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| A Semi-Monthly Newsletter for the Gases and Welding Distributors Association |
May 8, 2008
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BREAKING NEWS GAWDA Launches New Member Benefit On May 1, a new member program was launched – GAWDA University Online. Those who attended one of this year's Spring Management Conferences have already seen a preview. GAWDA U is an easy-to-use and inexpensive online training tool for your employees. The educational content of GAWDA U was developed to support GAWDA's primary mission of providing information to assist you in improving your company's safety and compliance. GAWDA U Online will be an ever-changing and growing program. The initial course offerings will concentrate on training for new employees during their first 90 days. The second generation of content will focus on more advanced training that will build upon the earlier basic/elementary courses. This summer, we will be seeking training material from our members that can be adapted to the GAWDA U platform and will expand the program to include supplier-based training on company-specific products and services. Process Step 2: Training Contract – Each participating company will be required to sign a contract with GAWDA that outlines each party’s responsibilities. After you have participated in a webinar and have determined that you wish to enroll in the program, please contact GAWDA Membership Manager Kate Cole (kcole@fernley.com) to receive a copy of the contract. Step 3: Passwords and Training – Once the contract has been executed, the Reporting Manager will be given contact information for training from NORCO on how to access the curricula and maintain the online accounts. Step 4: Billing – Participating companies will receive quarterly invoices from GAWDA based on the number of employees participating in the training. If you have additional questions, please contact Kate Cole at 215-564-3484 ext. 2209.
SAFETY & COMPLIANCE NEWS EPA Reporting Requirements Remain Unchanged • It has been confirmed by EPA and DHS that your reporting obligations under EPA's Tier II reporting or Risk Management Program have not changed because of the new Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard. May Safety & Technology Organizer Online • The May Safety & Technology Organizer is now available at www.gawda.org. Topics include Oxygen Safety, Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling, LPG Filling and Storage and Quality Records.
INDUSTRY
BEAT Tech Air Completes ESOP Transaction (Danbury, CT) • Tech Air completed the sale of a majority ownership interest to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). An ESOP is a fully qualified retirement plan investing in company stock. The ESOP purchased the shares of the founders of Tech Air, Myles P. and Jane A. Dempsey. The transaction was financed by People's United Bank of Bridgeport, CT. Miles P. Dempsey Jr. explains the rationale for the transaction: "The sale of shares by the founders to the ESOP is a tax-efficient means of getting liquidity to the exiting shareholders without giving up family control of the business. We are extremely pleased that Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey chose this transaction, allowing Tech Air to continue as an independent company as we have been for over 70 years. We look forward to remaining independent for many years to come and believe that our competitive advantage will be strengthened by employee ownership through the ESOP." In a related move, the company announced the following appointments: Myles P. Dempsey Jr. was named CEO of Dempsey Holdings, Inc.; Eric J. Obert was named CFO of Dempsey Holdings, Inc.; and S. Craig Dahlman was named president of Dempsey Enterprises, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dempsey Holdings, Inc.
Wilson Joins Genstar (Chino, CA) • Joe Wilson was named national sales manager for specialty gas products at Genstar Technologies. He brings more than 25 years of industry experience in manufacturing, marketing and distributor sales, and will be responsible for all sales and support for the GENTEC Specialty Gas, High Purity and Industrial Gas Manifold systems. D/F Machine Specialties Remains a Family Business (North Mankato, MN) • After 40 years of manufacturing MIG and TIG welding products and consumables, Del Moerke Jr. and son Steven Moerke have purchased D/F Machine Specialties Inc. from the other Moerke family members. Since this business will remain in the family, it will continue its long tradition of producing superior welding products and its reputation for outstanding customer service. Linde Opens Hydrogen Plant (Murray Hill, NJ) • On May 1, Linde North America, a member of The Linde Group, opened a new hydrogen plant in Saraland, AL, outside of Mobile. Linde is supplying Shell Chemical LP with hydrogen for upgrading heavy gas oil at its 80,000 barrel-a-day refinery. Linde commissioned the plant, which outputs 10 million scf/day, in November 2007. Shell hydrotreats the gas oil for use as a feedstock in other Shell Chemical production plants. This is Linde's fourth hydrogen plant in Alabama and the fifth it has commissioned since 2003 to serve oil refiners in North America. The other plants are located in Lemont, IL; Lima and Toledo, OH; and Salt Lake City, UT. Their total output represents approximately 200 million scf/day of hydrogen supplied for cleaner fuel production.
Daihen Opens Atlanta Branch (Tipp City, OH) • Daihen, Inc. recently moved into a new facility in Atlanta, GA. The 16,000 sq. ft. facility serves as a sales branch for the Southern Regional Staff, Welding Applications & Development Department, Product Training Department and Service Staff and is shared with Daihen’s Master Distributor Capital Robotics/Capital Machine Co., a fabrication equipment distributor. The facility is located at 2964 Northeast Parkway, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30360. TW Prices Increase (Mechanicsburg, PA) • Effective May 1, TW Cylinders LLC, a division of Taylor-Wharton International LLC, increased prices on all acetylene and high pressure cylinder product lines. Scott W. Boyd, vice president of sales and marketing, attributes the increase to rising alloy steel prices. Says Boyd, "The steel mills have increased their prices in excess of 20%, in a single 30-day period, for steel chemistry requiring premium scrap and certain chrome and vanadium alloys. Also, global increases for oil and fossil fuel commodities are assessed daily in the present economic environment and have a relentless impact on the daily manufacturing costs for all of our cylinder product lines. The persistent increases in energy-related fees and surcharges affect the costs to operate our factories, transport raw materials and component parts to our factories and ship finished products to our customers." Effective June 1, TW Cryogenics LLC, a division of Taylor-Wharton International LLC, will institute a base-price increase of 3.8% for bulk tanks and an average of 5% for portable liquid cylinder product lines. Surcharge increases went into effect on April 30, 2008. IBM and Matheson Tri-Gas Collaborate on Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (Armonk, NY and Basking Ridge, NJ) • International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) and Matheson Tri-Gas Inc. signed a four-year agreement to jointly develop new manufacturing materials and processes that will enable the next generation of semiconductor technology for 32nm and beyond. As the semiconductor industry transitions from one technology generation to the next, manufacturers must rapidly develop new approaches to manage shrinking device circuitry. In order to continue to innovate at the transistor level in successive technology generations, IBM will collaborate with Matheson Tri-Gas/Taiyo Nippo Sanso to research and develop new high-purity gas molecules and new delivery systems for the manufacturing of atomic-scale semiconductors. Engineers from the two companies and Matheson Tri-Gas' parent company, Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation, will conduct joint research and development at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s Albany NanoTech Complex.
GAWDA NEWS 2008 Profit Survey Available for Completion • If you have not received a copy of the survey sent via e-mail to all distributor members, please link to GAWDA News and download a copy. Your participation is strongly encouraged. Remember to send your completed survey directly to the Profit Planning Group. If you have problems completing the survey, you may contact the Profit Planning Group at 303-444-6212 or GAWDA Headquarters at 215-564-3484. Miami SMC Presentations • President Gary Stoneback's opening message, as well as the presentations on the Gas Industry Update and An Economic Update, can be viewed or printed out by clicking here.
Plan to "Join the Team in Atlantis"! Make your hotel room reservations NOW! The GAWDA special group of $208 single occupancy, plus taxes and fees, will be available through July 20, 2008, or until the block of rooms is sold out, whichever comes first. This rate is available three days prior and three days after the conference, subject to availability. Call 1-800-FUN-4-SUN or 1-800-386-4786 to book your room directly with the Atlantis. Mention GAWDA to get the conference rate of $208. Registration will open in June. For more information, contact GAWDA at 215-564-3484 or visit www.gawda.org. GAWDA Launches New Member Benefit • At a recent GAWDA- Met Life Insurance Company meeting, it was determined that based upon favorable 2007 claim experience in the GAWDA Group Life Insurance Program, $265,000 would be returned to the plan as a Dividend. The Insurance Trustees, under the leadership of Chairman Charles Miesch and Insurance Consultant Dave Irving, voted to grant a 10% Dividend to all 117 participating companies. The dividend will serve to reduce their 2008 premiums by 10%. This is the 48th annual dividend in the 49 year history of the Employee- Dependent Insurance and Wellness program. HR Report Available • The May 2008 HR Manager's Legal Reporter is now available for download at www.gawda.org. GAWDA Clearinghouse Updated • The GAWDA Clearinghouse has been updated for the month.
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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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