The acquisition of Balax Inc. represents a significant addition to GWS, bringing incremental premium tapping solutions of both the standard and custom variety to the GWS portfolio. The Balax name in production tapping solutions is cemented in 65 years of experience and will marry perfectly with GWS' current rapid-tap production unit to create greater value for threading customers throughout North America.

The acquisition of Peterson Tool Company strengthens GWS's capability in the arena of custom tooling for the screw machine industry and specialty turning applications. The capability to produce machine-specific custom insert tooling solutions blends seamlessly with GWS's current specialized insert production expertise to create another unique productivity enhancement resource for GWS customers.

The acquisition of Carbide Tools Mfg. Inc (CTMI) further strengthens GWS' capability and capacity in the arena of custom carbide round tooling. From porting tools and reamers to complex form tools and custom end mills, CTMI's customer-driven mission marries perfectly with that of GWS.

The acquisition of Monster Tool Company adds significant depth to both the GWS general purpose and high-performance standard product portfolio. Their robust offering of end mills, drills, burrs and reamers expand upon or fill in product gaps for GWS. Their grinding expertise, geography, and exceptional service reputation will further elevate the GWS value proposition by enhancing our product and service capability, particularly in the western United States.

The acquisition of Indexable strengthens the GWS offering with added capacity and capabilities in the insert tooling segment, as well as the complete vertical integration of ceramic blank production from powder. Their robust offering of ceramic inserts, including silicon nitride, white ceramic and whiskered ceramic are produced using patented microwave sintering technology. This technology will bolster GWS insert capability while providing supply chain cost-savings that will make our ceramic portfolio even more value-added to its customers.

The acquisition of CJT further enhances the GWS product capacity and capabilities in the area of holemaking, brazed construction carbide tools and PCD round tools. Their robust drill offering will bolster our own to provide a more robust stocked portfolio of performance holemaking solutions.