Year: 2018

You placed an online order for $70 yesterday and just now, your phone pinged with the satisfying notification that your package has shipped. The bottom of the email includes a tracking link. Knowing full well that the package won’t arrive for at least 48 hours, chances are, you click on it anyway. Why? When you have already ordered and paid for something, it’s just nice to know where it is. It gives you a measure of control, and as a consumer, you have come to expect this level of accountability in any transaction. Now imagine that you are a distributor…

With medical marijuana now legal in 30 states, the cannabis business is booming across America, with a thriving niche market for distributors. There are several gases used in cannabis production: propane for CO2 generators, gas CO2 for emitters and a variety of gases used in extraction systems. According to Jana Nelson, president of OXARC, Inc., the legalization of marijuana in Oregon and Washington state has opened a big market for gas distributors, and supplying CO2 to cannabis farmers is now a significant portion of OXARC’s business. The Role of CO2 in Plant Processes Carbon dioxide is essential to plant processes.…

Many people think of trade shows as mostly fun for the customers, who are likely to be wined, dined and wooed by suppliers, but when you consider the cost of attendance and the importance of careful and economical purchases, both sides have an equal stake in making the most of a trade show experience. According to the Association of Event Organizers, 87 percent of business directors agree that it is easier to communicate face-to-face rather than on the phone or via email. GAWDA’s Contact Booth Program offers members a unique opportunity to connect with both sides of the welding and…

Your company has decided to rent a booth at an upcoming trade show. Before you make reservations and pack your bags, here are some tips from trade show experts on what you will need on the show floor and how to maximize your time in the booth, land solid sales leads and create your follow-up strategy. Before You Go After you’ve chosen the right show based on who is expected to be there — customers/prospects, vendors and competitors — pre-show communications, whether electronic or snail mail, will ensure others know you will be there and what you will be showcasing.…

Two recent decisions regarding hazardous materials transportation in California, one from a federal agency and one from a court, could have a nationwide impact on the transportation of hazardous materials. Hazmat Carriers Granted Preemption of California Meal and Rest Break Requirements On Sept. 21, 2018, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a decision preempting the California meal and rest break requirements as applied to drivers of vehicles transporting hazardous materials. The decision granted a petition for preemption filed by the National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC).  NTTC argued that the California meal and rest break regulations should…

There were several DOT Compliance Reviews (audits) conducted on GAWDA members in 2018. In the past, these audits were typically initiated as a security review, and while the inspectors were on site they reviewed other topics such as shipping papers, driver qualification files, alcohol and substance abuse programs, hours of service records, vehicle files and other DOT items as desired. Now that the Safety Measurement System (SMS) is in full swing, we have members with high scores being targeted for an on-site audit. You will also be visited if you request to become a party to a special permit for…

Successful specialty gas professionals consistently use sales techniques and systems to increase their performance. Of course, it is essential to understand the chemistry, operations and distribution of your products. However, long-term success requires attention to the systematic behaviors that keep new, profitable prospects in the sales pipeline. Here are examples of key systematic behaviors I have observed from the best specialty gas sales professionals. Respect and Thank Your Customer – Ed Pyle You worked hard to find and cultivate your valued customer. You genuinely appreciate the trust he/she places in you to solve their problems and contribute to their success.…

New Contact Information for A Weldors Supply Company A Weldors Supply Co., Inc. has a new fax and phone number. They can now be reached at: A WELDORS SUPPLY CO. INC. 8136 W. Reno Ave. Box 82184 Oklahoma City, OK 73128 Phone: 405-672-1484 Fax: 405-677-0056 www.aweldorssupply.com

Metallica Awards Job-Training Grant to GRCC Legendary heavy metal band Metallica is awarding Grand Rapids Community College a $100,000 grant to connect more nontraditional students to in-demand welding jobs. GRCC is one of 10 colleges selected nationwide for the Metallica Scholars grant. The band’s All Within My Hands Foundation has teamed up with the American Association of Community Colleges on the project, aimed at providing workforce training for community college students and reinvesting in cities where the band has toured. “All of us in the band feel fortunate that music has provided us the opportunity to be successful doing something…

Fluoramics Formula-8 Now Available in 15-Gram Tube Fluoramics, Inc., has introduced a new 15-gram tube of Formula-8 thread sealant, which was first introduced by Fluoramics in 1967. This smaller-sized packaging will appeal to occasional users of Formula-8, and those who are applying thread sealants on fine threads or in harder to reach locations. In addition, manufacturers will find it easy to include a 15-gram tube of Formula-8 with their product or kit shipments. Formula-8 (the original PTFE thread sealant) is a shear-sensitive paste that sheets out into PTFE strings when torqued and delivers exceptional sealing performance on all sizes of…

DataOnline and Computers Unlimited Establish Partnership for the Industrial Gas Market DataOnline and Computers Unlimited have announced a new partnership focused on the industrial gas marketplace. This partnership offers customers an automated integration between DataOnline and CU solutions to optimize the delivery process and minimize road miles, all while helping ensure product availability. DataOnline gathers and manages tank monitoring data (including volume, temperature, pressure and other parameters) and offers this operating information to CU and its industrial gas customers via a secure and highly reliable connection. Robert Barnacle, DataOnline president, commented, “DataOnline is always looking to expand the capabilities of our…

Unified Carrier Registration If your company has one or more commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) that cross state lines, you are required to register and pay a fee based on the number of vehicles involved in interstate transit. This must be done on the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) website at www.ucr.gov and is due by Jan. 1st each year. Like last year, the administration has not settled on the fee structure yet, so you can’t currently complete the registration. Please check the website every week or so until they open up the registration process. A couple of key points to remember:…

Saint-Gobain Abrasives Offering New Line of Norton Carbide Burrs Saint-Gobain Abrasives has introduced a new line of Norton Carbide Burrs designed for surface removal on demanding production runs with less changeovers. The hardness of a tungsten-carbide substrate, stronger tooth formulation due to a decreased tooth wedge angle and numerous cutting edges, all provide the new Norton Double-Cut Carbide Burrs with a significantly extended life and better stock removal performance. “Our Double-Cut Carbide Burrs can be used longer with fewer changeovers on challenging production applications as to compared to other double-cut burrs,” said Patrick Carroll, Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives senior product…

Central Welding Supply Announces the Acquisition of AXIUM Gases Northwest Dale Wilton, CEO of Central Welding Supply, has announced the acquisition of AXIUM Gases Northwest, establishing a new location for Central Welding Supply in the Medford, Oregon area. Effective Nov. 4, 2018, the new location at 1322 Antelope Road, White City, Oregon, expands Central Welding Supply’s reach of service to the Rogue River Valley in southern Oregon. AXIUM Gases Northwest was established by Bruce and Colleen Tozer, and had been a distributor of Central Welding Supply gases and hardgoods. “We’re pleased to add the AXIUM Gases Northwest team, including prior…

American Torch Tip Co. Receives Patent for CleanCut Nozzle Technology American Torch Tip Company, an American manufacturer of welding and cutting torches, consumables, parts and accessories, has announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent for their CleanCut Nozzle Technology. ATTC’s CleanCut Nozzles feature a smooth-bore configuration that reduces turbulence, pressurizes and accelerates cutting gases to produce ultra-smooth cuts. American Torch Tip originally announced the launch of its CleanCut Nozzle and Electrode combination in mid-2017. Combined with the CleanCut Electrode, American Torch Tip has found a minimum of a 30% increase in consumable life in…

Simplified Sample Procedures Available for Food Gases – Qualified Facilities The new Food Safety Modernization Act and 21 CFR 117 allow for easier and modified compliance if your company can claim “Qualified Facility” status. There are two ways to claim Qualified Facility status. The most common way to meet the Qualified Facility definition is if your entire company sells under $1,000,000 per year of food gases. The modified requirements reduce the burden for Hazard Analysis and Risk-based Preventive Controls (HARPC) and for the Supply-chain Program. If you wish to claim “Qualified Facility” status and take advantage of these modified compliance requirements, you must submit an “Attestation”…

FMCSA Seeks Approval to Research Driver Schedules and Fatigue The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has requested approval from the Office of Management and Budget to investigate how commercial motor vehicle drivers’ schedules impact overall driver performance and safety. See 83 Fed. Reg. 53945 (October 25, 3018). The agency also seeks public comments on its proposal. The FMCSA intends to match data collected from driver logs with crash information to determine the level of crash risk by hours of driving. The agency also plans to estimate, for similarly situated drivers, the difference in crash risk after restarts that include two…

Hypertherm Releases New Version of Rotary Tube Pro Software Hypertherm has announced the release of a new version of its Rotary Tube Pro software that makes it easier to design and cut tube and pipe parts with no 3D CAD experience required. The new update includes a number of new features designed to speed the programming process. For example, automatic nesting is now standard, allowing software users to nest multiple quantities of the same part or different parts on stock tube. Users can add parts to the part list and build a stock list for nesting, maintain the seam orientation during nesting,…

Weiler Abrasives Group Expands Brand Globally Weiler Abrasives Group, a leading provider of abrasives, power brushes and maintenance products for surface conditioning, announced the rebranding of the European division of the company. SWATYCOMET d.o.o. in Maribor, Slovenia is now Weiler Abrasives d.o.o. and Toroflex GmbH in Bindlach, Germany is now Weiler Abrasives GmbH. The rebranding reinforces the vision, mission and values of Weiler Abrasives in the global market, joining all regions in their focus to build lasting partnerships with customers and deliver innovative cutting, grinding and finishing solutions worldwide — under a unified corporate brand. “We are excited about our…

American Torch Tip Now Offering Tregaskiss Tough Lock Contact Tips and Diffusers American Torch Tip is now offering Tregaskiss Tough Lock-style contact tips and diffusers. These American-made tips and diffusers are designed for lasting quality and available in standard copper and chrome zirconium in a wide variety of sizes for both robotic and manual use.