Punch, bend and stamp

Ron Palick, Wilson Tool’s global VP of sales, outlined the company’s vision, product strategy and latest innovations to ISMR at Blechexpo/Schweisstec in Germany.

===

Wilson Tool International is the largest independent manufacturer of tooling systems and accessories for the bending, punching and stamping industries. As the world’s largest and only tooling provider to manufacture tooling solutions for these three industries, it celebrated 55 years in business in 2021.

Last year, Wilson Tool confirmed the strategic acquisition of PASS Stanztechnik AG (PASS), a manufacturer of precision punch press tooling based in Creußen, Germany. PASS provides punching tools and custom solutions that are compatible with TRUMPF, Salvagnini and Thick Turret systems worldwide

With its international global headquarters at White Bear Lake, Minnesota (USA), Wilson Tool has grown to include offices or plants in Canada; Mexico; Brazil; England; Denmark; Germany; France and Italy. Its growth has enabled the company to specialise in lean manufacturing processes and application training as well as provide lean seminars, webinars and other training opportunities. Customer relationships and the family company’s employees, it told ISMR, are essential elements to Wilson Tool’s success.

With a string of patents and new tooling products, Wilson Tool highlighted some key innovations at this October’s Blechexpo/Schweisstec trade show in Stuttgart, Germany. Ron Palick, Wilson Tool’s global VP of sales, outlined the company’s vision, strategy and latest product innovations to ISMR at the show.

===

ISMR: What are your main highlights and innovations at this year’s Blechexpo/Schweisstec trade show in Stuttgart?

RP: There are three main highlights for us this year. Firstly, our busbar tooling has been growing at a very rapid rate. This is used to support AI (from servers to power transmissions and data centres etc). This rapid rate of growth has been quite a surprise to us. We make busbar tooling for three major suppliers of those types of machines (Vaski, EHRT and Bochert). We have been able to really consolidate our hold in that market, which we have been in for a long time.

Secondly, we are focusing on our new eClamp; this is the second time that we have displayed the eClamp at Blechexpo in Stuttgart. It is a growing product line for us and a new technology which continues to gain acceptance in the market.

Thirdly, we launched a new tooling line worldwide for Bystronic-style press brakes last year, which we also displayed at FABTECH in Chicago recently. We also introduced various other tools last year (e.g. tools for AMADA machines etc.) which are just hitting their stride. We have some great new tooling products to promote right now.

ISMR: Which areas or regions of growth/opportunity can you highlight for Wilson Tool or for sheet metal manufacturers in general?

RP: North America was a very busy market for us this year, driven by technologies like AI and market sectors such as HVAC, power generation/power distribution etc.

The busbar industry is terrific and won’t become saturated in the foreseeable future. There is also plenty of room for growth in our stamping side of the business, depending upon the locale. The munitions side of our business also continues to grow.

The punching side of our business is up big time this year and we were able to gain considerably more market share. The AI market has also blossomed, which has given our punching business quite a boost.

I think there will be some carry-over of this success for us into 2026. We always plan for success, in any scenario. I am optimistic for next year—we have introduced a lot of new tooling products (including our ATC automatic tool changers) into the market and expect a lot from these.

ISMR: What is your vision, as well as your strategic and technical focus for the company? How do you aim to achieve these?

To read the rest of this interview in the November 2025 issue of ISMR, see https://joom.ag/efDd/p30