Koike Aronson/Ransome, Inc., a manufacturer of cutting and positioning equipment for the metalworking industry, has received an Empire Zone designation from the State of New York.

The designation qualifies the company for state tax credits in exchange for $11 million in investments at the company's Arcade, N.Y. headquarters.

Koike employed 172 people at its Arcade facility at the end of March, and its latest expansion is expected to increase the company's work force to 185 people by the end of 2008.

Gerald J. Leary, chief executive officer of Koike, said the company is continuing to grow, and expects to post double-digit growth through this year.

Separately, Thermal Dynamics Automation, a unit of Thermadyne Industries Inc., announced that it is working with Koike-Aronson Inc.

All U.S. and Canadian-based Koike sales and technical personnel were trained recent on Thermal Dynamics product lines, and Koike recently installed Thermal Dynamics systems in training facilities in Arcadia, N.Y., and Houston, Texas.

Thermal Dynamics Automation includes a full range of plasma cutting applications.