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Your Workforce...Teamwork in Action Excitement is in the air as the economy gets warmer and the industry heats up, and GAWDA members are making that excitement felt at all levels of their companies. GAWDA Distributors across the country were polled on how they are ensuring business success by energizing their employees.
As the key link between management and customers, employees are arguably our most valuable resource, and happy, motivated and successful employees can forge better, longer-lasting relationships with our customers. For GAWDA members, there is no one secret to keeping employees motivated to work harder, strive for improvement and remain loyal. Company leaders express employee value in many ways, from awards and profit-sharing plans to training opportunities and social events. Noel's Inc. (Farmington, NM) President Greg Noel believes that employees are motivated when they understand that they have a voice in the company, which makes them feel like they have a greater stake in it. "I ask my employees' opinions, since they're in a better position than I am to hear and talk with customers," he explains. "When employees are part of the decision-making process as to what to go into and how to keep the business afloat, that keeps them active in trying to plan the future of the business." Noel also encourages his employees to take part in training programs, especially when economic times are slower, since such training not only increases the employee's knowledge and abilities, but also his or her value to the company. House of Representatives Passes AHPs The U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 4281, a bill to create Association Health Plans (AHPs), which are health insurance purchasing pools designed to let small businesses group together to increase their clout in the marketplace and get lower insurance rates. This marks the second time such legislation has been introduced and passed by the House. In June 2003, H.R. 660 passed but was stalled in the Senate. Reps. John Boehner (R-OH), Sam Johnson (R-TX), Max Burns (R-GA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) and Cal Dooley (D-CA) introduced the new bill this spring, and it passed the House 252-162. It is expected to face considerable opposition in the Senate. To read more about AHPs, please click here. More strategies to combat rising insurance costs are outlined in the summer issue of Welding & Gases Today, mailed and online June 15. HM Incident Reports The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) delayed the effective date of changes to the hazmat incident reporting form, DOT Form F 5800.1 until January 1, 2005. The form was revised in a final rule in RSPA Docket HM-229. The new form will not be accepted for reports of incidents that occur prior to January 1, 2005. By that date, RSPA intends to have an operational electronic system that will allow companies to file incident reports electronically (written reports will also be accepted). GAWDA's Safety and Technology Organizer for June is now available online at www.gawda.org/secure/safetyorganizer.cfm. The GAWDA Clearinghouse has also been updated for June 2004 and may be viewed by clicking here.You will need your user name and password to access these areas of the GAWDA Web site. If you have forgotten your login, or if you need one, please e-mail gawda@gawda.org. Machine & Welding Supply Filters Out Hassles Be forewarned. The next time you're out looking for a partnership success story and you want a seat-of-the-pants, you-won't-believe-how-we-got-this-sale type of narrative, don't knock on the door of Machine & Welding Supply Company of Dunn, NC, and its Vice President Jeff Johnson. And the reason for that, in a nutshell, is consistent customer service over the long haul meeting with opportunity for a fresh sale.
Machine and Welding's longtime customer, a filter manufacturer, wanted to find a more compatible and user-friendly weld wire to use in its oil refining filter production. The carpenter 320 stainless steel alloy used in the weld was adequate, but the customer wanted to try something new, a specialized inconel 625 alloy, a nickel-chrome mix. The use of this special alloy requires additional certifications and thus demands more “legwork” on the part of the distributor. Johnson says, "We are going to do whatever it takes to make our customers happy, and our branch manager in Greensboro, Danny Hollifield, had taken good care of this customer for many years." That history of service was rewarded when the customer offered Machine & Welding the opportunity to investigate the alloy. Of course, Machine & Welding needed more than its own solid reputation to close the deal; it needed a supplier equally dedicated to customer service. Johnson called on Bohler Thyssen Welding. As Johnson explains, "In selecting a partner for this promotion, the supplier had to meet a lot of criteria." In particular, they needed to meet the special certifications for this alloy, and they needed to have a highly qualified local salesperson. Bohler Thyssen qualified on both counts. Bohler Thyssen's Regional Manager Bill Preece visited the customer with Machine & Welding's Hollified to explain the features of the special alloy, and the best method for welding. Preece also explained Bohler Thyssen's precertified supply of inconel 625. This last item was of utmost importance to the customer, as specialized alloys can have delays in delivery when certifications are incomplete.
Hollifield adds another caveat. "The customer has always depended on us to steer them in the right direction, and since they had never used these wires before, their trust in us was critical to the sale." Once the deal was completed and delivery began, "There were no hitches whatsoever," adds Hollifield. Bohler Thyssen delivered the wire on time, with all the analytical paperwork and certifications "ready to go." Ready to go. When both distributor and vendor share that approach to a customer's needs, you can bet that all manner of pebbles and problems are easily filtered out of the equation. GAWDA welcomes new Distributor Member Win Welding Supply of Fort Worth, TX. INDUSTRY
BEAT
Lincoln Electric Appoints New President and CEO (Cleveland, OH) • After a thorough evaluation process, conducted by a special search committee of the Board of Directors, John M. Stropki Jr. was named president and CEO of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., effective immediately. Stropki succeeds Anthony A. Massaro, who held the position for eight years. Massaro had previously announced his intention to retire and has agreed to remain as chairman for an interim period to ensure a seamless and successful transition. Mr. Stropki is only the seventh CEO in Lincoln Electric's 109-year existence. Stropki began
work in Lincoln Electric’s Cleveland factory 35 years ago while
attending college, initially rising through the Company’s sales
organization. In 1996, he was named executive vice president and
president, North America, taking on a much broader role in both
sales and operations for both the U.S. and Canada. He was elected
to the Board of Directors in 1998 and, last year, became chief operating
officer, responsible for North America, Latin America, Europe and
Russia, Africa and the Middle East. GAWDA
Petition Granted
•
The FDA granted
the petition filed by GAWDA and CGA in July 2000 that the agency
stop "presenting, conducting, publishing or otherwise issuing
Fresh Air speeches or documents, or making available previous Fresh
Air speeches." The FDA has not issued any Fresh Air speeches
since that time. The FDA also granted GAWDA's request for additional
guidance on medical gases cGMPs through a guidance document, which
is currently under consideration at the agency. In practical terms,
this ruling means little, as the FDA has already stopped issuing
Fresh Air speeches and has issued draft medical gas guidance. But
in legal terms, it means that the FDA recognizes implicitly the
illegal nature of the Fresh Air speeches under the Administrative
Procedures Act. Alpena
Acquires Company
(Alpena, MI) •
Alpena Supply
Co. acquired the assets and five employees of Northern Michigan
Welding Supply/Medair Equipment Supply Operations in Charlevoix,
MI. "We are now serving markets extending from mid-Michigan
up into and including the Upper Peninsula," says President
Bill Kelly.
N.H. Bragg & Sons Turns 150 (Bangor, ME) • Still owned and managed by its original founding family, N.H. Bragg & Sons celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. In 1854, blacksmith Norris H. Bragg set up shop in downtown Bangor, ME, selling metal fittings and other supplies for horse-drawn carriages. The company remained at its original location until 1967, when it moved to the Bangor Industrial Park, where it is today. A fifth-generation company, Bragg's great-great-grandson, current President John Bragg, says that while the company has a fascinating past, he is also excited about its future. The company's 70 employees will spend the entire quarter celebrating this milestone with a variety of events. In April, they hosted over 200 local Chamber of Commerce members at the company's newly expanded 10,000-sq.-ft. showroom, and in May they gathered for an employee dinner. On June 9, 80 of the company's suppliers will attend a public open house with a live remote radio broadcast. A commemorative history book is being written and is scheduled to be published this summer. Airgas Hits the Small Screen (Radnor, PA) • Airgas, Inc. is the exclusive supplier of cutting and welding gases, welding consumables, safety products, and other industrial and MRO supplies to Discovery Channel's newest series, BIG!, which premiered June 1. BIG! is a 16-part series in which host Frank Payne challenges his team of craftsmen, fabricators, builders, designers and artists to think big and to build even bigger each week. The show takes everyday objects and creates them in a whole new dimension—BIG! Using Airgas products and services, the series creates one enormous object each episode, including a 22-foot-tall popcorn popper and a 30-foot-long electric guitar. The series is scheduled to appear at 9 p.m. ET/PT Tuesdays on the Discovery Channel. AOC Builds New Store (San Antonio, TX) • AOC-Acetylene Oxygen Company broke ground for a new store in southern San Antonio, TX. The 10,000-sq.-ft. facility should be completed in the fall. President Bert Wolf says the store will probably start off with four or five new employees. ISP U.S. Structure and Appointments (Murray Hill, NJ) • Kevin Baudhuin, president of BOC's ISP-NA, announced a new structure for the new ISP (Industrial and Special Products) organization in the U.S., which will be composed of a regionally based sales force with central marketing and product management teams. Wayne Koch was named vice president, sales, for the Eastern region. Chris Ostrander was named vice president, sales, for the Midwestern region. Terry Hall will continue to lead BOC's national distributor program as vice president, distributors, and will also assume responsibility for all ISP sales in the Southern region. Bob Van Kirk was named director, industrial development, responsible for ISP product management, the Airco Distributor Association and the development of industrial product service offerings. Medical, Helium, HR and Finance are unchanged. Airweld Acquires American Industrial Gases (Farmingdale, NY) • Airweld Inc. acquired American Industrial Gases in New Hyde Park, NY, and retained most of its employees. "We're proud to announce this acquisition, as it will complement our families of businesses," says Airweld President Christopher Leahy. With this acquisition, Airweld now has 12 store locations throughout New York. Taylor-Wharton Price Revisions (Camp Hill, PA) • Taylor-Wharton adjusted prices covering all cylinder and cryogenic equipment product lines. "Although we are beginning to see some relief in the steel scrap surcharges from our material suppliers, certain base prices from the steel mills continue to increase and make it necessary for us to adjust our prices for the affected product lines," says Scott W. Boyd, vice president of sales and marketing. Price and surcharge schedules are effective the first of each month for all orders and can be viewed on the company's Web site, www.taylorwharton.com. Profitability Planning: Why Bother? • Research studies suggest that firms engaged in proper financial planning enjoy slightly higher sales and dramatically higher profits than those that do not. The challenge is that most firms don't have a precise understanding of how planning should be done or what the goals should be in the planning process, or they don't plan because they don't think they should bother. To read a report by Dr. Albert D. Bates written for GAWDA members on how to plan for profit, click here. W> Summer Issue • In the summer edition of Welding & Gases Today, in the mail and online June 15, Distributors share their techniques for motivating, rewarding and challenging their employees. Also, learn the necessary skills to lead your company to 2010 and beyond, and find out what you can do to help boost your bottom line despite rising insurance premiums. W> features all this and much more. Don't miss out! To subscribe, send your request to gawda@gawda.org.
Regional Meeting Photos • The Metropolitan New York Annual Regional Meeting was held Thursday, June 3 at the Bonnie Briar Country Club in Larchmont, NY. To view photos from the gathering, click here.
It's Regional Meeting Season • Look for the GAWDA Regional Meeting in your area and make arrangements for you and your management team to attend. You can be sure the meetings will provide great education, networking and fun. The meetings are planned and hosted by member volunteers. So please support them -- they are working hard to give you an opportunity to participate in a GAWDA event within driving distance of your business. Below is a calendar of regional meetings:
Plan Now for Convention • Plan now to attend GAWDA's 60th Annual Convention in Las Vegas at the Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino October 3-7, 2004. It's a sure bet for a great time! Please click here for more information about Caesars Palace. For a schedule of events, click here. Safety &
Human Resources Compliance Bulk Medical
Gas Systems cGMPs for
a New Era
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