8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K




                                 CURRENT REPORT



     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): DECEMBER 5, 2001


                             Commission file number:
                                    000-15760
                             ----------------------



                                  HARDINGE INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)




NEW YORK                                      16-0470200
- --------                                      ----------
(State or other jurisdiction of               (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                 Identification No.)


                       ONE HARDINGE DRIVE ELMIRA, NY 14902
             ------------------------------------------------------
                  (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip
                                      code)


                                 (607) 734-2281
               (Registrant's telephone number including area code)

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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS


         On December 5, 2001, Hardinge Inc. issued a press release announcing a
further reduction in their North American workforce. A copy of the press release
is included as Exhibit 99 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated
herein by reference.



ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS


(a)      Not applicable
(b)      Not applicable
(c)      Exhibits

             99.1   Press Release issued by registrant on  December 5,  2001.


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                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                                           HARDINGE INC.





December  6,  2001                         By: /s/ Richard L. Simons
- ------------------                             --------------------------------
Date                                           Richard L. Simons
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer
                                               (Principal Financial Officer)


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EX-99.1

                                                                EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS BULLETIN                       |                   HARDINGE INC.
   FROM:                            |            RE:    ONE HARDINGE DRIVE
                                    |                   ELMIRA, NY  14902
                                    |                   (NASDAQ: HDNG)
THE FINANCIAL RELATIONS BOARD       |
- -----------------------------       |
 B S M G  W O R L D W I D E         |

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AT THE COMPANY:                AT THE FINANCIAL RELATIONS BOARD/BSMG WORLDWIDE:
Richard L. Simons              Kerry Thalheim              John McNamara
    EXEC VP & CFO              General Inquiries           Analyst Inquiries
    -------------              (212) 445-8437               445-8435
(607) 734-2281



        HARDINGE ANNOUNCES FURTHER REDUCTION IN NORTH AMERICAN WORKFORCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ELMIRA, N.Y., DECEMBER 5, 2001--Hardinge Inc. (NASDAQ: HDNG), a leading producer
of advanced material-cutting solutions, today announced an additional reduction
of approximately 25% in its North American workforce. This third round of
staffing layoffs, totaling approximately 40% of the Company's domestic workforce
since June 1st, is in response to further U.S. market declines in industrial
production, capacity utilization and machine tool orders.

J. Patrick Ervin, President & Chief Executive Officer, commented, "As we are all
aware, the North American manufacturing sector remains severely depressed. Our
customers, the manufacturers and job shops at the forefront of American
productivity growth, today face some of the lowest activity levels in several
decades. Domestic machine tool orders for the first three-quarters of 2001, as
reported by the Association of Manufacturing Technology, our primary trade
group, were down 33% from the depressed levels of the same nine months in 2000.
August and September orders were down approximately 50% from the same months of
2000, indicating that the trend is worsening. We expect the October and November
data to show similar declines."

"To withstand the current downturn and remain an industry leader, Hardinge must
keep our cost structure balanced with our current production needs. And that,
most unfortunately, necessitates the deep cuts we're announcing today. Hardinge
remains financially strong, and we currently expect to generate positive cash
flow, and to reduce our debt, during the next few quarters. But this is only
because we have taken very difficult cost cutting actions throughout the year,
including the layoffs we are announcing today, and because our foreign
operations are performing very well.

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"These are especially demanding times and Hardinge remains sharply focused on
our proven long-term strategy. Specifically, we will continue to invest in new
products, leveraging the Company's competitive advantage in providing
technologically advanced, high performing machines, while continuously improving
our global manufacturing capabilities, another important contributor to our
long-term success. We are also proceeding with our previously announced
realignment initiatives, including special emphasis on focusing our US based
manufacturing and engineering resources on cost-effective, high end products and
on improvements in the use of working capital," Mr. Ervin concluded.

Hardinge Inc., founded more than 100 years ago, is an international leader in
providing the latest industrial technology to companies requiring
material-cutting solutions. The Company designs and manufactures
computer-numerically controlled metal-cutting lathes, machining centers,
grinding machines and other industrial products. The Company's common stock
trades on Nasdaq under the symbol "HDNG." For more information, please visit the
Company's website at WWW.HARDINGE.COM.

THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAINS STATEMENTS OF A FORWARD-LOOKING NATURE RELATING TO
THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF HARDINGE INC. SUCH STATEMENTS ARE BASED UPON
INFORMATION KNOWN TO MANAGEMENT AT THIS TIME. THE COMPANY CAUTIONS THAT SUCH
STATEMENTS NECESSARILY INVOLVE UNCERTAINTIES AND RISK, AND DEAL WITH MATTERS
BEYOND THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO CONTROL AND IN MANY CASES THE COMPANY CANNOT
PREDICT WHAT FACTORS WOULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE
INDICATED. AMONG THE MANY FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER FROM
THOSE SET FORTH IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE
MACHINE TOOL BUSINESS CYCLES, CHANGES IN GENERAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE U.S.
OR INTERNATIONALLY, THE MIX OF PRODUCTS SOLD AND THE PROFIT MARGINS THEREON, THE
RELATIVE SUCCESS OF THE COMPANY'S ENTRY INTO NEW PRODUCT AND GEOGRAPHIC MARKETS,
THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO MANAGE ITS OPERATING COSTS, ACTIONS TAKEN BY CUSTOMERS
SUCH AS ORDER CANCELLATIONS OR REDUCED BOOKINGS BY CUSTOMERS OR DISTRIBUTORS,
COMPETITORS' ACTIONS SUCH AS PRICE DISCOUNTING OR NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS,
GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, CHANGES IN THE AVAILABILITY
AND COST OF MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND
CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS. ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN
LIGHT OF THESE FACTORS. THE COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO REVISE ITS
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS IF UNANTICIPATED EVENTS ALTER THEIR ACCURACY.

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