Sandvik acquires tap manufacturer Balax

August 3, 2022

Sandvik has completed the acquisition of tap manufacturer Balax, Inc (Courtesy Balax, Inc)
Sandvik has completed the acquisition of tap manufacturer Balax, Inc (Courtesy Balax, Inc)

Sandvik AB, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, reports that it has completed the acquisition of the assets of Balax, Inc., headquartered in North Lake, Wisconsin, USA, a supplier of carbide and HSS cut taps and roll forming taps for the general engineering and automotive sectors. The company will be reported in Walter, a division within the Sandvik Manufacturing and Machining Solutions business area.

Founded in 1958, Balax states that it pioneered a cold forming taps design featuring ‘Lead Form Geometry Correction’, a process which reduces tapping torque by creating lead threads on pitch. The taps, called Thredfloers, were said to b’BALanced AXially’, leading to the company’s name of Balax. The company went on to add other metalworking tools to its product line, including thredsaver cutting taps, and thread gages.

Balax has conducts all manufacturing processes in house including blank making, heat treating, shank and square grinding, fluting, thread grinding and surface treatments. It also maintains a fully equipped tapping laboratory to test new design concepts for tapping torque, tapping speed, tool geometry, coolant or lubrication performance, pretap hole sizing, and material compatibility. Balax employs sixty-six staff members and, in 2021, saw revenues of $10 million.

Stefan Widing, CEO and president of Sandvik, commented, “The acquisition of Balax is the second acquisition by GWS during Sandvik’s ownership and is well aligned with the shift to growth strategy. Balax will strengthen our tap offering on the North American market.”

www.balax.com

www.home.sandvik

In our latest magazine…

Download PDF

Extensive metal powder and Powder Metallurgy news coverage, plus the following exclusive deep-dive articles and reports:

  • GKN Powder Metallurgy targets sustainable and resilient regional NdFeB magnet production
  • The chemistry of LiFe: The rise of LFP batteries and what it means for the iron powder industry
  • Driving sustainable innovation: HIP 2025 explores the strategic potential of Hot Isostatic Pressing
  • High-precision press solutions for permanent magnets in EVs and green energy generation
  • Powder2Powder: A closed-loop solution for high-value metal powder recycling
  • Reducing defects and energy use in Hot Isostatic Pressing: A data-driven approach to degassing

The latest news from the world of metal powders, delivered to your inbox

Don't miss any new issue of Metal Powder Technology, and get the latest industry news. Sign up to our weekly newsletter.

Sign up

Join 5,000+ other industry professionals – follow us online

Discover our magazine archive…

The free-to-access Metal Powder Technology magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of metal powder from a commercial and technological perspective through:

  • Reports on visits to leading PM part manufacturers, metal powder manufacturers and industry suppliers
  • Articles on technology and application trends
  • Information on materials developments
  • Reviews of key technical presentations from the international conference circuit
  • International industry news

All past issues are available to download as free PDFs or view in your browser.

 

Browse the archive

 

Looking for PM production equipment, metal powders, R&D support and more?

Discover suppliers of these and more in our
advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of Metal Powder Technology magazine.

  • Powders & materials
  • Powder process, classification & analysis
  • PM products
  • Atomisers & powder production technology
  • Compaction presses, tooling & ancillaries
  • Sintering equipment & ancillaries
  • Post-processing
  • HIP Services
  • AM Machines
  • Consulting & toll sintering
View online
Share via
Copy link