Everyone’s contribution helped to frame a contest worthy of giving support to hometown American business and industry.

The Machined in America contest was created as a promotional effort organized for machinists, machine shops and manufacturing companies to promote hometown pride and work in America and encourage better commerce between us here at home. The following winning entries were announced on January 19, 2012.

Grand Prize Winner

Grand Prize was awarded to Automotive Machine & Supply, Fort Worth, Texas, a favorite with online voters (59%) and also with the independent judges panel! Automotive Machine and Supply won the cash prize of $250.00 along with prizes donated by The HTW Group (Hire to Win), Lovejoy Tool Company, Media Web Link and Tap Associates, Inc., for a combined total value of $1448.

2^nd and 3^rd Place Prizewinners – Contest Finalist

The 2nd Place prizewinner with 23% of the votes cast was Milo Engineering, Inc., based in Torrance, California, receiving prize donations from Lovejoy Tool Company, Media Web Link and Tap Associates, Inc. The 3rd Place winner with 17% of the votes cast, was Better Way Grinding, Santa Fe Springs, California, also receiving prize donations from Lovejoy Tool Company, Media Web Link and Tap Associates, Inc. And, JB-Machine, San Antonio Texas (entering just before the contest deadline), received 1% of the votes cast for Finalist prize donation of a Tap Extension and Machinist Apron. Our thanks to all of the contestants for your participation and entries.

Prize Donors

The HTW Group (Hire to Win) donated a Grand Prize for a complimentary career consultation, along with a Resume review and rewrite, one (1) copy of Skip Freeman’s (President of HTW) book titled “Headhunter Hiring Secrets” ($200 value). Lovejoy Tool Company donated three 1-229 Series Face Mill 2″ DIA with 5 inserts (choice of 586 XRM or 606 JRM) for the Grand, 2^nd and 3^rd prizewinner’s (a $970 value). Media Web Link provided a 1 year banner ($500 value) on American Machine Shop Web to the Grand Prize winner and 1 each six month banner ($300 ea value) to the 2^nd and 3^rd place winners. Tap Associates, Inc. paid out the cash prize of $250 to the Grand Prize winner along with a set of their Self-Locking Jüngere Tap Extensions, a prize total of 425.00, and sent a 0-6×4” Tap Extension to the 2^nd, 3^rd place winners and contest Finalist along with a Machinist Apron.

Judges Panel and Volunteers

Special thanks to A-1 Jet, LLC Waterjet Cutting and Design, CNC West Magazine, CNCzone – Machinist Forum, Machining Business News, TMA Illinois Premier Full Service Manufacturing Association and Western Tool Supply for lending their name and service to help with the promotional efforts. The contest Web site was developed by 1027 Design utilizing the © Binkd Promotion Platform for contest entries and added social media features.

A very special “Thank You” to Pete Beatty, Media Web Link, for the partnership and extra effort you put in to promote the contest. “Everyone’s contribution along with the folks at Ten Tortoise Design, Lawson Studios and Editors, helped to frame a contest worthy of giving support to hometown American business and industry,” notes Pamela Gurr, Contest Moderator.

More Promotional Events Planned Under the Machined in America Marquee

Planning for the next promotion is underway by Machine Shop Web and their inspiration to promote “sample parts”. Please look for the start date and contest details to be published on the Machined in America site soon.

The © Machined in America site and other resources will continue to lend support to hometown American business and industry with interactive online ideas and contest. If your shop or company would like to get involved and Author your idea to become the next Machined in America promotion, please email a summary of your idea which will help promote Hometown Industry and Manufacturing in America. Please email your submission to the Site Administrator, contest@machinedinamerica.com

Machined in America.com 2012 © Tap Associates, Inc. is a USA OEM manufacturer well known for their “Jüngere” Self-Locking Tap Extension. Together with other proactive businesses, we are proud to help promote American manufacturing and prompting entrepreneurs and companies to make that next American-made product within their own communities.

Contact Pamela Gurr, Tap Associates, Inc. (Machined in America©site administrator) 1-800-566-4827

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September 20th 2011, Mariposa CA – The contest is a promotional effort organized for machinist, machine shops and manufacturing companies to promote hometown pride and work in America and better commerce between us here at home.

“Together with the help of contest sponsors and Panel of Judges we are hopeful that this will be a fun and interactive way to share your American-made business and products as others scroll through the entries looking to cast their vote,” said Pamela Gurr, GM-Business Development for Tap Associates, Inc. (contest moderator and site administrator).

An official contest web site has been established with interactive community features to help find twelve stand-out examples of “Machined in America” at http://machinedinamerica.com .

The contest site (by 1027 Design) provides a simple and easy format (© Binkd Promotion Platform) to submit your photo and description. Twelve finalists will be chosen from all qualified submissions.  An independent panel of judges will select the Grand Prize Winner from the twelve (12) finalists.  Additionally, online voter results at the end of the contest will determine 2nd and 3rd place winners.   Contest guidelines, cash and prizes are detailed on the contest site.

Companies who want to be involved without entering the contest can offer a donation of their American-made product or service to the prize pool. There is no set value and donors will be promoted on the contest site.

The contest was originally conceived by Tap Associates, Inc., using the Machined in America slogan created for their line of self-locking tap extension.  “We are proactive business owners who are serious about promoting American manufacturing and prompting entrepreneurs and companies to make that next American-made product within their own communities.  The contest site and our other resources will continue to lend support to our hometown industry and manufacturing for as long as it takes,” noted Ms. Gurr.

Pete Beatty, CEO Media Web Link and panel judge, points out on his web site that more exposure = more inquires = more work = more revenue = thriving local economies!  “That is what the effort behind this contest is all about,” said Ms. Gurr.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to many people who pitched in to help transition this effort from beta formation to the national level.  And our gratitude continues, as we announce the following top-level industry executives and business owners who accepted our invitation to help form the independent judges panel that will select the Grand Prize Winner from the twelve finalists,” concludes Ms. Gurr.

Mr. Pete Beatty, CEO, Media Web Link, former Haas Marketing Dir.
Mr. Eric Cram, Director of Sales & Marketing, Lovejoy Tool Company, Inc.
Mr. Paul Gentile, CNCzone, Machinist Forum
Mr. Jason Gerardot, Purchasing Manager, Western Tool & Supply
Mr. Kent Gladish, Marketing and Sales Director, TMA
Mr. Pete Nofel, Machining Business News
Mr. Scott Viessman, A-1 Jet, LLC Waterjet Cutting and Design

Take a closer look and find out how to get involved.  Visit the national contest site http://machinedinamerica.com for more information, enter to win, view, vote or donate a prize.

Meet the Panel of Judges

Pete Beatty, President, Media Web Link
Since 2000 we have been offering companies inexpensive ways to get more exposure for their company and services on the Internet. We are building the highest ranked and largest group of interconnected directories and business Blogs in the world that are dedicated to manufacturing and the machine tool industry. Pete started as a Journeyman Tool & Die/Mold maker in 1972, becoming the first Marketing Director for Haas Automation and rounding out his 30+ years of experience with Sales Management for Toyoda USA, Mikron, Mazak and Kearney & Trecker.

Eric Cram, Director of Sales and Marketing, Lovejoy Tool Company, Inc.
Lovejoy Tool Company has been designing and manufacturing quality cutting tools since being founded by Fred Prescott Lovejoy in 1916. The company provides an innovative standard product line of cutting tools along with an experienced Engineering staff that routinely designs and manufactures unique, one of a kind tools to meet Lovejoy customer’s part specifications. Please visit http://www.lovejoytool.com for more information about LOVEJOY Tools.

Paul Gentile, Owner of CNCzone, LLC
CNCzone.com is known as the ultimate online community for the DIY machinist. Since 2003, and with over 190,000 registered users, CNCzone.com has offered a way to connect with other like-minded machinists around the globe. Come join the conversation at CNCzone.com!

Jason Geradot, Purchasing Manager, Western Tool & Supply
Family owned and operated for over thirty years! High quality products and outstanding service have made Western Tool and Supply the foremost northern California distributor of metalworking tools for close to thirty years. We maintain inventory in three California locations, Oregon and Nevada. Our key to success is our singular ability to develop mutually beneficial and long-term partnerships with our customers as well as our manufacturers. Our entire staff is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of technical service and support. Always there when you need us with the best most cost effective solutions to meet all of your requirements.

Kent Gladish, Marketing and Sales Director, TMA
TMA is Illinois’ premier full service manufacturing Association of 1000 companies focused on improving the climate of business in this region. From a place at the table in Springfield to Health Insurance to Education and marketing support, this organization solves issues on a daily basis. Kent Gladish has helped write marketing plans with 150+ manufacturers, toured one-third of the membership and consistently connects members with solutions to grow their business.

Pete Nofel, Journalist and Commentator
Pete Nofel has more than 30 years of experience, much of it in covering manufacturing. He was formerly the editor-in-chief of Modern Applications News, a national monthly business-to-business machining magazine. He also was editor of Gases & Welding Distributor, a national B2B magazine for dealers of welding supplies and associated compressed gases. He is a contributing editor to CNCReport.com and MachineShopWeb.com. Along with his journalism degree, he has an area of specialization in aerospace technology and has written for NASA and Engine Air Magazine, and has won awards from United Press International and the American Society of Business Press Editors.

Scott Viessman, A-1 jet, LLC Waterjet Cutting and Design,
We are a creative manufacturing company that supports the needs of companies nationwide as well as supporting local clientele. A-1 Jet is comprised of Craftsman in their trade working together to produce quality-machined parts, assemblies and custom creations. We are adept in working with most materials whether it be Stone, Steel or Carbon Fiber and create everything from corporate signs and granite countertops, to precision industrial parts.

Tap Associates, Inc. is a USA OEM manufacturer well known for their “Jüngere” self-locking Tap Extension – no set screws or collets needed. The company provides machine shops and manufacturers worldwide with the perfect solution for close quarter and long tapping problems. See why it’s different and view product demo video on their site http://tapextension.com.

About the contest:  we wanted to utilize a fun, easy and unique platform to elevate awareness and visibility, engage our peers and promote American Made Business like ours.

We have also added an extra layer of visibility in our partnership with MachineShopWeb known for their Web directories, dedication and service to the industry along with excellent SEO.   Pete Beatty, President, Media Web Link Internet Group will be involved making sure that entrepreneurs and companies can find a machinist, shop or manufacturer on a local level to help them produce that next 100% American made idea.

While the contest is industry specific, we also want to include service related companies who also want to be involved, by offering a prize pool.  There is no set value and Donors will be listed on the contest site in the order received.  See contest site for more information.

By the time the contest ends, the next event dedicated to Machined in America should be unveiled (January 2012).

We hope you can get involved.  Visit the contest site for more information, enter to win and or donate a prize.

Once again, we thank  Marc at 1027 Design for making this online contest possible for us!

About the contest:  we wanted to utilize a fun, easy and unique platform to elevate awareness and visibility, engage our peers and promote American Made Business like ours.

We have also added an extra layer of visibility in our partnership with MachineShopWeb known for their Web directories, dedication and service to the industry along with excellent SEO.   Pete Beatty, President, Media Web Link Internet Group will be involved making sure that entrepreneurs and companies can find a machinist, shop or manufacturer on a local level to help them produce that next 100% American made idea.

While the contest is industry specific, we also want to include service related companies who also want to be involved, by offering a prize pool.  There is no set value and Donors will be listed on the contest site in the order received.

By the time the contest ends, the next event dedicated to Machined in America should be unveiled (January 2012).

We hope you can get involved.  Visit our Contest Page for more information, enter to win and or donate a prize.

Once again, we thank  Marc at 1027 Design for making this online contest possible for us!

http://tapextension.com

The company has replaced their current ecommerce platform with their own gateway and processing which will handle all methods of payment.  The new Web Store keeps the familiar custom line item order grid and adds a host of new features to facilitate Distributor transactions.

“We are very excited to offer Distributors an on-line source through which they can order and pay with a Purchase Order number,” said Pamela Gurr, General Manager-Business Development.  The improved Web Store provides immediate access to the company across time zones by featuring an Instant Quote and Hold element.  This feature will allow for Distributors and Outside Sales personnel to provide a timely quote for their customers and save that information while they wait for the internal/customer PO to be issued.

The Web site added product video demonstrations and is designed to recognize and adjust automatically to mobile device users, a definite advantage to our Distributors and Reps in the field.  “Providing Distributors and Reps with the ability to interact with their customers and do business with us from their mobile devices, is an important part of customer service,” noted Ms. Gurr.

Site visitors will find a complete on-line ensemble of features and information on a platform that will insure continued development of new services as Internet technologies become available.  “We want our Web site to be a beneficial feature of our commitment to providing excellent customer support and service,” stated Ms. Gurr.

“Our growth requires that we continually strive to exceed product performance expectations and develop ways of making every customer interaction easy, as well as satisfactory.  As we look ahead, we want to encourage our customers feedback,” noted Ms. Gurr.

Learn more…the company provides complete details of all the new features in a  Distributor Orientation and how to Activate Your Web Account today!