Author: Steve Guglielmo

DOT Secretary Testifies on Infrastructure Priorities.  Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg testified on March 25 before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on the administration’s priorities for infrastructure legislation. The secretary’s testimony did not include any specifics on the administration’s approach to transportation infrastructure programs or how to finance them.  (President Biden separately said that the administration’s infrastructure package will be made available March 31.)  But Secretary Buttigieg said that the country faces a trillion dollar backlog of needed repairs and improvements in infrastructure. The prepared testimony and response to questions from committee members had repeated themes of addressing…

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GAWDA extends its condolences to the friends and family of Ron Pierce, who passed away on Thursday, March 18, at the age of 87. Ron was a former president of AWS and served as Chairman Emeritus of the AWS Foundation. His obituary can be read in full below: Ronald Carter Pierce, 87, a resident of Daphne suddenly passed away on Thursday, March 18, 2021. He is survived by his wife of 66 years Joyce A. Pierce of Daphne, AL; four children, Jeffery (Rhonda) Pierce of Pensacola, FL, Judy (Bill) Miller of Gulf Breeze, FL, Gregory (Sabrina) Pierce of Daphne, AL,…

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FMCSA Hosts Analysis, Research and Technology Forum.  On March 10, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration hosted its annual Analysis, Research and Technology Forum to highlight the agency’s ongoing research and analysis dedicated to improving motor carrier safety. The forum heard presentations from FMCSA staff on trends in commercial motor vehicle safety, agency enforcement efforts, policies on automated commercial motor vehicles, and FMCSA research activities supporting those efforts. The FMCSA Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics was referenced as a source for data on truck inspections, operational mileage and crashes by type.  The guide also includes the most…

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The AWS Foundation offers four National Educator Scholarships, ranging from $2,500 – $4,500. ➡ Deadline is April 1st, apply today! https://t.co/TfjbsiaCnF 🔹#americanweldingsociety #weldingisAWSome #welding #welder #stem #scholarship pic.twitter.com/mKoIPBTZRR — AWS.org (@AWSHQ) March 3, 2021

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F&M MAFCO, a leading international supplier of tools and equipment rental, sales, and service programs, announced the opening of an expansive facility in Kansas City, Missouri. This recent opening comes three months after the opening of its Evansville, Indiana facility. According to Tim Fries, COO of F&M MAFCO, “We are very excited about the opening of our Kansas City facility. It gives us an important foothold in the region as we grow our strategic tool management programs across both our current and prospective customer bases.” He added, “Both our StrikeForce and NEXT S.T.E.P. complete tool management outsourcing programs continue to…

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Holston Gases is proud to announce the ground-breaking of a $3,000,000 construction project at its Kentucky region headquarter in Louisville, KY. Holston will be expanding its current site by building a Welcoa-designed fully automated cylinder fill plant. This project will double the size of the current facility while significantly increasing its specialty gas capabilities. The new facility will improve Holston’s capabilities to service its current customers across its 10 Kentucky locations while allowing for future growth and expansion into the lower Midwest. 

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By Gary Konarska, Executive Director and CEO of the American Welding Society (AWS) During times of crisis, good business leaders control the factors they can, adapt readily and plan for life post-crisis. Our industry successfully controlled its destiny by ensuring that welding, cutting and related companies were deemed “essential businesses.” As a result, comparatively more workers retained their jobs. One might think the pandemic temporarily alleviated the shortage of skilled welders, but it actually exacerbated it in many instances, such as when one person testing positive required an entire department to self-isolate. Lack of a stable workforce has hindered organizations…

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FMCSA Extends CDL, CLP, Medical Card Waiver Through May 31 – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended its waiver of requirements for renewal of Commercial Driver Licenses, Commercial Learner’s Permits and Medical Certificates through May 31 due to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency.    The waiver permits, but does not require, States to extend the validity of CDLs due for renewal on or after March 1, 2020 beyond the 8-year maximum period of validity set forth in 49CFR 383.73(b)(9) and 383.73(d)(6). Under this waiver, States have the discretion to determine whether, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, there…

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The following are responses from GAWDA suppliers across North America about what they expect to see in 2021. To see video interviews for those suppliers who participated, visit the GAWDA Media channel on YouTube or check buyersguide.gawdamedia.com to see individual company responses with embedded videos. Thank you so much to all who participated! Weldcoa expects sales to be up in 2021. “The disruptions that occurred this year didn’t cancel any projects. It put them on hold,” says President and Co-Owner Hector Villarreal. “In fact, it sped some of them up. But ultimately, I think a lot of projects that were…

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