BREAKING NEWS

Mark Your Calendar for the 2008 SMCs

Save the dates! The 2008 GAWDA University Spring Management Conferences will take place March 9-11 at the Sheraton Chicago in Chicago, IL, and April 19-22 at The Intercontinental in Miami, FL. A tentative schedule of events is now available at www.gawda.org. Program details and registration materials will be available in December.

GAWDA Launches Young Executives
Education Partnership Program

GAWDA announced the creation of a Young Executives Education Partnership Program to support GAWDA’s growing Young Executives program, which provides educational programming and networking opportunities for young executives. A letter from President Gary Stoneback and Industry Partnering Committee Chair Mark Blakely and an outline of the program are available here, and a Young Executives Education Partnership Program registration form is available at www.gawda.org. Please consider this opportunity to support the Young Executives Program, while increasing the profile of your company among your peers and customers.

Labor Department Finalizes 401(k) Rules

The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidelines on 401(k) investments, establishing qualified investment alternatives. The new rule—a result of the Pension Protection Act of 2006—makes it easier for employers to enroll workers in plans and lets employers use lifecycle funds, professionally managed accounts or a group investment product as default options. "This is a key component of the Pension Protection Act and will help many more workers and their families build a nest egg for a secure and comfortable retirement," says Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. The rule is set to take effect December 23. A fact sheet regarding the final rule is available online.

Three More Reasons to Celebrate the Industry

The latest issue of GAWDA Edge, the e-magazine for young professionals in the gases and welding industry, is available at www.gawdaedge.org. Celebrate Workplace Politics Month by learning how to navigate the treacherous waters of middle management, get into the spirit of National Crime Prevention Month by taking steps to protect your company against fraudulent credit card transactions, and discover how to prevent on-the-job injuries in recognition of National Ergonomics Month. GAWDA Edge also is available in mobile and dial-up versions. And don't forget to visit the GAWDA Edge Forums to network with other up-and-coming industry professionals.

SAFETY & COMPLIANCE NEWS

November Safety & Technology Organizer Online • The November 2007 Safety & Technology Organizer is now available at www.gawda.org. Topics include First Aid in the Workplace, Do Your Drivers Have Second Jobs?, Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, and Adverse Event Reporting and Medical Device Reporting Requirements: Handling Product Complaints that Qualify for Reporting Under These Regulations.

NEW MEMBERS

GAWDA welcomes new Supplier Member Global Payments of Atlanta, GA.

INDUSTRY BEAT
(what people are talking about)

Quimby Corporation Opens Longview Branch (Portland, OR) • Quimby Corporation opened a 3,000 sq. ft. branch store in Longview, WA. The new branch is the most recent development in the facilities overhaul Quimby Corporation undertook in celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2006, including the relocation of its Portland headquarters last year and the opening of a fill plant in Tualatin, OR, in April 2007.

Airgas to Build Liquid Carbon Dioxide Plant (Radnor, PA) • Airgas, Inc. will build a 450-ton-per-day liquid carbon dioxide plant at the Shell Deer Park Refinery complex near Houston, TX. "By building a new facility at this important petrochemical refinery, Airgas will better serve carbon dioxide customers in the greater south-central Texas market," says Division President Ted Schulte, whose division includes Airgas Carbonic and Airgas Dry Ice. "This new site will create a stronger network of plants for our liquid merchant customers and for our own dry ice production."

Lincoln Electric Wins E-Star Award (Cleveland, OH) • In recognition of its ongoing export of products manufactured in the United States, The Lincoln Electric Company was honored as a President's E-Star Award recipient at ceremonies held at the White House. President George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez presented the award, which is the highest honor the federal government can give to a U.S. exporting company. Says Lincoln Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer John M. Stropki, "The E-Star Award honors the engineering and manufacturing excellence and productivity of our employees. It is their commitment that enables us to meet the increased demand for Lincoln products from our global customers."

Air Products, Matheson Tri-Gas Form Joint Helium Venture (Lehigh Valley, PA) • Air Products and Matheson Tri-Gas announced their intention to jointly build and operate a liquid helium production plant near Big Piney, WY. The plant, designed to produce 200 million standard cu. ft. per year at start-up with expectations for future capacity expansion, would process crude helium produced by a natural gas processing facility that would be owned by Cimarex Energy Co. and its partner, Riley Ridge LLC. The Cimarex facility will process natural gas from the Riley Ridge Field in Wyoming, the second largest helium-rich natural gas field in the United States. Production at the plant is anticipated to commence in 2009.

Select-Arc to Open Houston Distribution Center (Fort Loramie, OH) • Select-Arc, Inc. will open a 20,000 sq. ft. warehouse and distribution center in Houston, TX, in January 2008. According to Dale Stager, Select-Arc president, the warehouse and distribution center will enable the company "to provide 1-day delivery service to most of our Southeast and Southwest customers. This new location will also reduce shipping time to our West Coast customers by 2-3 days."

National Standard Names Managers (Niles, MI) • National Standard hired Paul Perkins and Tracy McLellan as regional sales managers. Perkins is based in Layton, UT, and McLellan in Albertville, MN. Andrew Tanner joined National Standard as district sales manager for western New York and Pennsylvania, northeast Ohio and northern West Virginia, and Todd Norton will serve as district manager for Minnesota, Wisconsin, northeastern Iowa and North Dakota. Keith Shaver has taken on additional sales responsibilities as district sales manager for Florida. He will continue to provide sales support to Georgia, South Carolina and the Tri-City region of Tennessee.

Phoenix Promotes Wesemann (Milwaukee, WI) • Phoenix International promoted Melissa Wesemann to product manager, responsible for developing and implementing product and marketing strategies for continued growth. Wesemann brings experience with customer service, product support, domestic and international sales, and developing marketing collateral for Phoenix International products.

ESAB Receives Google Award (Florence, SC) • ESAB Welding & Cutting Products received the Google Enterprise Superstar Award for its innovative use of the Google Mini Search Appliance. The award highlights people and companies using Google enterprise products in innovative ways to obtain better business results. ESAB was selected for excellence in providing customers a rewarding Web site search experience.

Genstar Names Manager (Chino, CA) • Genstar Technologies named Fred M. Herauf national sales manager for welding and cutting automation products. Herauf has more than 25 years of experience in the thermal cutting arena.

Ray Murray Acquires NRG (Lee, MA) • Ray Murray Inc. purchased the assets of NRG Distributors, a Flint, MI-based wholesale distributor of hearth and heating products to specialty hearth retailers and propane dealers in the Midwest. "We’re excited about growing our business in the specialty hearth retail channel," says RMI President Michael Hopsicker. "At the same time, the addition of NRG’s warehouse and distribution facilities will enable us to better serve propane and compressed gas equipment dealers in the Midwest."

FIBA Earns DNV Approval (Millbury, MA) • Det Norske Veritas (DNV) granted to FIBA Technologies Approval of Manufacturer Certificate No. T-1142, which approves FIBA for the manufacturing of seamless gas bottles and pressure vessels of Class I and II. DNV is an independent foundation with the objective of safeguarding life, property and the environment. FIBA is one of only 4 companies in the world to be granted this approval.

Oxford Alloys Opens Distribution Center (Baton Rouge, LA) • Oxford Alloys opened a 16,000 sq. ft. distribution center in Indianapolis, IN. The facility will stock Oxford’s complete line of welding wire and electrodes to more efficiently supply distributors in the Midwest and Northeast.

Name Change for Selectarc Canada (Lachine, QC, Canada) • Selectarc Canada changed its name to FSH Welding Canada Inc. in cooperation with its European head office, FSH Welding Group. In a letter, FSH Welding Canada Vice President Denis Plante writes, "The global objective of our group is to unify in each country the synergies of our research, development and manufacturing capabilities."

Sherwood Announces Price Increases (Niagara Falls, NY) • Sherwood, a division of Harsco GasServ, announced that price increases of approximately 5-6% on the company’s valve product line will take effect December 1. All orders received on or after December 1 will be subject to the increases. Orders placed prior to December 1 and scheduled for immediate shipment will be accepted and shipped at the price in effect at time of order contingent upon available inventory.

GAWDA NEWS

HR Report Available • The November 2007 HR Manager's Legal Reporter is now available for download at www.gawda.org.

Clearinghouse Updated • The GAWDA Clearinghouse has been updated for November. For more information, visit www.gawda.org.

2007-2008 Dues Payment Reminder The 2007-2008 GAWDA dues renewal invoices were e-mailed and mailed to all Distributor and Supplier Members. Payments should be made prior to November 15. These dues cover the membership year from November 1, 2007, through October 31, 2008. For your convenience, dues now can be paid online at www.gawda.org under the Members Only tab. You will need your company's login information to access the online dues page. Please pay your annual dues promptly so that we can continue to provide you with the membership benefits you enjoy all year. Non-payment of dues will result in the loss of all member privileges beginning January 1, 2008. For questions about membership dues, please contact Director of Membership Kate Cole at 215-564-3484.

WORKSHOPS, WEB CONFERENCES & SEMINARS

University of Industrial Distribution
March 2-5, Indianapolis, IN
GAWDA is pleased to sponsor the University of Industrial Distribution at The University Place Conference Center & Hotel. This program will offer 37 classes featuring some of the most accomplished experts in sales, finance, branch management, HR, distribution technology and the distribution channel: Tim Underhill, Al Bates, Joe Ellers, Peter Land, Bill McCleave, Michael Marks, Michael Workman, Bruce Merrifield, John Monoky, Don Rice, Kathryne Newton and other well-known professionals. This program has sold out for the last 4 years. For GAWDA members, the Early Registration Fee is $995 if postmarked, faxed or submitted online before February 1, a savings of $100. You may register online at www.univid.org or via GAWDA’s Web site.

The GAWDA Connection is distributed on the 8th and 23rd of each month to all GAWDA members as
a membership service of GAWDA, the Gases and Welding Distributors Association, 100 N. 20th Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19103. Neither GAWDA nor Data Key Communications, LLC, their officers, directors, members and staff are responsible for contents or opinions other than those concerning Association activities.

GAWDA HEADQUARTERS
100 North 20th Street, 4th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1443
phone 215.564.3484 - fax 213.963.9784
gawda@fernley.com