Author: Steve Guglielmo

The 2019 IWDC Owners’ Meeting will take place from Tuesday, October 22 – Friday, October, 25, 2019 at the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan, Florida. The IWDC Owners Meeting is an IWDC member-exclusive event consisting of various business sessions, roundtables, seminars, and networking receptions. Owners can expect to listen in on economic and industry-related speakers that broach topics such as profits, performance, national competition, independent companies, mergers and acquisitions, and much more. IWDC provides an environment where owners can come together and learn about each other’s business, share insight into their respective marketplaces and industries, and network…

GAWDA will have a booth set up at FABTECH 2019, which runs from November 11-14, 2019, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. GAWDA will be at Booth B33080 Make sure to stop by and meet with the GAWDA team. Let them know if there is anything you’ve seen or heard on the floor that would be newsworthy. As one of the largest industry shows in the world, FABTECH is a great place to potentially recruit new GAWDA members. If you notice a distributor or supplier on the floor that you believe would be a good addition to the GAWDA membership,…

Minneapolis Oxygen launched its new website. The new site will feature a new blog from “The Gas Guy.” In his first blog post, the Gas Guy said, “I’ll be here every month giving you news and information as I see it. Like the insurance commercials say, I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two—the only thing here longer than me is the company itself. Minneapolis Oxygen has been around since 1946 offering gas supply and service that you can rely on.” The new Minneapolis Oxygen website has two sections: informational and an e-store. Whether you…

Keen Compressed Gas Co. is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. A three-day celebratory event is scheduled for October 17th, 18th and 19th at Keen’s headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. Each day will consist of an open house and vendor trade show along with live demonstrations, a variety of seminars on the industry’s hottest topics, food and give-a-ways. Vendors have donated items from welding machines, welding apparel, gift cards and so much more to be gifted to random winning attendees. Keen will also provide commemorative items to attendees. Over 30 top industry manufacturer representatives will be in attendance including Miller Electric, Hypertherm,…

AWISCO’s Dennis Bicocchi attended the Maurer Foundation’s annual Pink Diamond Gala on Wednesday, October 2nd, with wife Nancy. This year’s event honored Founder and President of El Sol Contracting, Bob Pomponio and raised over $270,000! AWISCO is proud to continuously support the Maurer Foundation’s mission to save lives through breast health education. AWISCO is happy to partner with vendors who are passionate about a good cause. As part of that effort to combat breast cancer, AWISCO offers several pink products that aid in breast cancer research and education. Here are just a few of those products. Other October 15 Connection…

Newsweek Magazine, in its Sept 27, 2019 issue, has released the results of its survey of more than 9,500 online shops in the United States, compiled by Statista.  “The online shops were then organized according to their main product offering into 39 categories and subjected to testing by Newsweek analysts on 48 objective and subjective criteria.”  Based on these results, a score out of 10.00 was determined for each online shop. In the category of “DIY, Tools, Supplies,” www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com ranked 5th overall, ahead of the online sites for:  Lowes, Home Depot, and True Value.  It also ranked above any other…

FMCSA Opens Registration for Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has opened registration for motor carriers and drivers to participate in the agency’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.  The clearinghouse final rule goes 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 four things: Register with the FMCSA to use the clearinghouse.  Registration is now available on the FMCSA website. Upload information to the Clearinghouse on any drug or alcohol violations by any CDL driver that your…

Absolute Air, LLC, a consortium of independent gas companies including A-OX Welding Supply, Huber Supply Company, Minneapolis Oxygen Company, Mississippi Welders Supply Company and Toll Gas & Welding Supply with coordination and support from the Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative (IWDC), broke ground on its new, state-of-the-art Air Separation Plant, located just south of Minneapolis in Faribault, Minnesota, on Thursday, September 19, 2019. The event was attended by officials from the city of Faribault as well as Mayor Kevin Voracek. Also attending were representatives from the five companies involved with the consortium and the IWDC. Members from these companies each had…

Central Welding Supply will be hosting a Customer Appreciation Event at its Lynnwood, Washington location on October 4, 2019, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Make plans to stop by the event so that Central Welding Supply can say THANK YOU! Customer Appreciation Day October 4, 2019 – 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Central Welding Supply 19227 Hwy 99 Lynnwood, WA 98036 LUNCH TO BE SERVED: Smoked brisket, chili, coleslaw, cornbread and a beverage! Get a close-up look at the U-11 and G-55 Hydroplanes that will be on-site! See Location Details for directions and contact information. Other October 1 Connection Items: Absolute…

On 13 September 2019, Messer held its annual Safety Day across all of its sites. The focus of this year’s event was on labour’s protection discipline, because many accidents happen as a result of habitual or casual behaviour. Messer has been raising employee awareness of health, safety, environmental protection and quality assurance within the framework of an annual health and safety day since 2013. But no matter whether the topic in question is safe driving, safe handling of gases or something else: the priority for Messer is the individual and his or her health. “We want everyone to return home to…