The L.S. Starrett Co. appointed Jon-Michael Raymond director of sales, North America, industrial products. Raymond will be responsible for sales of the company’s core products in North America including precision measuring tools and gages, hand tools and saw blades. He succeeds Tony Aspin, VP of sales, who will retire in June after having served the company for 28 years. Raymond has worked in the industry for more than 12 years, with the past three years serving as vice president of sales for Pferd Inc.

As part of its 175th anniversary, Kasto launched a contest for its customers. The manufacturer is looking for the oldest Kasto saw that is still in use today. Any machine built in or before 1980 may be submitted. Companies are invited to make submissions with a photo of the saw and the nameplate via e-mail to 175@kasto.com. Each entry will be rewarded; the winner will be announced and presented with an award.

Kaast Machine Tools Inc. announced an array of bandsaws is in-stock and ready to ship from its Philadelphia warehouse. Customers can view the machines at the new 42,000 sq.-ft. showroom in Philadelphia. Bandsaws are available in sizes ranging from 9 ft. to 60 ft. All bandsaws are semiautomatic or fully automatic. An assortment of horizontal mitering bandsaws have options for a swiveling head or swiveling vice, each combined with a scissor-type or dual column setup.

February 2019 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $205.6 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total was down 4.4 percent from January’s $215.1 million and up 8 percent when compared with the $190.3 million reported for February 2018. With a year-to-date total of $420.7 million, 2019 is up 13 percent compared with 2018. USCTI members number more than 70, belonging to 10 product divisions including metal cutting saw blades.

Scotchman Industries Inc. announced that John Hetzel (left) retired after 40 years. Heltzel was a knowledgeable and important asset to the customer service department for more than 35 years. He worked in the welding, assembly and paint departments and then, finally, customer service. Through the years, Heltzel’s duties evolved to include writing product manuals, negotiating GSA contracts, addressing safety concerns and setting up safety programs. He continues to serve on two American National Standards Institute committees.