Year: 2018

FMCSA Publishes ANPRM on Driver HOS Reform The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced that it is seeking public comment on revising four specific areas of current driver hours-of-service regulations, which limit the operating hours of commercial truck drivers for motor carriers of property. The agency stated its upcoming Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future, responds to widespread congressional, industry, and citizen concerns and seeks feedback from the public to determine if HOS revisions may alleviate unnecessary burdens placed on drivers while maintaining safety on our nation’s highways…

Wright Brothers, Inc. Announces New General Manager Wright Brothers, Inc. announces Josh Jacob in the new role of General Manager. He is part of the team supporting both Wright Brothers, Inc. and Wright Brothers Global Gas, LLC. Josh previously worked in Boston with Restaurant Technologies and has recently returned home to Cincinnati. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and worked at CIMCOOL and Milacron before moving to Boston. Tech Air Announces Acquisitions of Speed Industrial Supply, Leeper Brothers, and Colorado Distributing Tech Air, a Connecticut-based distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases and related equipment and…

Black Stallion Introduces New Welding Cap and NFPA 2112/NFPA 70E Certified Welding Jacket Black Stallion introduces the AH1630-GS welding cap. Constructed of single-layer flame-resistant cotton, the cap provides lightweight protection with less heat trapping. The bill on the cap is wider and longer than other welding caps, offering excellent neck protection against sparks and sunburn. Hidden within the bill is a flap of durable 7-ounce FR cotton. When extended over a welding jacket collar, the flap provides additional neck protection. Black Stallion is also now offering a new NFPA 2112 & NFPA 70E Certified FR Cotton Welding Jacket (JF2220-GY). Certified to…

Anyone who’s ever gone hiking will tell you that the only thing more satisfying than the view from the top is reflecting on the effort it took to get up there. Building a business is a similar endeavor — you begin with a fixed goal in mind, and then find the people, equipment and processes it will take to get you there. Welding & Gases Today interviewed members who are marking significant milestones in their journey to the top. We asked what investments they have made to get them where they are today and what initiatives they plan on undertaking…

John Rossman Managing Partner, Rossman Partners Former Amazon Executive John Rossman is most known for launching and scaling the Amazon Marketplace business, which now accounts for over 50 percent of all Amazon units sold and shipped. He also served as director of enterprise services at Amazon.com, where he managed worldwide services to enterprise clients, including Target, Sears and the NBA. Since leaving Amazon, he has advised clients across most industry verticals on digital strategy, operations and culture. He is now managing partner at Rossman Partners. John is the author of “The Amazon Way: 14 Leadership Principles Behind the World’s Most Disruptive…

Read the 2018 member anniversary story here. 

What are the odds of a business reaching its 100th operational anniversary? According to Yale University Professor Richard Foster, they’re not high. He finds the current average lifespan of a company listed in the S&P 500 index of leading U.S. companies is just 15 years — and that rate is falling.1 Defying these statistics is the O.E. Meyer Company, a Sandusky, Ohio, industrial/medical gases, welding products and specialty medical products distributor, now celebrating its centennial. The company’s secrets to longevity include a commitment to and investment in its employees, strong working relationships with partners and the community, quality leadership and…

Sales professionals operate within broad territories, are tasked with challenging goals and interact with a great many people. Effectiveness as a sales rep, therefore, requires organization — lots of it. As a sales manager and trainer, I am aware of the importance of organization, so I am constantly looking for ways to improve territory management. In fact, I’ve developed key tools designed to help sales reps become more organized and improve their management techniques. The Inspiration Key There is an effective way to inspire even the most reluctant trainees, I’ve found. Early in my career, at Bruce Breier’s seminar, The…

You’re nearing retirement and your financial advisor keeps urging you to cash out and diversify. That’s an option; but suppose you’re not ready to just walk away. You spent a lifetime building your business — maybe even generations — and you need to know that your family, employees and customers will be taken care of. Welding & Gases Today sat down with Tech Air CEO Myles Dempsey Jr., who has come up with an innovative solution for allowing distributors to remain in the game by inviting them to partner with Tech Air. How does it work? Myles explained: “For example,…

You’re nearing retirement and your financial advisor keeps urging you to cash out and diversify. That’s an option; but suppose you’re not ready to just walk away. You spent a lifetime building your business — maybe even generations — and you need to know that your family, employees and customers will be taken care of. Welding & Gases Today sat down with Tech Air CEO Myles Dempsey Jr., who has come up with an innovative solution for allowing distributors to remain in the game by inviting them to partner with Tech Air. How does it work? Myles explained: “For example,…

GAWDA distributor and supplier members generally know their stuff. They know their customers, they’re aware of the newest models of goods on the market and they understand the ins and outs and operational necessities of the gases and welding distribution business. Because they’re so involved with the day-to-day, though, they may not be as up-to-date as they’d like on the myriad issues that envelope the industry. Still, there are legal, safety and regulatory requirements and demands that are integral to their business functions and are an essential part of their operations. Those matters frequently change or have updates. That’s where…

Congress and the Department of Transportation are working to provide companies operating truck fleets some additional flexibility in complying with the driver hours of service regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued guidance that liberalizes the rules for using a commercial motor vehicle as a “personal conveyance.”  The new guidance allows a driver to record time operating a CMV for personal conveyance (i.e., for personal use or reasons) as off-duty when the driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work by the motor carrier, even when the CMV is laden.  The FMCSA added that motor…

Special Permits There are two kinds of DOT special permits: permits for manufacturing packages that are different from approved specifications, and permits that let you do things differently than what is found in the published regulations. A special permit is an alternative method of complying with the Hazardous Materials Regulations. It will cover a new process, product or materials that are not specifically referenced in the regulations. You need to apply and obtain authority from DOT to hold a special permit. This is known as “party to” status. On File at Each Location If you have a package that has a special…

Effectively training your employees can accomplish several important goals: regulatory compliance, standardization, employee performance improvement, loss reduction and profit improvement. GAWDA members have access to a variety of training resources and training formats. Select the format that best meets your business requirements. GAWDA University GAWDA U Online is an employee training curriculum and management tracking protocol that addresses many of your training needs in the areas of compliance with safety practices and government regulations, which are impacting your core business. GAWDA University is facilitated by Norco, a GAWDA member. To sign up for the program, send an email to Michelle…

Have you downloaded the very useful GAWDA Event App yet? If not, you’ll want to do that before you arrive at the Annual Convention. The special events GAWDA app is designed to help members track events, communicate and share information while they attend the association’s national meetings. This year, the App will be used to scan your entry into the Contact Booth Program, notes John Ospina, GAWDA executive director. So make sure you have it on your phone when you attend that event.  Here is a video showing how to download the app. 11 Function Buttons The app currently features…

Cryovation Offering Three New Products Cryovation is expanding its product line with three new offerings: a moisture detection system, a cryogenic pump and an argon purifier system. CryoVation’s MasterSense System is designed to detect residual moisture in carbon dioxide cylinders. This unit was developed primarily for the beverage industry but is applicable to all CO2 cylinder re-filling. It features a 15-second detection process, with a single or dual cylinder option. The CryoVation CV40 Cryogenic Pump is designed to increase speed and reduce both maintenance and downtime. It delivers up to 4.0 GPM (15 LPM) and up to 4,000 PSI…