Precision Metalforming Association Celebrates 80 Years

The trade group traces its roots back more than a century.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Precision Metalforming Association and the Precision Metalforming Association Educational Foundation are celebrating two significant milestones in 2022: 80 years of continuous service to members and 25 years of work to grow the future of the industry.

PMA is the leading trading association for thousands of professionals who specialize in metal stamping, fabricating, spinning and forming. Its supporting organization, PMAEF, is dedicated to the promotion and development of a skilled workforce for the metalforming industry.

“PMA is thrilled to reach these significant milestones,” said PMA President David Klotz. “The strength of our association is really the support, commitment and dedication of our more than 900 member companies who come together to move their businesses and our industry forward. Together, we are stronger than we have ever been, helping member companies thrive today and helping our industry prepare for tomorrow.”

PMA traces its roots to the Pressed Metal Association which began in 1913 but dissolved during the Great Depression. By 1942, it was reestablished and reorganized as the Pressed Metal Institute in Cleveland with 42 charter member companies. Over the next 80 years, the organization’s name changed two more times — to the American Metal Stamping Association in 1961 and the Precision Metalforming Association in 1987 — as it added member companies with new capabilities and supported them with a range of benefits.

“Throughout the years, while some things have changed, the most essential things have not,” Klotz continued. “PMA has maintained an unwavering commitment to leading innovative member companies toward superior competitiveness and profitability. That commitment has kept the association strong through our industry’s highs and lows, including the most recent challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic when our members kept their doors open and machines on, making the parts and products needed by Americans and people all over the world.”

PMA supports members with unparalleled industry information including economic and industry survey reports, which enable members to benchmark their performance, best leverage resources and deploy capital. PMA members also are supported with access to important benefits such as the recently created Health Insurance for Members program and the PMA 401(k) Retirement Plan Exchange, which enable member companies to deliver high-quality benefits to employees while reducing costs.

Additionally, PMA provides a strong voice for members in Washington, D.C., through its advocacy partnership with the National Tooling and Machining Association, together known as One Voice for Manufacturing. One Voice is the representative of small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses in Washington, ensuring that their perspectives are considered by Congress and the executive branch on issues including taxes, trade and supply chain, health and safety regulations, and many others.

At the same time, PMA is looking toward the future. In 1996, PMA established PMAEF to help address the industry’s skills gap by developing a trained and motivated workforce. PMAEF supports and delivers training, education and image-building programs alongside PMA member companies, educators, corporations, foundations and civic leaders across the country. 

The foundation has fulfilled more than $1.5 million in grants for efforts to grow awareness about metalforming careers and advance our nation’s commitment to developing the skilled workforce we need. PMAEF also has partnered with PMA’s local districts across the country to offer scholarships to individuals seeking industry careers.

PMA helps members equip their shops with top talent with its METALFORM EDU online training platform. Launched in 2018 with majority funding from PMAEF, METALFORM EDU includes 37 PMA-exclusive courses and more than 650 other courses in precision measurement, blueprint reading, SPC, CNC, Six Sigma, lean manufacturing, safety and more. The foundation continues to provide funding for new content development and has plans to roll out additional courses on key industry topics in 2022.

“PMA recognized a need for workforce-development initiatives that educate and train individuals to meet the demands of current and future business,” said Klotz. “The educational foundation provides unique, cutting-edge resources that meet those needs. Foundation supporters literally are investing in the future of our industry.”

To commemorate 80 years in business and 25 years of its educational foundation, PMA will be highlighting key association milestones in communications throughout the year, and MetalForming magazine will publish a special feature section in its June/July issue. A celebratory event also will be hosted this November at the FABTECH tradeshow in Atlanta.

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