Month: August 2019

Sherman Poppen, former owner of Lake Welding Supply in Muskegon, Michigan, and inventor of the Snurfer, a product that would later become the snowboard, died on July 31, in Griffin, Georida. He was 89 years old. To read his full obituary, including a detailed account of how Poppen became the “father of modern snowboarding” click here. View other September 1 News Items: In Memoriam: James Veite In Memoriam: Sherman Poppen In Memoriam: Jim Hoffmann A-OX Receives Validation on Manufacturing Process for Production of Medical CO2 IWDC Hires Erica Janas ALM Positioners Welcomes Davenport West Senior as Welding Apprentice Keen Compressed…

DOT Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new requirements for a Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse go into effect on January 6, 2020.  On and after that date, all companies that use drivers who have a Commercial Driver’s License or a Commercial Learner’s Permit must do three things: Register with the FMCSA to use the Clearinghouse. Registration will be available on the FMCSA website beginning in Fall 2019. Upload information to the Clearinghouse on any drug or alcohol violations by any CDL driver that your company uses. Query the Clearinghouse for drug or alcohol violations by any…

We at the Compressed Gas Association are excited to announce the availability of new eLearning modules, which participating GAWDA members can access for free. These modules provide a modern training method for introducing basic safety information to new industry employees across a range of topics, including the safe handling of compressed gases, acetylene cylinders and cryogenic liquids in portable containers. First launched in 2011, the partnership between GAWDA and the Compressed Gas Association provides participating GAWDA distributor members with complimentary access to CGA’s electronic safety publication library (enabling one employee per company location to gain free access to CGA’s library…

Truck procurement has been a key challenge for private fleets, for-hire carriers and establishments that rely on trucking across many industries, including welding, manufacturing, construction and retail. This challenge has been accentuated by the backlog of orders for Class-8 heavy-duty trucks, mainly stemming from an American economy that has been wholesome and resilient ever since the Great Recession ended in 2010, and a dilapidated industry attitude toward truck procurement that is finally changing. Class-8 truck orders and sales continued at a healthy stride through much of 2018, as many companies saw the necessity to upgrade to newer equipment or add…

No, we’re not talking about the Dave Matthews song, but that’s a nice lead in to a discussion of the volume range for CO2 between beverage and bulk. CO2 is a critical supply component in the beverage industry for fountains, taps, etc. First came cylinders, then a supply mode change to “bulk” filled onsite, which offered the advantages of eliminating product swap and supply interruptions. This led to an expansion of the microbulk model to the atmospheric gases. Both modes are long past new, but both are constantly looking for the next big move, and equipment suppliers are doing a…

Let’s say you’ve spent money and time building your website and creating a social media identity on Facebook and Twitter. You have a dedicated marketing resource working on email campaigns and a team on the phones for both inside and outside sales. But your revenues have been unexpectedly low for the last month, or maybe your inventory is too high for a certain item, or Tuesday mornings are notoriously slow. You need to generate immediate sales. Do you have the right marketing tools to sell something right now? Do you have the right tools to sell a specific product immediately?…

Rooted in the magnificent Pacific Northwest, OXARC is a leading U.S. industrial gas distributorship with over 360 staff members and 22 locations serving the tri-state area of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Founded by Jerry Walmsley, the company began with his purchase of Northwest Oxygen Company in Spokane, Washington, in 1968. From that first shop with 15 employees, Jerry and his team developed one of the largest industrial gas distributorships in the nation. Jerry remains active in the business as chairman of the board, and his daughter, Jana Nelson, who has been with the company since 1975, serves as OXARC’s president.…

In 2005, engineer Robert Niven attended a United Nations summit on climate change, where he witnessed a global demand for solutions to reduce carbon emissions. Inspired by the summit, Niven considered the applications of waste emissions in the construction industry and founded CarbonCure, a CO2 utilization company with a mission to reduce the carbon footprint of the concrete industry. His solution? To turn waste carbon dioxide into a valuable commodity — concrete. How Does it Work? The CarbonCure Technology injects a precise dose of liquid carbon dioxide into ready-mix concrete and concrete masonry products, chemically converting the CO2 into a…

The proliferation of products containing cannabidiol (CBD) oil has further muddied the issues of testing and restrictions on drivers with a Commercial Driver’s License. CBD oil is a type of cannabinoid, one of several naturally occurring chemicals that can be found exclusively in cannabis plants. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), however, CBD does not produce a “high” or psychotropic experience. Using marijuana for recreational reasons is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and using medical marijuana is legal in 33 states and D.C. Possession or use of marijuana remains illegal under federal law, however; it is listed in Schedule…

It has been a few years since I last published this article, but it is an extremely important topic. I conduct high-pressure cylinder/liquid container/carbon dioxide cylinder filling classes for GAWDA members all across the country. There are four items that I stress during my training classes that, if done, really reduce the chances of fatality or serious injury to our employees and customers. 1. Hammer test (dead ring) all steel cylinders. The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires all steel cylinders approved to go 10 years between requalification to pass a hammer test prior to each fill. Hammer testing is a…