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| A Semi-Monthly Newsletter for the Gases and Welding Distributors Association |
March 23, 2008
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BREAKING NEWS Chicago SMC Hits Sweet Spot Almost 500 GAWDA members and guests came to Chicago for this year’s first Spring Management Conference. Young Executives came a day early to compete in the Young Executive Bowl-A-Thon, where GAWDA First VP Jenny McCall, president of WESCO Gas & Welding Supply (Prichard, AL), was named “the association’s best bowler.” GAWDA’s Consultants updated members on FDA, DOT, insurance and legal topics. Mike Degan explained two welding fume verdicts announced late Friday, March 7 (see story below). Rick Schweitzer, Mike Dodd and Bob Yeoman sat on an “Incident Panel,” providing insight into real-world issues. The panel, moderated by AWESCO President Dave Mahoney, invited questions from the audience.
Economic and industry trends, GPS logistics and online strategies were addressed. GAWDA University Online was previewed to members. The program will be rolled out on May 1. As at all GAWDA events, the Contact Booth Program was the highlight. Attendees were able to see the latest products and meet with manufacturers and suppliers, all under one roof.
GAWDA President Gary Stoneback presented the fundamentals of the association and shared some of the work the board is doing this year regarding governance, member benefits and finance. He used the word “transparency” to focus the board’s work on helping people understand the value of their membership in the association. That value includes consultants, education, networking and young executives. The association was described as a $2.4M business. “It should be run like one,” said Stoneback. This amount reflects a one-year operating budget. Decreasing membership was addressed. Eight years ago, there were 1,400 members in the association. Today there are 720. The board recognizes the need to examine programs in the midst of increasing M&A activity.
In-depth conversations and networking, interactive presentations and an opportunity to hear, see and experience the benefits of GAWDA membership were on tap for the first SMC of 2008. By all accounts, it was a home-run event. Don’t miss a second opportunity in Miami on April 20-22. For more information, please view this page.
Two juries reached opposite conclusions in welding fume trials that concluded March 7 in Mississippi and Louisiana. First, a Mississippi jury awarded welder Robert Jowers a $2.42 million verdict against Lincoln Electric Co., The ESAB Group and BOC Group Inc., in the matter styled Robert Jowers, et uxor v. BOC Group, et al., (Case No. 08-36, S.D. Miss.). The jury reduced the compensatory damages awarded by 40% due to Jowers' own negligence. The jury award included punitive damages against the defendants. The jury concluded that the defendants failed to provide adequate warnings or instructions about the risks of using their welding products. Attorneys for the defendants issued a statement following the verdict indicating that while they were disappointed with the jury finding, defendants remain undeterred: "Of the handful of cases that the plaintiffs have been willing to bring to trial, most have resulted in defense verdicts, while several others were dismissed for fraud. Despite isolated plaintiffs' verdicts, the defendants are winning overall litigation and will continue to defend themselves against these manufactured claims." The defendants plan to appeal. Later that same day, a jury in New Orleans returned a verdict for the defendants in Andre et al. v. A.O. Smith Corp., et al., (Case No. 03-11573, La. Dist, Orleans Parish). The trial was a consolidated trial involving four different plaintiffs against Lincoln Electric, Hobart Brothers Co., ESAB and TDY Industries, Inc. After a six-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants in all four cases after deliberating for less than an hour. Attorneys for the defendants issued the following statement following the verdict: "We are gratified that this Louisiana jury joined the many others around the country that have rejected these baseless claims. In finding that welding fumes did not cause these plaintiffs' alleged ailments and that these manufacturers' warnings properly protected welders, this jury has vindicated companies that worked hard to do the right thing and protect welders." For additional information regarding welding fume litigation, contact Mike Degan, GAWDA’s Coordinating Counsel For Welding Fume Litigation at 402-964-5000 or mike.degan@huschblackwellsanders.com.
In Welding & Gases Today’s look at safety and security, stay in the know about keeping your inventory, property and people out of harm’s way. From a surge in counterfeit products to developing a safety program, this issue has you covered. Meet GAWDA's own "guardians of safety," discover what one company is doing to keep its assets and employees protected, learn valuable tips for running a safer warehouse and find out if it's time to bring on a full-time safety and compliance officer. You'll also get all the information you need to make the most of the Spring Management Conference in Miami on April 20-22, including a guide to exhibitors and a peek at all that the capital of south Florida has to offer. All this and more available now in the 2nd Quarter 2008 issue of Welding and Gases Today, available in print and online at www.gawda.org.
SAFETY & COMPLIANCE NEWS OSHA Posters and Publications: Free For The Asking • Advertisements and sales practices suggesting that OSHA workplace posters must be purchased from private companies may be misleading some employers. OSHA reminds employers that official posters—such as the OSHA Workplace Poster—are available at no cost. Posters and most other OSHA publications are available by visiting the publications page on the agency's Web site, or by calling the publications office at 202-693-1888.
NEW MEMBERS GAWDA welcomes new Distributor Member Oxyco Inc., of Big Spring, TX, and new Supplier Member Atlas Copco Compressors LLC, of Richardson, TX.
INDUSTRY
BEAT Norris to Supply Cylinders to Air Liquide (Longview, TX) • Norris Cylinder Company has been awarded a two-year supplier agreement by Air Liquide America L.P. This agreement is to supply high pressure cylinders to Air Liquide's North American market. Norris Cylinder Company is part of Trimas Corporation, a diversified growth company headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Fourth Bliss Brother Joins General Distributing As Branch Leader (Great Falls, MT) • General Distributing Company chose Jason Bliss as manager of its Billings, MT, location. Bliss, though new to the welding and gases industry, brings more than a decade of sales and marketing experience to the position. He joins 3 other members of the Bliss family in the company, including President Glenn Bliss, Manager of Branch Operations Eric Bliss and Brian Bliss, who heads the Bozeman, MT, branch. News from Mississippi Welders Supply (Winona, MN) • Mississippi Welders
Superior Products Appoints Southeast Sales Manager (Cleveland, OH) • Superior Products named Mark Booth regional sales manager for the Southeast. "Mark brings a wealth of knowledge regarding gas management systems and should be a great asset to distributors in his area," says Bob Ranc, vice president of sales. Report Shows Market Growth • Profit Planning Group released its 4th Quarter 2007 Industry Benchmarks Report. The median revenue for the reporting firms is around $5.6 million. The total 4th quarter revenue growth versus 3rd quarter revenue growth is 4.9 percent. Overall growth for 2007 versus 2006 is 9.3 percent. Hardware sales in 4th Quarter versus 3rd Quarter came in at a growth of 5.4 percent. Gas and cylinders at 2.1 percent and all other sales at 3.1 percent. To read the full report, click here. Depke Names Kankakee Branch Manager (Danville, IL) • Depke Welding Supplies named David Griffith manager of the Kankakee, IL, branch. A welding industry veteran with more than 2 decades of technical and sales experience, Griffith joins Depke after having most recently served as a private welding consultant. Kobe Steel To Establish Welding Company in China (Tokyo, Japan) • Kobe Steel, Ltd. plans to establish a company to produce welding materials in Qingdao Co., Ltd., the joint venture will be formed in April, with production scheduled to begin in April 2009. The plant will have a capacity of 1,000 metric tons per month.
News From Lincoln (Cleveland, OH) • Lincoln Electric appointed Scott Funderburk global business segment director-pipelines. Funderburk, with the company since 1996, previously led the Application Engineering team. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. promoted Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Vincent Petrella to an expanded role within the company, in which he will have responsibility for sales, marketing and operations of Lincoln Electric Canada added to his duties. The company also promoted George Blankenship, senior vice president, global engineering and U.S. operations, to the newly created position of president of Lincoln Cleveland. Blankenship will have marketing, sales and operations responsibility for the company’s major domestic operations, including its Euclid and Mentor, OH, plants.
The James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation awarded its Jimmy Lincoln Award to Duane Tompkins of Cleveland, OH, in recognition of outstanding performance both in and outside the classroom at the Lincoln Electric Welding School. "Duane has an excellent work ethic," says Karl Hoes, an instructor at the school. "He put in the extra effort to be a great student."
GAWDA NEWS SMC Presentations Online • The SMC presentations on Economic Update & Forecast, GPS Panel Discussion, Internet – Online Strategies, Leadership Lessons from Little Round Top and FDA and DOT Incident Panel can be viewed or printed out in the "GAWDA News" section at www.gawda.org.
WORKSHOPS, WEB CONFERENCES & SEMINARS
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The
GAWDA Connection is distributed on the 8th and 23rd of each
month to all GAWDA members as GAWDA
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