NFL where any given Sunday elite athletes are separated by infinitely small differences in performance. I knew Clark’s NFL story. I’m a Chicago Bears fan who married into a passion for the team and inherited a family of Green Bay Packers “Cheesehead” in-laws. Clark was chosen in the sixth round of the 1999 draft and spent 12 seasons in the NFL, his last eight with the Bears. He is best remembered for being an instrumental part of Chicago’s 2006 run to Super Bowl XLI, where he led the team in receiving with six catches for 64 yards. Clark’s hard-earned perspective on winning powers the “Principles of Winning: 5 Keys to Create a Standard of Excellence,” which is built around a single premise: excellence is a standard you choose and reinforce through intention. I did not know Clark’s backstory. He credits his success to his father who spiraled into substance abuse around 1984, then chose rehab July 4, 1997. His dad has been clean ever since. Clark also credits his success to his mother, who worked hard but stayed close, showing up faithfully for his basketball and football games. He says she never once bad-mouthed the father of her children. Their stories frame “winning” as about something deeper than performance. It is determination, accountability and the decision to improve when it’s easy to drift. Clark is also a business leader. He is founder and president of Bear Down Logistics. His five keys are intentionally simple and that’s the point. He urges readers to protect their name (and their word), build relationships, commit to excellence, be self-motivated and commit to a passion and a purpose. For Springs readers, the takeaway may be success is not an overnight initiative. It’s a

result of an entire team consistently doing the small things right, every time and making steady, incremental improvements. Be aware, this is not a book about management theory or a step-by-step guide. But this 150-page personal leadership playbook is a quick read and a practical reset. It delivers an inspiring story and real-world framework for winning. z

Have a favorite business book you would like us to review? Email your suggestion to phil@smihq.org.

Join us as Desmond Clark brings his motivating message to the SMI Annual Meeting March 5-8, 2026, in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Springs I Winter 2026 59

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60 Winter 2026 I Springs

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New Products WAFIOS, a designer and producer of specialized machinery for wire and tube processing, has introduced an electrically driven, sensor-monitored sorting device. It is designed to reliably separate good and bad springs, addressing a long-standing challenge in precision spring manufacturing. The flap positions for traditional pneumatic sorting devices are not continuously monitored, so rebounds can happen and springs may jam or be incorrectly sorted. These issues are especially critical in medical and automotive applications. WAFIOS’ new sensor uses an electric drive with a top-mounted flap pivot point, allowing both flaps to move at the same time. This prevents spring impalement, reduces rebound and increases overall process stability. Sensors in the drop-in area and at three discharge channels track the movement of each spring, making the sorting process fully traceable. The system also automatically

calculates ideal flap delay using cutting-time data and sensor feedback, ensuring consistent, repeatable sorting. During setup or restart, the device performs a reference run to confirm flap positions. If a jam or position error occurs, the system stops production automatically. Operators can view real-time sorting activity through the WAFIOS Programming System 3.2 EasyWay. The monitored sorting device is available for the WAFIOS FUL 26+ and FUL 36+ and can be retrofitted to other FUL+ series machines with a TwinCAT3 control unit and updated PLC/WPS software. For more information visit www.wafios.us.

Image: WAFIOS

Sensor-Monitored Sorter for Tighter QC

WAFIOS sensor-monitored sorting device.

Eight-Axis Coiler Covers Wider Wire Range HTC Machinery and Forming Systems Inc. has launched of the HTC80CQ, an eightaxis CNC spring coiler designed for wire diameters ranging from .118 to .315 inches (3.0 mm to 8.0 mm). With the HTC80CQ, the company’s CQ series now covers wire sizes from 0.079 inches to 0.709 inches (2.0 mm to 18.0 mm) for high-precision spring manufacturing. The CQ Series is HTC’s high-end line, featuring an advanced mechanical design and a programmable servo central slide that improves setup efficiency and enhances structural stability.

An optional pretension device is also available, allowing manufacturers to tailor the machine to a wide range of production needs. For additional information, contact Forming Systems Inc. at info@formingsystemsinc.com or 269-679-3557.

Send us Your News SMI members get priority placement of their product news. News releases should be roughly 50 to 100 words and may be accompanied by color photos (HiRes .JPEG at 300 dpi preferred). Send to gaby@smihq.org.

Springs I Winter 2026 61

New Products

Rotor Clip Launches Spanish Website Rotor Clip has launched a new Spanishlanguage website, to expand its global digital portfolio and improve access for engineers, buyers and distributors across Spanishspeaking markets. The new website provides seamless access to Rotor Clip’s full range of retaining rings, wave springs and hose clamps. Users can browse product catalogs, review technical specifications and download CAD models directly into major design systems. The platform delivers localized technical content and enhances support for customers seeking region-specific resources. The site is the company’s fourth multilingual platform. Key features include an intuitive interface, detailed product data, CAD model integration

and multilingual support for quote requests, samples and technical assistance. View Rotor Clip’s new Spanish site at www.rotorclip.com/es-mx. z

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62 Winter 2026 I Springs

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Springs I Winter 2026 63

Jason Sicotte y Associated Metal Forming Technologies

Snapshot Name: Jason Sicotte. Company name and city: Associated Metal Forming Technologies (AMFT) formerly Associated Spring, Bristol, Connecticut. A brief history of your company: Founded

Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go without: Starbucks iced coffee with cookies-and-cream protein powder to start the day.

Favorite actor: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

in 1857 as Wallace Barnes Co., the business expanded into Associated Spring in 1923 as new sites were added to the group. In 2024, Associated Spring exited Barnes Group and became a standalone business. In 2025, AMFT was formed, comprising five business units, including Associated Spring.

A great evening for me is: Sitting by the pool in the summer, watching bats fly around eating, then listening to owls call back and forth in the woods.

Job title: Vice president, global product and engineering.

I knew I was an “adult” when: I held my firstborn daughter for the first time.

What I like most about being a springmaker:

If I weren’t working at my company, I would like to: Drive my Jeep off-road,

I like that our products are literally part of airplanes, NASA missions, race cars and operating rooms. Every day is a new challenge.

Spring industry affiliations: SMI Board of Directors and Technical Committee. ASM Residual Stress Technical Committee. Connecticut Manufacturing Simulation Center Advisory Board (CMSC).

Current home: Southbury, Connecticut. Family: Wife, Doreen, four daughters, Taylor, Kayla, Hailey and Megan, one dog, three cats and a pool rescued turtle. Favorite food: Mexican. My single favorite meal

My most outstanding qualities are: Taking a calm, analytical approach to problemsolving, whether work-related or personal.

with no top and no doors.

The most difficult business decision I ever had to make was: Laying off direct reports during economic downturns.

I wonder what would have happened if: My mom hadn’t been friends with a secretary at Associated Spring, who told her they were hiring for the brand-new Center for Advanced Research.

I’d like to be remembered in the spring industry for: Advancing knowledge and technology.

is a blue cheese-crusted filet, medium-rare.

But people will probably remember me for:

Favorite books/authors: Richard Feynman.

Being a spring nerd who likes to analyze fracture surfaces under a microscope.

“The Pleasure of Finding Things Out.”

Favorite songs/musicians: Blink-182, Korn and Limp Bizkit, basically any 2000s nu-metal. Hobbies: Growing hot peppers, weightlifting, working on cars and racing them. Favorite places: Hawaii, the best place on earth.

Podcast you’re listening to: Alex Hormozi, business advice delivered in a practical, down-to-earth way. What’s on your bucket list: Attend the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix. 64 Winter 2026 I Springs

Jason and Doreen Sicotte.

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