Fives Landis Opening Tech Center in Maryland

Fives Landis Corp., a manufacturer of precision grinding machines and grinding accessories, will open a new technology center at its headquarters in Hagerstown, Maryland, near Washington D.C. At 6,000 square feet, the new R&D and demo facility will feature systems including Landis-Bryant ID/OD grinders, Landis centerless grinders and the Giustina surface grinding system.

The Hagerstown facility will be the second of its kind for Fives’ Grinding-Ultra Precision teams after the company’s original grinding demo and research center opened its doors in 2013 at the Fives Landis Ltd. manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom.

“The Technology Center is a new milestone in our long company history and the latest step in the process of expanding our business activities beyond our traditional orbital operations,” says Ron Wood, executive director of business development. “We will be able to not only develop and provide new products and processes but also help our customers with a proactive approach when facing the challenges of today’s production environment, whether through test grinds, application and training support, or R&D work. We work closely with key suppliers and other industry experts to find solutions that help our customers to improve and optimize their current operations.”

One of the key focuses of the center will be application support, especially in areas where tough-to-machine or exotic materials traditionally create challenges for equipment and operators, such as in aerospace applications. Dedicated application engineers will work with customers from all industries to solve their specific problems.

The company says that the new facility underlines its confidence in Maryland as a base for business and a source of highly skilled workers. With this expansion, Fives Landis added 23 new people to its workforce since beginning of 2016. The company also continues to invest in its internship program and maintains close relationships with area colleges. Every year between two and five students complete Fives’ internship program in Hagerstown, where they learn basic manufacturing and engineering skills in a realistic business environment.