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January 27, 2010 

WelcomeWelcome New Members 

Art1Welcome Two New Members

Wiseco Performance Products www.wiseco.com produces impression die forgings for the performance automotive, motorcycle and power sports after markets in Mentor, Ohio.  Mike Jakubowski, Forging Operations Manager will serve as FIA Official Representative. (440.497.3127)

 
FIA's newest supplier member is Greenerd Press & Machine Company, Inc.  (www.greenerd.com)   Located in Nashua, NH, Greenerd Press & Machine manufactures presses for the forging industry. Thomas Lavoier, Appl/Eng Mgr. will serve as Official Representative to the Association.  (603.889.4101)
 
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PublicPublic Policy 

Art2FIA is Planning its Annual Lobby Day Activity in Washington D.C. on March 18, 2010 

FIA members are invited to join with FIA's Board of Directors and Public Policy Committee members who form the core group of our effort to meet with Congressional representatives in Washington and tell them our concerns in 2010.

 

Constituent visits in Washington are effective and leave a lasting impression on our representatives. If you have an interest in participating at this event, please contact Jennifer Baker at jreid@thelaurinbakergroup.com especially if you would like to have your representative contacted about a visit (the sooner the better). Thank you.

 

To register fill out and return the registration form: (Click here) to view/print registration form.

 

Note: FIA's official position on relevant public policy issues is provided on FIA's Website within the Public Policy menu item.

 

Art3Does Massachusetts Make a Difference?

 

An Open letter from Laurin M. Baker - President, The Laurin Baker Group, LLC - FIA Washington Lobbyist

 

Here's our take on the implications of Scott Brown's victory in the Massachusetts Senate race. 

 

Short term

 

Health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act are now in a state of flux. 

 

The only way a health care bill can reach the President's desk is for the House to simply accept the version passed by the Senate without amendment, which is unlikely.  Otherwise, the bill has to go back to the Senate for approval of any House changes, and it would require 60 votes again to cut off debate.  It's not clear that the same bill that passed the Senate could get the same 60 votes today, given the concerns raised by the "Nebraska Purchase", but in any event, Sen.-elect Brown has made it clear he will be the 41st vote AGAINST health care if it comes back to the Senate.  And two Senate Democrats-Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Jim Webb (D-VA)-said last night that the Congress should hold off on any health care votes until Sen. Brown has been sworn in.

 

EFCA was already short of the 60 votes needed to cut off debate, with several moderate Democrats like Blanche Lincoln who are facing tough reelection fights in November seen as very reluctant to vote for cloture when the business community is so unified in opposition to the bill.  Still, Big Labor's supporters in the Senate, including Sens. Harkin, Specter and Sherrod Brown, have been pushing a "compromise" designed to get the bill to the floor and get it passed.  Sen. Scott Brown's election makes that more difficult at best.

 

Medium term (now until November)

 

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will find it even more difficult to control their respective caucuses, which is a good thing for business in general and FIA members in particular.  We may even experience an outbreak of bipartisanship on a few issues, although I doubt it will last.  The President will be somewhat marginalized on key issues

 

Longer-term

 

If a Republican can win statewide in Massachusetts, a Republican can win anywhere.  Any Democrat who was concerned about reelection in a marginal district before yesterday is now scared to death.  Regardless of whether the blame for the loss should be placed on a poor candidate, dissatisfaction with the President's agenda, disgust with Washington, or just plain bad luck, Republicans will now find it easier to recruit candidates to run against incumbents, and the money flow to Republicans will increase significantly.  I expect an increase in retirements by older Democrats who don't want to face difficult races, but it's too early to tell if it will be a trickle or a flood.

 

IF Republicans can capitalize on the opportunities they have been presented, we could see significant GOP gains in both the House and Senate in the November elections.  It is still somewhat unlikely that they could regain control of either body (they'd need to win 10 net seats in the Senate and 40 in the House)-but hey:  two weeks ago it was very unlikely that Scott Brown would be the next Senator from Massachusetts.

 

Regards,

 

Laurin


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Art4ALERT:  New U.S. EPA Regulation May Affect Some Forgers

If you use more than 450,000 mcf of natural gas per year in your facility, then you must comply with a new U.S. EPA greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting rule effective immediately. (Click here) for more information.

 
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Art5Energy Workshop, March 24, 2010 at Timken, Canton, OH

William Kovacs, Senior Vice President from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for Environment, Technology and Regulatory Affair will speak at this event. He will discuss current public policy regulations & trends related to energy.

We are also pleased to announce that Dr. Arvind Thekdi - E3M, Ethan Rogers - TAP - Purdue University, and Larry Boyd - Energy Industries of Ohio, will speak at this event. All three are certified DOE energy experts. Furthermore, Damian Bratcher - Super Systems Inc., Mike Seifert & Nathan Abboud - of The Timken Company - will present case studies to improve energy efficiency. The presentations are followed by a panel discussion.

The Workshop is designed for Plant & Operations Managers, Technical Managers, and Presidents that are evaluating the financial impact of public policy, its effects on CapEx requirements, as well as technical opportunities. The Workshop is sponsored by the Timken Company in Canton, OH, and will be hosted in their auditorium from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Early registration is advised as space is limited.

MarketMarket Forecast 

Art6Economic Lessons From 2009
FIA Members are invited to visit the Market Forecast page on the FIA website (under Members Only) to view Dr. Ken Mayland's new posting Economic Lessons from 2009. In a brief format, he breaks down the six lessons learned from the past year. He also offers insight as to how these lessons will impact 2010. Dr. Ken will be speaking at the FIA Annual Meeting, May15-18 in Amelia Island, Florida to review the current economic situation and forecast in detail. 
 

MemberMember Opportunities 

Art7Collaborative Industry Work Groups

Problem Resolution projects usually happen in isolation at each member's site even though there typically exists a commonality of issues. Small collaborative work groups across the industry serve to integrate the strengths of participants.

 

Research and Development projects are costly and may not produce immediate commercial benefits, yet they are essential to the long-term financial health of our industry.

 

Joint ventures minimize cost and maximize results. Click here for more information.  

Art8FIA Forging Producers: Time to Update Your Company Listing on FIA Buyers Guide Website/CD

Once a year, FIA re-issues its Custom Forging Capability Guide on CD. Along with its counterpart on the FIA website, this Guide is used by thousands and thousands of customers and prospects from all over the world in locating North American forging companies.  For FIA Company Members, the time for updating the CD while simultaneously updating the website version is here.

 

See www.forging.org and click on Forging Producers and Suppliers. Click on Buyers Guide and then Custom Forging Producers.  Finally, click on Full List of all Forging Producers and scroll down and select your company name from the drop down menu. If your company performs more than one forging process, it should be listed. Be sure and check all information (i.e. addresses, e-mails, equipment, weights, materials, etc.) Please notify FIA of any changes you want to make in writing. This can be in letter, fax or e-mail form. The person requesting the change must be clearly identified.

 

Members may now list company trademarks or logos electronically. Simply e-mail connie@forging.org with a .jpg or .gif image of your trademark or logo, or send it to FIA on disk. Color or black and white accepted as long as it does not exceed  a resolution of 72 dpi.

 

We must hear from you by February 12, 2010 in order to include your changes. If we have not heard from you by then, we will assume your listing is correct as is.  If you are a new member and have not been listed in the past, please e-mail connie@forging.org and request the proper listing forms.  

 

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Art9Nuclear Manufacturing Outreach Workshop - March 25-26, 2010, Marriott Irvine, Irvine CA 
The Nuclear Energy Institute will be hosting a Manufacturing Outreach Workshop in Irvine, California, on March 25-26.  We think the workshop will be an excellent opportunity for members to interact with procurement personnel from major firms in the nuclear industry.  (Click here) for a pdf program flyer.

ForgeForge Fair 

Art10January 2010 Forge Fair Newsletter
In this Issue:  
  • Forge Fair Show Guide to be Posted on FIA's Website - Ad Space Still Available - Official Forge Fair Show Guide and Directory will be published on the FIA Forge Fair Website for the first time, where your ad could be seen for the next three years.  
  • Forge Fair Exhibit Booth Sales 8% Ahead of Forge Fair 2006  
  • Only Five Sponsorship Events Left  
  • Forge Fair Attendee Brochure Mailed January. Look for it
 
To view/print the January issue of the Forge Fair Newsletter, (click here).  
 
See you at Forge Fair
 

SafetySafety 

Art11Employee Safety Perception Survey - Now Is The Time To Register - Don't Miss It!!
Companies that participated in the 2007 Employee Safety Perception Survey reported that in many cases, the survey opened their eyes to potential safety issues they were not aware of, as well as highlighting safety programs that were working.
 
The FIA Safety and Health Committee has developed this short, 50-question, Agree / Disagree Survey. The survey is designed to be administered by your company's safety and health coordinator, and should take no longer than 15 - 20 minutes for an employee to fill out. Employees will not be asked to identify themselves, their individual responses will be anonymous, to promote candor.
 
The Survey is designed to help you evaluate your workers' perception of your company's safety programs. The following are just a few of the areas that the survey focuses on:
 
  • General view of your company's safety culture
  • Management buy-in to a culture of safety
  • Effectiveness of current safety programs
  • Level of employees' willingness to open up to, and work with, management regarding safety issues.
  • How much do your workers care about safety, and much more
 
Your company's individual responses will not be identified, and only known by you, and an FIA staff person. Your data will be tabulated on-site by your safety coordinator, and e-mailed directly to FIA. FIA will then download your data into a comprehensive data base, made up of all participating companies. A personalized report will then be developed for you, showing you what the overall, aggregate Agree/Disagree percentage was, and what your company's responses were for each question.
 
Why Participate?
  • Identify and prioritize problem areas
  • Increase employee involvement, awareness, and responsibility in safety programs
  • Raise employee morale
  • Establish an early warning system
  • Expedite problem solving and program improvement
  • Validate management decisions
  • Establish baseline measures for future re-survey comparison
 
Survey Cost
There is no fee for FIA Member Companies to participate in this Survey. To participate, or for additional information, please contact George Layne, FIA Safety & Health Committee Liaison, @ 216-781-6260, or glayne@forging.org.
 
Each company will receive their own personalized report. The person completing the Survey will be mailed their report, marked: "Personal and Confidential"
Art122009 Annual Occupational Injury & Illness Questionnaire Has Been Mailed
This form was directed to the person that completes the OSHA 300 log for your company, if you did not receive it, please contact FIA at: connie@forging.org . 

 

An option available for your use is the "Electronic Interactive I & I Survey.  If you'd like to use this tool, again, please send an email to Connie Long at connie@forging.org. She'll send you one to complete, and then you SUBMIT back to her. Complete confidentiality is assured.

 

Only participants will receive the summary report listing forging industry Occupational Injury & Illness Total Recordable Incidence, and DART Incidence Rates - your only source of such specific information.  The more members that participate, the more reliable our industry figures are.  If you would prefer that your company name NOT be listed in the report, simply check the box on the form.

 

This information is also used to calculate the annual FIA Safety & Health Awards. Plaques will be presented to companies with the lowest Recordable Incidence Rates, and greatest improvements in each of four size groups. Presentation of the awards will be made during the May 15-18, 2010, FIA Annual Meeting of Members being held in Amelia Island, FL.

 

Again this year, Safety Award Winners will be highlighted in a special article of the May/June issue of FORGING Magazine.

         

Art13Safety Certificate of Recognition for FIA Members  
Program Overview:
In FIA's continuing effort to promote safety throughout the forging industry, the FIA Safety & Health Committee is recognizing individuals that take the time and effort to complete any five of the following Forging University safety courses, with a Safety Certificate of Recognition 
  • Forge Shop Safety Orientation
  • Forge Hammer Safety
  • Forge Press Safety
  • OSHA & Medical Emergencies
  • OSHA Walking-Working Surfaces & Housekeeping
  • OSHA Employee Safety-Electrical Systems & Equipment
  • Creating a Safe & Sound Environment
  • Watching Out for Others Prevents Accidents
  • OSHA Employee Safety - Personal Protective Equipment & Hazardous Confined Spaces
  • OSHA Employee Safety - Special Work Issues
  • OSHA Employee Safety - The Work Environment          
  • Substance Abuse - Manager's Guide to Identification & Prevention                    
  • Workplace Violence - Identify & Defuse Your Time Bomb
  • Risk of Drug & Alcohol Abuse in the Workplace - Overview for Employees
The FIA Forging University is an online, Web-based training center that can be accessed from any Internet connected computer, anywhere in the world, at anytime.
 
Who qualifies?
Any employee of any FIA member company.
 
How do I go about participating?
Just send me an e-mail at: glayne@forging.org, letting me know that you wish to participate in the program, and I will set you up, and you will be on your way.
 
Please make the subject line of your e-mail read "Safety Certificate".
 
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AnnualAnnual Meeting of Members 

Art14Mark Your Calendars - FIA Annual Meeting, May 15-18, Amelia Island, FL

FIA company and supplier senior executives are encouraged to mark their calendars for the 2010 FIA Annual Meeting to take place at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island (Jacksonville), Florida. The agenda for this meeting is being finalized as of this writing. Please watch Quick Read, the FIA website and your mail for detailed information early this March. 


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SurveySurveys/Reports 

Art15Members, Look for FIA's Annual 2009 Profits Questionnaire

All FIA Member Custom Forging Companies in North America will be mailed the Annual Confidential Survey of Profits the first of February 2010. 

NO COST to participate.  REQUIREMENT:  complete the FIA Annual Orders, Shipments & End-Use Markets survey sent to you in January and due February 13, 2010.  If you have not yet completed that survey, contact FIA to receive the forms or download the PDF forms you need by clicking the link below:

 

     Impression Die (Closed Die) Form [click here]

     Open Die Form [click here] 

    Rolled Ring Form [click here] 

 

The deadline to participate is March 18, 2010.  If you have not recieved the questionnaire, call FIA - 216.781.6062. 
 
 

FIERFFIERF 

Art16Scholarships Available for University Engineering Students - Spread the Word!

Established in memory of Chuck Finkl, the Finkl Scholarship program has provided assistance with college expenses to more than 90 students since 2004. 

 

This year up to 15 $4000 scholarships will be awarded to university engineering students entering their junior year in the Fall. Click here for the application form.  Applications and accompanying paperwork must be submitted by March 15th.

 

Preference is given to students with ties to FIA Member companies such as working as an intern or having relatives employed by the company, so please help us spread the word of these scholarships to your employees! 

 

Contact Karen Lewis at 216.781.6260 or karen@forging.org for posters or questions.

  
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Art17Engineering Students Are Interested in Working For YOUR Company This Summer
Each year FIERF Magnet School Students interested in a summer internship in the forging industry submit their resumes to the Foundation office.  Contact Karen at 216.781.5040 or karen@forging.org to receive the resumes of material, metallurgical, industrial and/or mechanical engineering students.  You may also consider contacting Magnet School Professors directly to match an interested student with your needs.
 
Hiring a summer intern can be a great investment:
  • Complete projects that full-time staff are not able to fit in their already busy schedules; (Areas to consider include design, plant or industrial engineering; metallurgy lab.)
  • Identify high caliber candidates for future openings;
  • Bring new and fresh perspectives into the organization.
 
The most common pitfall is starting the process too late in the year, so don't delay - contact the FIERF Office now to have the most candidates from which to choose!  For more tips on developing a successful program see Industry Internship Program How-To's.
 
Art18NEW Technical Reports Available On-Line
Through FIERF's relationship with the Colorado School of Mines, FIA Members have access to forging related research at the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center (ASPPRC).  The following papers covering topics in Heat Treatment, Metallurgy and Quality Control are now available on the Technical Library of the FIA website: