SABC Fall Newsletter 2017
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Platinum Members
Gold Member 
Silver Members    
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 A note from the President
Another beautiful Chicago summer has passed and winter is suddenly just around the corner. With the imminent arrival of winter, that means the SABC’s Annual Christmas Dinner is upcoming as well. This year’s event will be held on Wednesday, December 6th. We are very excited about this year’s edition as the event will be held for the first time at the Peninsula Hotel which is one of the most awarded hotel and hospitality providers in the world. I extend my personal invitation for all of you to join us at this premier event. Below you will find a link for you to purchase tickets to the event. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the event, please contact Sutha Heck at sutha.heck@sabcnow.com. I look forward to seeing you all on December 6th!!
Thomas Soseman
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Welcome to our New SABC Corporate Members!
 We welcome Phonak LLC as our new SABC Corporate Member and its President Jan Metzdorff. "At Phonak, we believe that hearing well is essential to living life to the fullest. For more than 70 years, we remain true to our mission by developing pioneering hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally. Life is on." Phonak's parent company Sonova Holding AG is headquartered in Stäfa, Switzerland.
 We welcome Leister Technologies LLC as our new SABC Corporate Member and its general manager Jerry Zybko. Leister Technologies LLC with U.S. headquarters in Itasca, Ill. and a satellite office in Tiverton, R.I.—is a subsidiary of the Swiss company Leister Technologies AG. These offices support the sales and service of Leister’s full line of process heat, plastic welding, laser and microsystem products through its wide network of distribution partners across North America.
 We welcome Ichbiah and Company as our new SABC Corporate Member and its Managing Director Romain A. Ichbiah.
Ichbiah and Company is a strategy consulting and M&A advisory services boutique firm. Simply put, we help our clients grow revenue, profitably, either organically or through acquisitions.
With offices and roots in both the USA (Chicago) and Europe (Paris), we can be your cross-cultural partner to support your transatlantic expansion plans.
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Welcome to our newest SABC Individual Member!
We welcome our new individual member Hildo G. Hoogcarspel. Hildo and his Swiss wife live in the Chicagoland area and are active at the Swiss Club Chicago.
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You are cordially invited...
SABC Annual Christmas Dinner and Fundraiser
Wednesday, December 6th, 2017
Cocktail Reception beginning at 6:30pm
Dinner and Program following at 7:30pm
The Peninsula Chicago
108 East Superior Street
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Tickets are $165 for SABC Members and
$195 for Non-Members. 
Admission includes reception, a three-course dinner and wine.
Dress code: Business
The Christmas Dinner is a long-standing tradition of the SABC and is a great opportunity for the Swiss-American business community to celebrate the holiday season, see old friends, meet new friends and to bid for unique auction items.
The event is the primary fundraiser for the SABC and vital to continuing the SABC’s overall mission. A portion of the proceeds will also be donated to a local charity.
If you wish to become an event sponsor, please send an email to events@sabcnow.com for more information.
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The SABC is pleased to announce the completion of its new Resource Guide “Welcome to the Midwest”
You can access the SABC Resource Guide on the Apple App Store or through your web browser.
The Resource Guide provides useful contacts and information for Swiss executives and other professionals new to the area as well as those already here. The SABC membership contains a strong network of professionals and other service providers and the Resource Guide provides convenient access to them. Contacts for such services as legal advisory, real estate experts, banking, executive recruiting, location services, insurance, and schools are organized in a very user-friendly format.
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The Swiss National Day Reception
  
The SABC’s Swiss National Day Reception in July at the Mid-America Club on top of Chicago's iconic Aon Center had an excellent turnout with more than 100 participants and was a great success. Our speaker and guest of honor was His Excellency Mr. Martin Dahinden, the Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States of America. For more pictures of the event, please visit the SABC's photo gallery.
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 Upcoming Events at the Swiss Club Chicago
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Rollomatic hosts its bi-annual OpenHouse this November
The Rollomatic Group, a manufacturer of precision CNC grinding machines, is hosting its bi-annual OpenHouse this November 7-9 in its Mundelein facility. This is a repeat of previous Open House events where typically over 100 end-users from over 20 US states, Mexico, and Canada experience the latest in Rollomatic and Strausak technology, attend learning sessions, and get key answers for their production needs.
Together with the Swiss tool coating company Platit, Rollomatic invites SABC members and friends to get an inside look at precision tool grinding and the peripheral technology used to make cutting tools. At the Rollomatic OpenHouse, these technologies include CNC wheel dressing equipment, oil filtration systems, quality and inspection equipment, as well as Rollomatic’s brand new networking and communication software system, RMonitor and RConnect.
In line with a new industrial focus on the Internet of Things (IoT), a Rollomatic SmartFactory consisting of connected CNC machines on the same network will allow a constant and in-depth look at production. RMonitor is monitoring software that can be used to check the efficiency of production machines where the system visualizes the status and performance of Rollomatic machinery and reports any needed preventative maintenance steps. With the new RConnect software, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, i.e. via OPC, can be linked to the factory floor and offers the opportunity to analyze production statistics and plan processes.
To see these Industry 4.0 solutions and more new technology from Rollomatic and Strausak, SABC member are invited to attend the OpenHouse 2017 on Thursday, November 9, starting at 2pm. To register, please email Bjorn at BSchwarzenbach@RollomaticUSA.com.
For more information on turn-key precision grinding solutions from the Rollomatic Group, contact Rollomatic Inc. at www.RollomaticUSA.com or email us at solutions@RollomaticUSA.com. Also be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.
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Team Penske Brings Star Power to Manufacturing Summit
Champion NASCAR Series driver Brad Keselowski made a surprise appearance during the recent “Machining & Technology Summit” at TEAM PENSKE headquarters in Mooresville, NC. The event was hosted by sponsors BIG KAISER, MAZAK and Tungaloy.
Before the race shop tour, Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion, talked to the group about the business of racing and importance of technical partnerships. “Manufacturing is becoming more wand more critical for us. We rely on these partnerships to make a difference to the performance on the race track. We are able to make our parts lighter and stronger, and make them faster and more efficiently,” he said.
Technical partners like BIG KAISER support TEAM PENSKE in the NASCAR Series by providing machines, tooling and expertise to increase productivity and machining precision while reducing time and material waste. About 75 manufacturing professionals – and NASCAR enthusiasts – signed up to learn about new technology for metal cutting and get behind the scenes at this world-class manufacturing facility. The tour included an exciting pit stop demonstration as well as machining demonstrations showing how the team applies technology to build approximately 100 stock cars for each race season.
“Manufacturing and motor sports go together,” explained Jonathan Gibson, VP Marketing & Communications at Team Penske. “These technical partners add a competitive advantage. They are thought leaders, and they make our engineering and manufacturing better when we can tap into those assets.”
BIG KAISER is proud to have a role in improving the team’s capabilities and performance. “We’ve been able to improve several challenging processes by applying our knowledge of tool holding, precision boring and tool presetting,” said Jack Burley, VP Engineering at BIG KAISER. “The tools achieve accuracies otherwise not possible, and the tool pre-setter dramatically reduced set up times.” More information
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Leister Technologies recently celebrated its 18th year in the U.S. For the first eight years, the U.S efforts centered on Leister’s laser welding systems, micro-optic elements and sensors. To date, Leister’s U.S. division now supports all Leister products and employs over 40 people throughout the US.
Leister Technologies
Your reliable partner, anywhere in the world.
Founded by Karl Leister in 1949, Leister Technologies AG (www.Leister.com) prides itself on creating lasting customer satisfaction, driven by: high-quality products, continuous innovation, experienced staff and outstanding customer service.
Leister has been the worldwide leader in plastic welding and hot-air equipment for more than 65 years. The Swiss manufacturer’s plastic-welding products are used in roof sealing systems, floor coverings, plastic sheeting, earthworks, hydraulic and tunnel engineering, process equipment manufacturing and for vehicle repair; its process heat products are used for activating, heating, curing, melting, shrinking, welding, sterilizing, drying and warming.
The performance and reliability of our products have helped us maintain worldwide market leadership for over 65 years. In addition, we focus heavily on efficiency in operations, creating tools that work quickly and with precision, helping you complete projects on time and on budget.
Leister’s global headquarters is located in Kaegiswil, Switzerland, with sales and service centers in more than 90 countries. With a commitment to quality, the company is ISO 9001 certified, and develops and produces all its products and accessories (more than 10,000 items) on its own state-of-the-art manufacturing premises.
Leister Technologies LLC Headquartered in Chicago, Leister Technologies LLC is a subsidiary of Leister Technologies AG. It supports the sales and service of Leister’s full line of process heat, plastic welding, laser and microsystem products through its close-knit network of distribution partners across North America.
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This year Manufacturing Day for GF Machining Solutions was a huge success! At our Lincolnshire facility, the day began with a visit from Illinois Deputy Governor Leslie Munger. Emphasizing the importance of manufacturing to our Illinois/US economy, she spoke to an audience comprised of industry business partners, 60+ students, parents, teachers, and GF Machining Solutions employees.
In addition, to hearing the Deputy Governors speech our guests also had opportunities to witness 5 axis milling, Wire EDM, Die-Sink EDM, additive manufacturing, and automation technologies. While also touring our facilities everyone was given the opportunity to speak with applications and field service engineers. Thus giving them the opportunity to learn about careers in the field from people working directly in the field
For many of the people in attendance, their visit to GF Machining Solutions was a vital step towards transforming their perception of manufacturing, proving that manufacturing careers are both stable and financially and intellectually rewarding.
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 Organizational Announcement
We would like to announce that effective September 25th, 2017, Steve Barrow will assume the position of Sr. Applications Engineer for Wandfluh of America, Inc. and will be located in the Houston Texas area. Steve will be supporting Wandfluh’s Oil and Gas, Subsea, and Distribution customers as well as our Regional Sales team.
Steve has a strong background in Subsea equipment and especially with ROV design for almost (20) twenty years. Steve has worked for Oceaneering, Perry-Slingsby Systems, Schilling Robotics, Canyon Offshore and most recently General Dynamics Mission Systems. His projects have included designing ROVs, AUVs and countless ROV tools including a patent for an ROV-powered casing cutter used to remove wellheads from depleted or non-producing oil fields.
Steve has a Bachelor’s Degree in Ocean Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida and specializes in mechanical and hydraulic design. Steve is also a Certified Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist (CFPHS).
Steve is a recognized member of the Houston subsea community through participation in events with the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT), as well as serving as a judge and mentor for the Marine Advanced Technology and Education (MATE) program. The MATE program encourages high school and college students to create their own ROVs and compete in local and international competitions. Steve also served as the Technical Track Chairman for Underwater Intervention and worked extensively soliciting and coordinating industry experts as speakers for the conference.
Steve and his wife Kate have two daughters (Jessica and Sarah). Steve enjoys his workshop, hiking, camping, target shooting, and personal travel.
Please join us in welcoming Steve and his family to the Wandfluh family and organization and lending your support to him for continued success.
Best regards,
Mike Lindamood
Mike Lindamood
President/CEO
Wandfluh of America, Inc.
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 Volatility in the USD/CHF exchange rates creates a double edged sword for Swiss Expats. In 2016, the Swiss representative offices have registered 81,075 Swiss people living in the United States. This represents approximately 1% of the Swiss population. Many of these new US residents still have i.e. property in Switzerland, mortgages and other bills to pay in Swiss Francs while living in the US, getting now paid in US Dollars. Rather than working directly with a traditional bank, Swiss Expats are better served by a non-bank FX payment provider. Firms like AFEX can offer fast payment execution, lower fees, significantly better exchange rates and dedicated account managers.
AFEX is a leading non-bank provider of global payment solutions and offers its clients daily market updates, enabling them to fix their prices and reduce the currency risk inherent to importing from overseas. AFEX offer a comprehensive range of global payment solutions to its 35.000 clients worldwide. With offices in US, Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, including an office in Zurich, AFEX is uniquely positioned to offer competitive rates for payments to more than 180 countries. Ironically, AFEX Americas has been under Swiss management since 2014 and has Swiss native representatives, who can assist you with every aspect of your foreign currency needs.
To learn more about our tailored international payment solutions, which enhance business opportunities between Swiss and American companies, please call our Swiss – American Forex Consultant Agnes Rentsch in our Chicago office on: +1 312 920 6806 or visit www.afex.com.
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Keeping Identity Thieves at Bay
Provided by:
Allen Carter, Executive Director – Wealth Management
UBS Financial Services
Your financial life encompasses more than current markets, it includes your future goals and current desires. Follow these steps to protect yourself from identity theft.
- Play it safe
Keep your information safe by checking monthly statements for credit cards, bank and brokerage accounts, and run an annual credit report.
- Email and phone phishing
Identity thieves obtain personal information by urging you to click a link, which downloads a virus or takes you to another site requesting personal information. Avoid links that begin with "http:" in the address rather than "https:" for secure websites.
Phone scams catch your attention with fake prizes or services as bait. They usually have an immediate deadline to claim the prize hoping you act on impulse or divulge personal information.
- Protecting your data
- Shred all mail disclosing personal information
- Sign up for e-delivery for all financial statements
- Register your phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry
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 About LNS America, Inc.
LNS is your “One-Stop-Shop” for an incredible assortment of proven solutions for Swiss style CNC machines. As one of the world’s leading machine tool accessory providers and with proven experience and performance, LNS is your single source supplier for engineered solutions.
More manufacturers turn to LNS for:
- Manual and automatic bar feeds for bar stock diameters from .039” to 4-3/4” with changeovers in as little as 1 minute
- Turbo chip conveyors and coolant management systems that eliminate bottlenecks and reduce coolant costs.
- Workholding devices from precision chucks to complete automatic steady rest systems for better stability, speed and product quality.
- Fox mist collectors that improve worker safety and job performance while reducing facility maintenance and utilities costs.
In addition, LNS provides unmatched applications assistance, customer support and technical service worldwide from more than 800 dedicated employees. LNS is truly your one-stop-shop for machine tool peripherals.
To learn more visit: www.LNS-america.com
P: 513-528-5674
E: sales@LNSamerica.com
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 SIGA develops and manufactures high-performance, nontoxic adhesives, tapes and membranes to create an airtight building envelope. Airtight buildings need 30% less energy and offer an very high level of comfort. Our products are used in more than 35 countries worldwide and since 2011 also in many homes, offices, schools and other buildings across the USA and Canada. With a total head count of 15 employees we successful distribute our products here in North America. For more information please visit www.siga.swiss
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We are very excited about our NEW machine π111  PLUS
The Small Flexible Machine specifically designed to Start Up Your Coating Business Now!
Very affordable & competitive while providing your customers with ALL
- "Standard" Coatings like AlTiN
- "State of the Art" Coatings like naco & nacro
- "Future" Coatings like TripleCoatings3®
Additional Upgrade Options:
- Bring Coating Expertise "In-house"
- Offer Rush Orders and Delivery with Coating Included
- Reduced Operating Costs for Coating, Packing & Handling, Shipping
- Offer a Highly Flexible Production Schedule Yielding with Low Inventory Level
- Dedicated Coating Properties for Your Tools
- High Reliability - High Quality Build
- Environmentally-friendly Process
PLATIT develops and produces coating equipment based on plasma generating PVD technology (Physical
Vapour Deposition).
PLATIT offers complete turn-key PVD coating systems including all necessary peripheral equipment and
technologies for surface pre-treatment:
- Polishing, brushing and/or micro-blasting
- Single-chamber vacuum cleaning with "start-and-forget" operation
- Stripping of coatings from HSS and carbides
Your Platit Team:
Bo Torp
b.torp@platit.dk
Cell: 262-271-7072
Goran Bulaja
g.bulaja@platitusa.com
Cell: 630-772-1221
Platit, Inc. • 1840 Industrial Dr. Unit 220, Libertyville, IL 60048-9412
(847) 680-5270 • platitusa.com • pvdcoating@platitusa.com
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Skis fly free with SWISS.
As the skiers' airline of choice, Swiss International Air Lines transports your first set of skis / snowboard equipment for free, in addition to the standard free baggage allowance. Link: https://www.swiss.com/ireland/en/swiss-the-skiers-airline.html
First Ski Experience
This offer provides those curious about skiing, but with little or no experience, with a gentle, guided start to winter sports in Swiss ski destinations. The simple introductory offer gives inexperienced guests their first taste of the slopes, leaving them wanting more. It is a one-stop-shop offer, meaning the ski equipment is provided and a guide assists first-time skiers so that they can have the best possible experience in the snow. This package can also be combined with riding a snowmobile, snow tubing or other activities.
Link: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/suggestions/winter-vacation/snow-sport/one-day-ski-experience.html
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 Hotels of Switzerland offers five-star meeting facilities and accommodations. A diversity of settings for every venue, from state of the art convention centers to gala baroque banquet halls. Switzerland provides the perfect backdrop for product launches and team building exercises as well. Imagine your logo projected against a mountain peak while sipping champagne in a panoramic mountain restaurant reserved exclusively for your group.
Take your next MICE event to the next level, the Top of Europe! Hotels of Switzerland provides professional assistance and support. With our friendly attitudes and attention to detail we are absolutely committed to providing top quality service to help you organize an unforgettable event.
Hotels of Switzerland
312.919.1500
info@hotelsofswitzerland.com
www.hotelsofswitzerland.com
http://www.facebook.com/HotelsOfSwitzerland
  
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 Bossard is an international engineering and logistics services company that specializes in supplying customers with the correct fasteners for their applications in their products. Bossard’s employees encompass Proven Productivity in their work ensuring our customers receive the highest quality in their products and services. Bossard’s three tier concept, Product Solutions, Application Engineering, and Smart Factory Logistics, provides customers with comprehensive support everywhere and locally. Brossard’s goal is to help customers reduce their hidden costs in fasteners and implement lean manufacturing to save them time and money. More Information
 
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EROWA Technology, based in Arlington Heights, IL., is a full service supplier of palletization and automation systems for the North American manufacturing market. Our goal is to provide complete turnkey solutions for precision parts handling through most any group of manufacturing processes (from one type of machine to the next). We are capable of providing a simple manual palletization system or a fully integrated, custom designed workholding and automation system to meet the current needs and expectations of our customers.
In the market segments of precision mechanics, tool- and mold-making, as well as chip-cutting production, we offer concepts and products that provide customers with considerable optimization possibilities throughout the whole range of machining processes. Primarily, we achieve this through comprehensive knowledge of the application of our products, through individual and customized consultation, and through the use of our Flexible Manufacturing Concept (FMC), which cover the following four areas:
- Standardization (tooling system, tooling technology)
- Organization (setting-up, presetting and measuring technologies)
- Automation (loading/unloading technologies)
- Integration (process sequence, process control and planning technologies)
EROWA Technology, Inc.
2535 S. Clearbrook Dr.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
www.erowa.com
info.usa@erowa.com
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 YER USA is a European recruitment company based in Atlanta with offices in Chicago and New York. We focus on candidates with bachelors and advanced degrees for permanent and temporary positions at the mid to senior level. YER-USA, Inc. was established in 2007 as a natural result of International expansion and existing partnerships with some of our global clients. Today, we cover the entire continental United States as well as Canada and we guarantee an approach based on excellence and efficiency.
More Information:
http://www.yer-usa.com
YER & Habitat for Humanity:
http://www.yer-usa.com/en-us/about-yer/news-events
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