​During a ceremony with its employees today, Tru-Edge Grinding received a top Special Recognition award from Honda of America Mfg., Inc. for developing a new regrind technology that significantly reduces costs by refurbishing “worn out” cutting tools inside Honda’s Anna Engine Plant. In addition to Tru-Edge’s special recognition award, eight suppliers received Honda’s 2008 “Supplier of the Year” award based on excellence at providing maintenance, repair and operational (MRO) services in categories ranging from providing electrical and tooling equipment to specialized lubricants, gauges and measuring devices. “The people at Tru-Edge took an innovative approach to develop a new regrinding technology that allows Honda’s engine plant in Anna, Ohio to regrind worn cutting tools in the plant,” said Mike Wallace, manager of Honda’s MRO Purchasing. “In addition to optimizing drilling performance for critical engine parts, Tru-Edge’s new technology is saving us hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Tru-Edge General Manager Tim Knapke, said he is honored that Honda selected his company for the special recognition award. “This is what being in business is all about . . . building lasting relationships,” Knapke said. “In today’s competitive market, you must keep up with the latest technology, but more important you must take care of your customers.” Founded in 1993, Tru-Edge provides tool regrinding and refurbishing services to the automotive, medical, orthopedics, aerospace woodworking and tool-and-die industries. Working in partnership with Honda and other companies, Tru-Edge helped develop a new regrind technology that allows Honda to bring the regrinding of production tooling in-house, rather than shipping them to another state for refurbishing. In addition to saving transportation costs, doing the work in the plant increases both efficiency and optimizes drilling performance. The Mercer County company was among only two firms receiving Special Recognition awards for their innovation of manufacturing processes. The other was The Ohio Transmission Corp., a Columbus-based company that challenged conventional thinking by coming up with a way to add new processes to an existing group of robots, rather than buying a new set of robots. Six of Honda’s Suppliers of the Year are located in Ohio: Dayton-based John A. Becker Co.; Rosewood Machine & Tool, Rosewood, Ohio; The Ohio Transmission Corp., Columbus; McAuliffe’s Industrial LLC, Marysville; RPM Carbide Die, Inc., Arcadia, and Paragon Service & Supply, Lima. The remaining recipients are Industrial Control Repair, Warren, Mich., and Houghton International, Valley Force, Pa. Honda of America Mfg. operates four of Honda’s five manufacturing plants in Ohio – the Marysville Motorcycle Plant, Marysville Auto Plant, East Liberty Auto Plant and Anna Engine Plant. The company’s 12,500 associates produced more than 700,000 cars and light trucks in Ohio last year along with more than 1 million auto engines, while also manufacturing Gold Wing touring andVTX 1300 cruiser motorcycles. Honda 2008 MRO Suppliers of the Year John A. Becker Co. Sidney, Ohio Office Headquarters: Dayton, Ohio Electrical Supply & Service Automation, control, conduit, cabling, lighting Services provided to Anna Engine Plant from Sidney location, and to Marysville and East Liberty auto plants from Columbus facility. The Ohio Transmission Corp.Columbus, Ohio Power Transmission Supply & ServiceBearings, cylinders, pumps, gearboxes, valves used for mechanical & power transmission systems. McAuliffe’s Industrial LLC Marysville, Ohio General Mill Supply & Service Hand tools, abrasives, tape, fasteners, janitorial products, and miscellaneous metals and plastics. Rosewood Machine & Tool Rosewood, Ohio Precision Measurement Supply & Service Meters, chart recorders, fixtures, gauges, fabrications, machining. RPM Carbide Die, Inc.Arcadia, OhioParagon Service & Supply Lima, Ohio Production Cutting and Tooling Supply & Service Drills, taps, inserts, grinding wheels, cutters, die punches RPM and Paragon tied in this category Industrial Control Repair Warren, Mich. Manufacturing Services Waste, calibration, part repairing, outside labor & manpower, information services, packaging, office equipment, industrial and administrative contracts Houghton InternationalValley Forge, Pa.Formulated Products Lubricants, coolants, rust preventatives and other industry-based fluids Honda 2008 MRO Special Recognition Starwin Industries Dayton, Ohio Chemcast Ltd.Danville, Ill.“Plant Manager’s Award“Anna Engine PlantIn response to a major fire at a foundry supplier, Starwin Industries and Chemcast expedited the purchase, installation and start-up of equipment to maintain production of sand cores used in ferrous and aluminum casting.Their actions prevented significant production down-time at Honda’s Anna Engine Plant in Ohio. As a result, Honda associates continued making passenger cars and light trucks in Ohio, Alabama and Canada without interruption. John A. Becker Co.Dayton, Ohio Special Recognition John A. Becker Co. responded on a Sunday to troubleshoot problems with a newly installed control system at the East Liberty Auto Plant. Their action allowed production to start on time the next day. The Ohio Transmission Corp. Columbus, Ohio Special Recognition Honda was preparing to purchase and install two robots for a new vehicle undercoating process at the Marysville Auto Plant.Challenging conventional thinking, Ohio Transmission pointed out the amount of down time within the existing group of robots. Through testing, they proved that the new process could be added to the existing cell of robots. Tru-Edge Grinding St. Henry, Ohio Special Recognition. Through its innovative approach, Tru-Edge was instrumental in developing new regrind technology that allows the Anna Engine Plant to regrind existing “worn out” cutting tools in the plant. In addition to optimizing drilling performance, the new technology is saving hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and reducing costs associated with using new materials.