“The Platinum rating from EcoVadis is the result of intensive collaboration across all departments. Every idea, every detail, and every improvement contributed to this success. It shows what we as a company can achieve together with our employees once sustainability becomes an integral part of daily work,” says Andreas Lackner, Member of the CERATIZIT Group Executive Board.

External Validation as a Guide for the Future

EcoVadis is a globally recognized platform that provides sustainability ratings, information, and tools to help companies manage environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks and compliance issues. It evaluates companies in four categories: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. The recently achieved Platinum ranking reflects the quality of CERATIZIT’s sustainability management system and demonstrates its commitment to greater transparency along the entire value chain.

The EcoVadis rating is not the only external confirmation of CERATIZIT Group’s ambitious sustainability goals. Back in June 2025, the company’s short- and long-term climate targets were officially validated by the renowned Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). CERATIZIT is committed to drastically reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in line with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement and achieving net-zero emissions across the entire value chain by 2040 at the latest.

Specifically, this means: by 2030, absolute emissions from Scopes 1, 2, and selected Scope 3 categories—including purchased goods and services, capital goods, energy-related activities, transportation, business travel, employee commuting, and investments—are to be reduced by 54% compared to the 2020 baseline year. In the long term, CERATIZIT aims to cut absolute emissions across all three scopes by 90% by 2040. The net-zero goal stipulates that all remaining emissions will be neutralized by 2040 at the latest.

A Signal That Reaches Beyond Many Industries

Industrial production faces major challenges—from raw material sourcing to energy-intensive processes and global supply chains. To minimize these side effects, a consistently pursued and transparent transformation is essential. “The current EcoVadis rating underscores that CERATIZIT is on the right track. Our goal is not only to convince our customers through performance, quality, and service but also to support them in developing solutions for a more sustainable future,” adds Melissa Albeck, Member of the CERATIZIT Group Executive Board.

External confirmation by EcoVadis and SBTi is more than a seal of approval. It is a clear signal to many sectors within industrial production: CERATIZIT is taking responsibility—and invites other companies to follow this example.

Melissa Albeck to Take Responsibility for the Topic of Sustainability Within CERATIZIT

Starting January 1, 2026, the responsibility for Sustainability within the CERATIZIT Board will transition to Melissa Albeck. Melissa will work closely with the new Head of Sustainability, Philippe Strebler, to strengthen understanding of sustainability across the organization and leverage it as a key differentiator for customer value.

CoroCut^® 2 is renowned for delivering quality, efficiency and process security across a wide range of applications, helping workshops increase output while reducing energy consumption and material waste. This latest development strengthens the portfolio with geometries tailored for profiling in demanding materials and for parting-off operations that require greater process reliability and productivity.

The ground profiling geometry -RO, ideal for finishing operations in nickel-based HRSA materials, has been upgraded to the CoroCut^® 2 range. New insert grades and a stabilizing rail interface improve wear resistance and dimensional accuracy, enabling tight tolerances and consistent surface quality.

“The -RO geometry has long been the most popular insert in the CoroCut^® 1-2 concept thanks to its sharp edge, tight tolerances and high edge-line quality, which is crucial for demanding aerospace components,” said Jenny Claus, product manager, parting and grooving, at Sandvik Coromant.

In addition, three parting-off geometries have been enhanced or newly added to the range:

• Geometry -CF: A positive, light-cutting geometry updated with the CoroCut^® 2 grades and patented FlashLight technology, delivering low cutting forces and superior edge-line quality
• Geometry -CS: A ground geometry with a front angle and sharp edge that minimizes pip and burr, now supported by a rail interface for added stability
• Geometry -CR: A versatile geometry with a new front angle that reduces pip and burr across a wide range of materials — ideal when a strong edge is needed

“What sets CoroCut^® 2 inserts apart are the benefits of our FlashLight technology, rail interface and high-performing grades,” said Fredrik Selin, product application specialist at Sandvik Coromant. “No matter the parting or grooving challenge, these features ensure excellent chip control, long tool life and high stability, even at high feeds and speeds.”

The CoroCut^® 2 range includes tools and inserts for parting-off, external and internal grooving, face grooving and profiling — from roughing to finishing. Designed for use with two-edged inserts across all ISO materials and applications, it’s a versatile, sustainable and cost-efficient tooling concept for today’s high-demand production environments.

About Sandvik Coromant

Part of global industrial engineering group Sandvik, Sandvik Coromant is at the forefront of manufacturing tools, machining solutions and knowledge that drive industry standards and innovations demanded by the metalworking industry now and into the next industrial era. Educational support, extensive R&D investment and strong customer partnerships ensure the development of machining technologies that change, lead and drive the future of manufacturing. Sandvik Coromant owns over 1,700 patents worldwide, employs over 7,700 staff and is represented in 150 countries.

Belzer discussed the motivation behind the company’s recent purchase of a LOCTITE® machine and insert testing equipment. “The LOCTITE® machine was purchased as a way to gain more control and satisfy our customers’ needs.” The logistics involved in sending parts to be coated is costly and time- consuming. Having the machine, E-Z LOK can coat parts the same day and offer greater flexibility to its customers. The testing equipment gave the company the ability to market the true capabilities of the inserts, including pullout resistance and torque. He added, “These are common questions from customers. Instead of sending thousands of items for testing, we can test and perform quality inspections in-house.”

While he didn’t see a big change in customer relations over the years, Belzer believes that the company has gotten better at providing more details and improved customer service.

Even though finding qualified workers has become increasingly difficult over the years, he said that technology allowed the company to grow without a significant investment in human capital. “Our ERP system, Netsuite, has had the biggest impact on that. [It] allows us to focus our current customer service team on real issues, while the ERP handles the operations automatically. The scalability allows growth without additional cost.”

Regarding the impact of the Internet and the company’s addition of its CAD download service on engineering input, he stated that although both have had a positive impact on customers, engineers will still be key to designing and producing the company’s inserts.

E-Z LOK was founded in 1956 by Belzer’s grandfather, Burt, along with several partners. After a failed attempt at being a distributor for a well-known thread repair brand at the time, he came up with the threaded solid wall inserts for metal or E-Z LOK inserts. Since then, it’s remained a well-known brand.

Working in the shop during his high school and college years, Ben Belzer officially started his career with the company after graduating from the University of Illinois. Starting out with the selection and implementation of an ERP system, he eventually found his way to the sales board and ultimately, management.

He stated that his grandfather would be proud of him and surprised to see how far the business has come, although he’d be overwhelmed by today’s technology!

Referring to what excites him each day, Belzer enjoys “… the thrill of the chase and seeing the results of the hard work our team produces. I love a challenge, while finding and growing opportunities.”

Despite a negative future outlook in domestic vs. overseas supply, Belzer is not concerned as he says, “Global conflict and international trade policies can change rapidly. I stay optimistic on the current mix and availability of both domestic and foreign supply.”

Lastly, his plans for E-Z LOK include continuing on the established growth path and finding new products and solutions that will keep the company on the cutting edge in the fastener industry.

About E-Z LOK

E-Z LOK is a leading manufacturer and master distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic and wood. Inserts for metal include solid wall and helical wire-thread inserts, while inserts for plastic feature press-in and ultrasonic/heat stake designs. Those for wood are die cast zinc alloy hex drives for softwood and brass knife threads for hardwood. A variety of kits for the above inserts are available and feature installation tools, drill bits, etc.

E-Z LOK is a third-generation family owned and operated company. Founded in 1956, it primarily sells North American OEM’s, end users and the DIY market through local, regional and national industrial distributors.

While these drive tools were already offered individually, as well as in insert kits, this new offering brings everything together in one kit. According to Kyle Lindsly-Roach, Director of Sales & Marketing, “We decided to offer this assortment kit based on customer feedback indicating that having all of the sizes in one package would be highly beneficial.”

Made from steel, these tools are used to install slotted E-Z LOK threaded inserts like Solid Wall inserts for metal and Knife Thread inserts for wood. Furthermore, all drive tools in the assortment kit fit in standard power tools. Kit drivers can be used to install inserts with internal threads from #6 to 3/4 and M3 to M16. They’re ideal for maintenance departments, machine shops and manufacturing facilities.

Regarding the importance of this product launch, Lindsly-Roach said, “We hope that it will offer an easier way for our customers to access all of the tools needed to install our Solid Wall and Knife Thread inserts in one place.”

The drive tool assortment kit will be available for sale early next year through E-Z LOK’s distribution partners.

About E-Z LOK

E-Z LOK is a leading manufacturer and master distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic and wood. Inserts for metal include solid wall and helical wire-thread inserts, while inserts for plastic feature press-in and ultrasonic/heat stake designs. Those for wood are die-cast zinc alloy in hex drives for softwood and brass knife threads for hardwood. A variety of kits are available and feature installation tools, drill bits etc.

E-Z LOK is a third-generation family owned and operated company. Founded in 1956, it primarily sells North American OEM’s, end users and the DIY market through local, regional and national industrial distributors.

With a quality management system that conforms to ISO 9001 standards in place, the company can now meet customer and other stakeholder needs within statutory and regulatory requirements related to their products.

The company started the certification process in January of this year because they saw the need for ISO certification to better support current and future customers. To do so, E-Z LOK partnered with a consulting company to design and build out their quality management system (QMS). Then, they implemented the QMS within their company. Lastly, the QMS was audited by an external company, thus verifying that the QMS was in place and effective.

Commenting on the benefits of the certification, Lindsly-Roach said, “This gives us the potential to work with OEMs and distributors who need a robust quality system in place for their vendors. It opens up additional business opportunities for us with those customers who require an ISO certification for their suppliers.”

About E-Z LOK

E-Z LOK is a leading manufacturer and master distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic and wood. Inserts for metal include solid wall and helical wire-thread inserts, while inserts for plastic feature press-in and ultrasonic/heat stake designs. Those for wood are die cast zinc alloy hex drives for softwood and brass knife threads for hardwood. A variety of kits for the above inserts are available and feature installation tools, drill bits, etc.

E-Z LOK is a third-generation family owned and operated company. Founded in 1956, it primarily sells North American OEM’s, end users and the DIY market through local, regional and national industrial distributors.

MINI GROOVE ‘N TURN® ACME THREADING inserts are designed to cut thread sizes of 6 threads per inch and greater. Tools have geometry to cut standard 29° acme thread profiles. Inserts can be used to cut centralizing or stub profiles by overcutting. The inserts can be used for internal acme threads on parts with bore diameters of .325” and larger.

Available in sub-micron grain carbide grades for ferrous and non-ferrous materials either uncoated or with TiN, TiCN, TiAIN or diamond film coatings. MINI GROOVE ‘N TURN® ACME THREADING inserts can be used on conventional, Swiss and CNC machines.

Toolholders are available in round shank size 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2” and 5/8” in steel, heavy metal and carbide. MINI GROOVE ‘N TURN® ACME THREADING inserts fit existing “MGT” series THINBIT® toolholders.

THINBIT® offers an extensive selection of 60º and ACME thread forms for both internal and external threading. Custom thread profiles with deliveries from 5 working days are available.

About Kaiser Tool Company

Kaiser Tool Company, Inc. is a world leader in the manufacturing of precision cutting tools for grooving, threading and boring. Our customers know and depend on us for our:
Quality Products,
Fast Delivery,
Superior Customer Service.

Kaiser Tool Company was founded in 1964 with the purpose of supplying small lathe cutting tools that were not available as standard, in-stock items. Today, our line of THINBIT^® cutting tools includes more than 100,000 in-stock tools for grooving, threading, parting, boring and turning as well as custom tools.

In 1987 we started Laser Images^® to provide our customers with laser engravings that are clean, consistent and perfect every time. Instruments, dials, wheels, scales, cutting tools and more, we can engrave virtually anything of any shape and size.

Easy to use and reliable 

Octomill 06 self-centering inserts allow operators to quickly and securely position inserts with high repeatability. The use of a long insert screw enables indexing of an insert without having to remove the screw from the cutter body. The cutter-insert interface design disconnects cutting edges from support surfaces and mimics the design of a double-sided insert while keeping the positive setting approach of a single-sided solution.

“This separation of cutting edges and support surfaces keeps worn portions of the insert from damaging or negatively impacting the performance of unused edges,” said Seco Product Manager Tobias Jakobi. “Furthermore, the self-centering feature prevents the occurrence of incorrectly positioned inserts that can cause instability, edge and tool breakage, costly work interruptions and the need for rework.”

The Octomill 06 is a top choice for applications featuring unstable setups or thin-walled parts. Featuring a right-handed design with a straight cutting edge, Octomill 06 incorporates a high helix angle of +16° to reduce radial and axial forces and enable high-quality production. The cutter achieves smoother entry and exit and reduces back cutting effects. Additionally, Octomill 06 provides consistent wear along the entire cutting edge.

Flexibility across a wide range of applications 

The multi-insert pocket design of Octomill 06 accommodates face milling, round and moderate high feed inserts. This allows a single cutter body to effectively perform a variety of applications, including face milling, ramping, helical interpolation and profiling. A diverse range of insert grades and geometries provides optimal performance in materials spanning the P, M, K, N, S and H Seco Materials Groups.

About Seco

With its origins in Fagersta, Sweden and present in more than 75 countries, Seco is a leading global provider of metal cutting solutions for indexable milling, solid milling, turning, holemaking, threading and tooling systems. For nearly 100 years, Seco has driven excellence throughout the entire manufacturing journey, ensuring high-precision machining and high-quality output.

These E-Z LOK inserts are designed for post-molding installation in thermoplastic materials such as: acrylic, polypropylene and PVC. Features include tapered or straight designs, installation with a heat drive or ultrasonic horn, superior torque and pull-out resistance, inch or metric threads, tapered design and single vane and straight design in flush or flanged configuration.

E-Z Sonic heat staking inserts for thermoplastics work well with 3D printing applications and products made from similar materials. They require heat generation to melt the plastic around the insert for proper installation. Meanwhile, E-Z Press threaded inserts for plastic are designed for both thermoset plastics and thermoplastics. Available in flush, flanged and reverse slot, they are created specifically for “cold” installation using anything from a rubber mallet to an arbor press.

Straight E-Z Sonic Ultrasonic inserts allow for thinner boss walls. Flush heat stake permits installation even with or below the material surface, while flanged inserts are ideal for electrical connections or for additional pull-out resistance in reverse installations. Furthermore, E-Z Sonic straight ultrasonic threaded inserts feature a lead-in pilot to facilitate installation and are available from #2 to 3/8.

Tapered E-Z Sonic Ultrasonic inserts are designed to reduce installation time, particularly in production runs, while maintaining outstanding performance characteristics. Internal threads from #2 to 3/8 and M2.5 to M6 are available.

Wire or helical coil threaded inserts quickly repair or reinforce tapped holes in soft metals. Made from 18-8 stainless steel wire, these helical coil inserts are corrosion resistant and can withstand temperatures up to 800°F. Furthermore, they offer corrosion resistance and protection from wearing and stripping.

E-Z Coil helical insert coils are manufactured by forming the stainless steel wire into a diamond shape and then winding it into a spring. Prior to installation, the insert diameters are larger than the tapped hole. During installation, the insert diameter of the helical coil insert is reduced, allowing the insert to thread into the hole. Once properly installed, the radial pressure of the released insert holds the insert firmly in place.

Thread Repair kits are available in both standard and economy, and in a variety of sizes. Each Economy E-Z Coil Thread Repair kit includes a set of inserts, an STI tap, and an installation tool. The standard kit also includes a tang break tool and drill bit.

About E-Z Lok

E-Z Lok is a leading manufacturer and master distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic and wood. Inserts for metal include solid wall and helical wire-thread inserts, while inserts for plastic feature press-in and ultrasonic/heat stake designs. Those for wood are die cast zinc alloy hex drives for soft wood and brass knife threads for hard wood. A variety of kits for the above inserts are available and feature installation tools, drill bits, etc.

E-Z Lok is a third-generation family owned and operated company. Founded in 1956, it primarily sells through local, regional, and national industrial distributors.

The hardware-free and patented cam lock design of the NEW 500 Series from Guill means no time is wasted unbolting and re-securing fasteners for disassembly and re-assembly. Only half of a rotation of the cam nut is required to loosen and automatically extract the deflector from the head body, which is another time saver. Also, with no undercuts on the deflector, there are no material hang-ups when extracting the deflector, allowing for faster and easier cleaning and changeover.

The NEW 500 Series also features the latest Center-Stage concentricity adjustment system that significantly reduces pressure on the tooling, allowing easier and more precise concentricity adjustments without loosening the face bolts. Easy-Out inserts for the adjusting bolts also allow simple replacement of locked or damaged adjusting bolts, which further saves on repair and downtime.

Another innovative feature of this new rubber/silicone crosshead is a cast aluminum liquid-fed cooling sleeve that allows the user to switch out the cooling jacket in the event of a line obstruction, again reducing downtime compared to traditional integrated cooling systems.

The NEW 500 Series crosshead with MAGS gum space adjustment is a drop-in replacement on most existing NRM lines, however this crosshead design can also be adapted to fit any extruder design or line layout.

The addition of a newly designed flow inlet channel reduces the shear and heat that is generated as the materials are being processed. This leads to lower head pressures allowing the material to move through the head in a much more balanced and even flow.

All crossheads supplied by Guill are furnished with a tool kit for assembly and disassembly as well as a detailed operator’s instruction manual. The engineering team at Guill will gladly assist users in the implementation and operation of the NEW 500 series crosshead.

For a video of the NEW Guill 500 Series crosshead with MAGS gum space adjustment, please go to:

https://youtu.be/jeNovmMtcBs