Author: GAWDA MEDIA

The foresight, innovation and generosity of second-generation owner O.E. Meyer Jr. in the 1980s has carried the company through a family-owned to employee-owned transition. Today, it celebrates 100 successful years in business as a 100 percent employee-owned firm. Company Origins O.E. Meyer Company began in 1918 when Omar E. Meyer Sr., who had been a lake captain, joined his brother in the operation of a welding shop. The company now operates eight locations in Ohio and has headquarters in Sandusky. The Decision In mid-1982, as Omar Jr. got up in age, he pondered what to do with the company. Meyer…

GAWDA is looking for 25 new distributor members and 15 new supplier members. Those are the goals set for the Member-Get-a-Member campaign this year. The program, being led by the Member Services Committee, assisted by headquarters staff and involving the entire membership, is an important program for 2018 for GAWDA. The program is designed to strengthen, grow and diversify the distributor and supplier business organization. Membership growth is a goal that will help to sustain the Gases and Welding Distributors Association even in an environment of continuing acquisitions and consolidations across the industry, according to 2017–2018 Committee Co-Chair Linda Smith…

Get Yourself – and Your Associates and Employees – To These Great Events! Have you ever attended a GAWDA Regional Meeting? They’re like mini versions of GAWDA’s national conferences. They’re packed with the same kind of great information. They’re attended by GAWDA consultants, association leaders and a great assortment of suppliers and distributors. They’re the chance to meet others from different regions and network with people in the industry who can give you new ideas or help you boost your business. Regionals are also a great way to introduce prospective members to the association and all it has to offer…

In the early 1990s, when many were pondering what the term “biotech” meant, the team at Middlesex Gases and Technologies saw an emerging market. As fabricators moved out of its New England territory, creating challenges for the welding and hardgoods business, Middlesex liked what it saw moving in. As Bo Martin, chief executive officer of Middlesex Gases and Technologies, explains, “In 1992, we changed our name from Middlesex Welding Supply to Middlesex Gases and Technologies Inc. Since then, we have invested heavily in the growing biotech and life sciences market.” Being able to spot the next best business opportunity seems…

By William McCloy You’ve seen it before – a good employee makes a horrible decision in his or her personal vehicle. What are the implications for your company if the employee’s license is revoked, canceled or suspended due to alcohol, controlled substance or felony violations?  If the employee in question is a CDL driver, he or she will lose driving privileges for one year. But what if he or she doesn’t hold a CDL, but instead drives a company sales car or pick-up truck? What if the incident involves excessive speed, reckless driving or bodily harm? What happens then? As…

By Dale Meyerrose If you’re a regular reader of this publication, you know that integrity, trust and reliability, safety and tested and proven are among this industry’s most prominent qualities. If any of those attributes are developed, produced, marketed, sold, distributed or maintained with technology, another component must be added to that list of core competencies: cybersecurity. Eyes gloss over at the mere mention of cybersecurity, followed by the hopeless dread of the inevitable. Yet, many would be surprised that cybersecurity is not about technology; it is a human proposition regarding value and risk. Don’t believe me? Every creditable study…

By Lyndon Friesen Conflict can be defined as a misalignment of goals or values between two or more people.  As Amer Obeidi explained in his thesis on the subject for his University of Waterloo doctor of philosophy program, “Conflict is driven by the perceived incompatibility of something of relevance, and the interference of others on the achievement of one’s goals.”  Conflict resolution is a critical conversation that, when approached with the right attitude and skills, can promote healthier workplace relationships by aligning goals and values. Navigating Resolution In the workplace, there are many reasons why conflict can occur. One of…

By Paul Bernier The “Customer Experience,” or “CX,” has been labeled by many as the new marketing battlefield.  What is CX?  It’s your customers’ perception of how they were treated and how they feel about their experience with your business. In other words, if a customer likes you and feels he or she was treated well during the business transaction, that person will not only become a loyal customer, but also is likely to recommend your business to others. As we all know, word-of-mouth testimonials and personal endorsements are of huge value to businesses. It’s important to understand that CX…

By Kelly Bladow From the driver’s seat to the dock, and whether you’re a gas producer, hardgoods retailer or product manufacturer, there’s no getting away from the necessity of putting safety first in all aspects of welding supplies and gases distribution industry operations.  If you haven’t already established a complete safety program within your company, you may feel that it’s a daunting thing to do. I’m happy to say that putting such a program in place is fairly simple – at least in obtaining the materials for it and in what’s involved in implementation. The trick to getting a safety…

By Rich Craig The Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) and the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) both work to promote safety and safe operations in the welding and gases industry.  We do this to ensure we are protecting the public, our employees and our facilities from the inherent hazards of our industry.  Every aspect of our industry requires respect for the products and related equipment: the containers themselves are heavy and contain gas stored at high pressures and the products present a range of hazards, including extreme cold, flammability, toxicity and asphyxiation. Delivering these products to our customers also has…