Posts Tagged ‘ PMA ’

This time last year, the American tooling industry were struggling from artificially delayed PPAP-payments, pressures to fund the material for building dies and molds while assuming 100 percent of the risk, lack of tools to quote--let alone build--because of foreign subsidized competitors and an apathetic government, among others.
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The first-ever mega trade show between Fabtech, AWS, and Metalform is about one month away at the McCormick Center in Chicago. Here’s a release from David Greenfield touting the show’s opportunities for domestic manufacturers to break into the alternative energy market–something many of you are trying to do.

FabTech 2009 focuses on alternative energy potential for manufacturers

Opportunities for metalforming, fabricating, and welding manufacturers to be highlighted at Chicago event.

David Greenfield — Control Engineering, 10/13/2009

With the wind energy market setting aggressive goals to supply 20% of U.S. energy by 2030, coupled with record-setting growth levels by the U.S. solar energy industry in 2008, the opportunities for metalforming, fabricating, and welding manufacturers are expanding. But many are not fully aware of the new business potential these emerging sectors offer to more established manufacturing industries.

To address this knowledge gap, organizers of the upcoming FabTech International & AWS Welding Show (Chicago, November 15-18, 2009), will offer free sessions for manufacturers on growth opportunities in the energy sector.

Relavent sessions include:

• A keynote panel presentation titled "Energy: The Outlook is Bright, But Where Will It Lead Us," will connect experts from both the wind and solar energy sectors to discuss trends and forecasts, government issues, and what it all means to current and future suppliers in the fabricating industry.
• A presentation on the wind energy market, featured at the event’s Solutions Showcase Theater, will discuss opportunities for investment and growth in the sector, including utility-scale and small wind turbine component manufacturing, tower fabrications, installation, and grid tie-in.
• Another Solutions Showcase Theater presentation will highlight opportunities for metalforming, fabricating and welding in the solar energy industry supply chain and will focus on how solar energy is converted, stored, and distributed within a home and along the smart grid.

"In the past four years, the share of wind power parts manufactured in the U.S. has grown from 30% to 50%, and a single wind turbine includes more than 8,000 precision parts," said Brad Lystra, manager of economic development partnerships for the American Wind Energy Association. "In addition to creating new jobs, the wind industry is positioned to replace some of the manufacturing jobs that have been lost in other sectors during the economic downturn."

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The following excerpt is a preview of my next article in Metalforming Magazine’s, Tool & Die Authority. Please note the excerpt below may differ slightly than actual publication

Future Tooling Talent Pool: Aging Boomers, Misperceptions Demand Attention

By: Joe Brown

Careers in skilled trades such as those in tool and die shops, stamping plants and precision machining companies are for poor, uneducated students who can only perform menial physical labor.

Check that, careers in skilled trades aren’t cool and only losers who don’t go to college.

Sadly, this has been—and still is—the belief and opinion of too many people.

The primary culprits? Our educational system, parents, and children of these parents who live in a world often influenced by peer pressure.

High schools and educational programs across the U.S. and Canada have dropped classes, vocational programs, and co-op programs for skilled trades. Additionally, guidance counselors rarely suggest a career in machining, welding, or other manufacturing technologies.

A recent study by CFA-FCA reported almost 75% high school students have never been exposed to a career in skilled trades by their guidance counselor. Further, parents are not encouraging a career in tool and die, metal fabrication, mold making—let alone other trades such as construction.

The stigma for about the last two “school-cycles” (12 year increments, K-12) included students who strived for four-year University studies. In order to have a successful career and financially comfortable life was to earn your diploma—and substantial debt in student loans. Don’t get me wrong, some of us were fortunate enough to have parents that financed a college degree and it was and still is a fantastic option for a lot of people. However, it’s not the end all be all of a bright future.

I know first-hand about the misnomers of vocational schools, or co-op programs. Would you believe that the majority of the people I knew in high school thought the students that would hop on a bus after lunch, a couple hours before school ended were going to some type of special school because they were academically challenged or perhaps failed a grade? Pathetic, isn’t it. Article continued at Metalforming’s Tool & Die Authority

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Leading groups such as NTMA (National Tooling & Machining Association) & PMA (Precision Metalforming Association) strongly oppose the “Employee Free Choice Act”, aka Card Check Bill. They’re not alone in their stance as other groups such as the U.S Chamber are vehemently against it as well. Be sure to find the easy instructions to contact your U.S Senator at the bottom  of this page.

What is it?

The “Employee Free Choice Act”–better known as the Card Check
bill–is a proposed law that would change how unions are allowed to
organize workers in the United States. Big labor unions like the
AFL-CIO, SEIU, and the Change to Win Coalition spent heavily during the
2009 election, and are pushing Congress to approve this law. Union
membership has been declining–currently about 7.5 percent in the
private sector–and they hope this law will change the rules and
reverse that trend. (U.S. Chamber Link)

They’ve identified three main concerns with the bill, stating it would:

-Eliminate Private Voting
-Put Government Regulators in Charge of Private Business Decisions
-Unfairly Punish Businesses

NTMA & PMA opinion?

Big Labor will stop at nothing to strengthen their position
in Washington, D.C.
and expand union power nationally. Their failure to secure the 60 votes
necessary in the Senate to pass card check has not deterred them from trying to
advance the Big Labor agenda in other forms.

Right now, union bosses and lawmakers are hashing out plans
that would make it easier for organizers to recruit your employees, silence you
and leave day-to-day business decisions in the hands of bureaucrats. Any
so-called “compromise” on card check will still take decision-making
powers away from employers, negotiating power away from workers and strengthen
Big Labor’s political influence.

This is a lose-lose situation for everyone except union
bosses and their political allies.

Tell your Senators that any card check compromise is
unacceptable. American employers simply cannot afford Big Labor’s self-serving
agenda.

What can you do?

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In an attempt to shed light on the fact that the recent $5 billion supplier aid, albeit a good start, will not reach those who need it the most–the tool, die, mold and precision machining companies. We are trying to spread the message that these guys have been financing programs for far too long and it’s time for the government to step up and support this industry. We met on Tuesday evening (March 24) to discuss the strategy going forward and these advocacy groups wasted little time firing this letter off. See below.

Joe Brown

Metalworking Associations Urge Obama Administration to Extend Auto Supplier Relief to Tier 2 and 3

On March 20, NTMA Chairman Ron Overton, PMA President Bill Gaskin,
PMPA Executive Director Michael Duffin and IFI Managing Director Rob
Harris sent a letter to Ron Bloom of the White House Automotive Task
Force, expressing their appreciation for $5 billion in assistance to
Tier 1 auto suppliers. However, the letter cautioned the administration
that Tier 2 and 3 suppliers are at serious financial risk if the money
does not filter through the supply chain.

To read the entire letter, click here.

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