In brief …

Raabe Corp. has become certified to the new ISO 9001:2000 standard. The new standard, which focuses on five elements: general requirements, management responsibility, resource management, product realization, and measurement, analysis and improvement, was released by the International Organization for Standardizations in late 2000.
“There are notable changes to the new standard,” said Robert Bath, technical director at Raabe Corp. “The most obvious change is a customer focus throughout. The new standard requires that the company measure customer satisfaction as a means to improve it.”
Another change is the requirement for continual improvement. The new standard focuses on the quality processes in all company functions rather than solely manufacturing.
The company must provide a process by which the effectiveness of the quality system is continually improved. That is done by auditing the quality system, corrective and preventive actions, and periodic, formal management review.
Raabe Corp., based in Menomonee Falls, manufactures touch-up paint and provides custom-filling services. The firm, founded in 1951, is on the Web at www.raabecorp.com.
Rocore Industries has acquired a portion of the operating assets, the facilities and the real estate of Modine Manufacturing Co.’s Albraze aluminum oil cooler, charge air cooler and related aluminum heat exchanger operations in Knoxville, Tenn.
Rocore, a manufacturer of industrial cooling products and packages for on- and off-highway vehicles, stationary power, pump/compressor and machine tool applications, sees the addition of the broad aluminum heat exchanger portfolio as a major step in building a focused industrial heat transfer business.
The company, based at 945 S. 57th St. in Franklin, has operating in Dallas, Indianapolis and Burkesville, N.Y., as well as the new Knoxville facility.
The Sprecher Brewing Co. has received a Gold Award at the 2002 World Beer Cup for its Winter Brew, a seasonal offering entered in the European-Style/Müncher Dunkel category.
“We increased the caramel malts in the 2002 recipe, and then subjected the brew to colder fermentation to increase the malt profile,” said Craig Burge, head brewer at Sprecher.
He and brewery president and brewmaster Randy Sprecher accepted the award. “We are very happy with the end result, and the World Beer Cup judges must have liked it, too, as they awarded us the gold,” Burge said.
The Association of Brewers of America hosted this year’s event in Aspen, Colo. The brewery, in Glendale, also recently remodeled its Web site, at www.sprecherbrewery.com.
Trester Hoist & Equipment, of Menomonee Falls, has been awarded a distributorship for Budgit hoists and products, and for hoist parts.
The distributorship includes new hoists, and electric aid and hand hoists, as well as Budgit’s crane component packages. Trester is also a Stocking distributor, and a parts depot and service station for Columbus McKinnon, and Coffing.
Its Web site is www.tresterhoist.com.
Nov. 22, 2002 Small Business Times, Milwaukee