Magnesium, in Abundant Supply, Looks
for New Applications
NAM Policy Update - Employee FORCED Choice Act
Update
Electrical Safety Webinar Includes New Arc
Flash Requirements
Innovation Imperative in Manufacturing – How the
U.S. Can Restore Its Edge
Sign Up For The Plant Management Conference & Tour
Form 990-N: What NADCA Chapters Need to Know
Magnesium, in Abundant Supply, Looks for New Applications
There's plenty of magnesium metal around these days. Reason: Demand looks to be
falling by more than 10% this year because of the collapse of its major market,
motor vehicle parts. Magnesium prices are down as a result, but not as low as
might be expected because of punitive tariffs imposed against Chinese and Russian
magnesium suppliers. Upshot: Magnesium die casters and fabricators are looking
for new uses of the lightweight metal.
Despite new applications in making laptop computers, power tools, sporting goods
and office furniture, North American magnesium use has slipped in making die
castings for aerospace, automotive and machinery parts. Use of magnesium oxide in
the production of aluminum and steel also has dropped dramatically since smelting
of both metals has collapsed.
And, it could be 2011–2012 before North American magnesium sales volume rebounds
to 2005–2007 tonnage, suggests Greg Patzer, executive vice president of the
International Magnesium Association in Wauconda, Ill. "The 2008–2009 recession
has had the most profound impact on demand and production, and 2010 probably
won't be a strong recovery year."
To view the rest of this article,
click here.
NAM Policy Update - Employee FORCED Choice Act Update
· Members of Congress are back home for the August Recess. Manufacturers need to seize
every opportunity to express our strong opposition to any proposal that may stem from
the jobs-killing Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), also known as the card check
legislation.
· In a recent town hall event, Sen. Specter (D-PA) confirmed that a sticking point of
the “EFCA negotiations” involves the legislation’s arbitration provisions and stated
that he hopes to work through this with “last best offer” arbitration, also known as
“major league baseball style arbitration”. Under this proposal a federal arbitrator
would require both parties to submit their final proposal for a first contract, and
then determine which one was the most “reasonable”. This scenario would still allow an
arbitrator to set the terms of the first labor agreement which would be binding for a
period of time.
· Labor groups have mobilized in full force throughout August advocating for health
care reform and passage of the card check legislation. Major unions such as the AFL-CIO
and SEIU have dispatched local operatives to engage Members of Congress at town hall
forums.
· While efforts by a handful a Senators to reach a “back room deal” on a new version of
card checkappear to be on hold until the Senate returns in September, manufacturers
can’t afford to be silent.
· The NAM is coordinating manufacturers’ activities throughout the August recess
through the NAM Speak Out . Prior to the August recess, NAM Executive Vice President,
Jay Timmons, held a series of webcasts with members as well as a town hall call for
manufacturing employees. For more information on our activities and what you can do to
join, please visit www.namspeakout.org.
· For real-time developments on the EFCA, reports from Capitol Hill and other
information on related labor legislation, NAM members can visit the NAM's Labor Policy
Institute (LPI) at www.namlaborpolicyinstitute.org. Thousands of NAM members access
this site for updates throughout the day.
Electrical Safety Webinar Includes New Arc Flash Requirements
Electrical Safety in the Workplace has always been a
priority for die casters, but did you know that major updates, including
new arc flash requirements, have been made to 2009 Standards that may
affect compliance? To educate the industry on these updates OSHA is
offering a three day webinar targeted towards manufacturing personnel
responsible for electrical safety. The seminar will cover: Ensuring a
safe workplace, details of the 2009 NFPA 70E, and what is looked for in
an OSHA inspection. The Electrical Safety Related Work Practices & NFPA
70E webinar will be presented on October 15, 22 & 29 2009 and costs
$30.00. Also don't miss the related "Tools Are Available to Help Comply
with Arc Flash Standards" article in the July 2009 issue of NADCA's Die
Casting Engineer magazine.
To register please contact: Kelli Elliott Phone: 815-965-3522 Email: kelliott@eigerlab.org
Innovation Imperative in Manufacturing – How the U.S. Can Restore Its Edge
“Nothing is more important than innovation. The minute we stop innovating, we die.”
This remark, made by one of the manufacturing company executives interviewed for this
report, mirrors the urgency of the findings. In these challenging economic times,
business innovation is more than ever a critical strategic imperative. This article
assesses the state of innovation in the United States; describes the most effective
tools for promoting innovation, according to the respondents to our innovation
assessment survey; and explores how stakeholders — company executives and policymakers
alike — can take practical steps to move toward the shared goal of encouraging and
sustaining innovation. We hope this report helps to enhance the state of manufacturing
innovation in the United States. To read the full article, click
HERE to login and read
the current issue of LINKS magazine.
Sign Up For The Plant Management Conference & Tour
September 23/25 NADCA will host our annual Plant Management conference.
This two day event will feature presentations on the State of the
Industry, Carbon Footprints, and semi-solid metal processes. It will
also feature a plant tour to Chicago White Metal. There has been a NEW plant tour of Acme die casting added!
Included in the low registration fee of $250 for NADCA Corporate Members is breakfast,
lunch, an evening reception and a group networking dinner. Sign up
today at: http://www.diecasting.org/meetings/pm
Just added: Diran Apelian to speak on SSM-Squeeze.
Form 990-N: What NADCA Chapters Need to Know
Small tax-exempt organizations now have an important new reporting requirement.
The e-Postcard or "Form 990-N, Electronic Notice (e-Postcard) for Tax-Exempt
Organizations not Required to File Form 990 or 990-EZ" is a simple, electronic form
which should only take a few minutes of your time each year. Filing it will protect
your tax-exempt status, and also gives donors and volunteers the most up-to-date
information about your organization.
To read the rest of this article, please
click here (PDF).
