Year: 2020

COVID-19 has impacted all of our businesses in some way, shape or form. What lasting impacts will this experience have on our industry and the regulatory agencies that oversee it? By Steve Guglielmo, Tom Badstubner, Marilyn Dempsey, Michael Dodd and Rick Schweitzer As we enter the Fall, it seems like we have lived with COVID-19 for several decades, not six months. We have moved on from this being a novel threat to dealing with the reality of this being a part of our day-to-day lives. As we experience this “New Normal” and continue to work toward getting back to where…

Weldstar Company, headquartered in Aurora, IL, is announcing their newest store in Kenosha, WI. Weldstar Company 5416 46th Street Kenosha, WI 53144 Phone: 262-771-1177 Fax: 262-771-1178

FMCSA Publishes Resources on Driver HOS Changes.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has developed a new web-based template called Educational Tool for Hours of Service (ETHOS) to help motor carriers and drivers understand and comply with the new driver hours of service regulations. According to the webpage, “When drivers and carriers enter their duty statuses into the web-based log below, ETHOS will identify where potential violations of the following rules may have occurred: 11-hour driving limit (property) or 10-hour driving limit (passenger) 14-hour driving window (property) or 15-hour on-duty limit (passenger) 30-minute break (property) Sleeper berth provision.” Drivers may…

Improvements Are Required inCommunications Between Manufacturer, Distributor and the Customer by J. R. (Buzz) Campbell & Ken Thompson In this article, we’ll look at what’s happened in the U.S. economy relative to our Gases and Hardgoods (HG) business, make a quick review of three of the biggest Gas Majors’ first calendar half for 2020 (H1/20) financial reports, review some key products and markets affected by the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID), and discuss new challenges in selling and the need for further integration of communications between the manufacturer, distributor and customer in Hardgoods. According to the July 30, 2020, U.S. Bureau of…

Holston Gases recently recognized six of its branches for their work in 2020: Columbia, TN; Somerset, KY; Jasper, AL; Ft. Payne, AL; Louisville, KY; and Tri-Cities, TN. Click here or on the post below for more information.

In its September 30 newsletter, AWISCO announced the grand reopening of its Maspeth Store. Read the full announcement below. AWISCO Maspeth has a brand new look! Stop by our Maspeth location at 55-15 43rd St. Maspeth, NY 11378 on October 15th to check out the new store. Sales and specials will be available all day. Thank you to our generous sponsors of this celebration: Ace Industrial , Bessey Tools, Enerpac, Hougen, MK Morse, Metal Man, Miller Electric, SafTcart, Scotchman, United Abrasives, and Wilton/Jet. All of these vendors will be offering specials on this day. The company also announced the winner of its 2020…

The Morris Gold Award was presented to Nancy Brochu of Air Liquide Canada Inc., during the CGA Canada Annual Meeting Kick-off held virtually on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. The award was presented in recognition of Nancy’s outstanding and long-term contribution and leadership to the compressed gas industry and CGA Canada. Since 2004, Nancy has been participating and actively contributing to many CGA Committees including the Canadian Cylinder Specifications Committee (chair 2017-2019); Cylinder Valve Committee; Cylinder Specifications Committee; Canadian Pressure Vessels and Piping Systems Committee; Canadian Health, Safety, and Environment Committee; Canadian Transportation Committee; Canadian Medical, Food, and Beverage Gases and…

FMCSA Extends Waivers for CDLs, CLPs,  Medical Certificates Through December 31 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a further extension of its waiver of the validity of CDLs, Commercial Learner’s Permits and Driver Medical Certificates that expired on or after March 1, 2020.  The current waiver is now set to expire on December 31, 2020. State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), CDL holders, CLP holders, and interstate non-CDL CMV drivers are covered under this waiver without further action unless the driver’s privileges have been suspended or withdrawn for traffic offenses. The waiver issued by FMCSA: Extends until December 31,…

She joined the company full time in 2018. Read the full press release below. Butler Gas Products Company (Pittsburgh, PA) announces the promotion of Chelsea Smilak to Customer Service and Cylinder Tracking Manager. Chelsea joined the 3rd generation business full-time in July 2018 after a successful customer service internship following a part-time facilities maintenance position. Chelsea has grown up around Butler Gas. Her father, Joe Wilhelm, is the company’s General Manager of Operations with 28 years tenure. While in school and pursuing a retail sales career, Chelsea worked at Butler Gas part-time helping the company clean its New Brighton location.…