This Page is for Archived Industry News Shorts - for CURRENT News click here.

Suzy Blake Correction

(September 27, 2005) - HTN made a mistake. We have to print a correction on our story about Suzy Blake working for SSI from yesterday. Apparently SSI management have stated that she is only doing contract work to "bring in probe business." Definitely sounds like a hired gun job and we hope it leads to a long-term relationship. We'll keep you posted and let you know if we hear of Suzy making it into a full-time position with her old boss Bill Thompson.

Addendum: apparently some folks took our postings of Suzy's relocation as mean-spirited. They're right! We don't think it's fair for any company to hire someone "as an independent contractor" (a.k.a. no benefits) simply to suck them dry of information and leave them ultimately unemployed. That's essentially the same as buying a customer list but holding out the hope of a good job in order to negotiate a lower price. We hope, for Suzy's sake, that we're wrong on this one. What do you think? Feel free to add your comments.

Suzy Blake has been selling to Heat Treaters for over 23 years.

More ASM Show Photos

(September 27, 2005) - We have literally dozens of photos from our friends at the ASM Show. By all accounts it has been the best turn out in years. Certainly it seemed crowded for most of the day, especially if you were waiting for food.

Rolled Alloys threw a spectacular party with excellent food as usual and the turn out there was huge as well. Here is a sampling of photos:

Don't worry, the guys from Yokogawa didn't start drinking till the after-show reception!

Protection Controls had a nice booth showcasing their tried and true flame safety products:

Marathon (Eric) and Yokogawa (Jim) seemed chummy. Not sure what that means...

The Haynes guys looked happy about the $80/foot they get for their HR160 pipe...

Finally, the rolled alloys bunch made for a fun time. Below we have Dan McCurdy (Bodycote), Yvonne Spooner (MMI), Don Longenette (Bodycote) and Ted Teranishi (Riko Keiki) enjoying the free drinks and food.

ASM Double-Dipping? Charging $50 for Exhibit-only Pass at Show

(September 26, 2005) - Word from Pittsburgh is that ASM is charging $50 for passes to attend the exhibition only (no technical talks) this year. Nobody can recall them ever charging for an "exhibit only" pass in the past...

This may earn ASM some money this year, but it might earn MTI and FNA more money in the long run as exhibitors worry about customers shying away from pay-to-shop shows like ASM. Shame on you ASM! The exhibitors have already paid you to bring prospective customers to them - passes should be free.

Suzy Blake Lands at Super Systems Inc.

(September 26, 2005) - Another "you heard it here first" from HTN: After a few months "off the radar" it appears that Suzy Blake has joined Super Systems Inc. As we understand it Suzy was a longtime MMI employee before being laid off in 1998 and then rehired in 2003. Apparently she was left MMI sometime around April or May of this year and has recently landed a job working for her old boss, Bill Thompson, at SSI. No word on what Suzy is doing for Bill, but I'm sure her grand kids are keeping her busy as usual whenever they can make it to town.

Fatman Sends Pre-Show ASM Photos!

(September 26, 2005) - How about a bunch of show photos BEFORE the show even starts? We got 'em! Looks like a lot of companies are expecting a good turnout this year!

Beth shows off Seco/Warwick's new LPC furnace

:

Yvonne, Ted and Sergio from MMI:

Solar goes BIG!:

Nitrex/PE taking on North America nitriding/SCADA:

GM's booth in progress:

Inex getting wrapped up:

More tomorrow!!

Time for the ASM Show!

(September 23, 2005) - The time has come! No, not the Rolled Alloys Reception! The Pittsburgh Heat Treat Show. Having finally moved to a 2 year schedule - conveniently interleaved with Furnaces North America so we still have annual shows - this year's show appears to be geared up for good attendance. A number of key suppliers, including Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., Buehler, Can-Eng , Inductotherm Group & Surface Combustion will be running live equipment on the floor show (according to ASM). Other innovators, like Solar Manufacturing, have hit the pre-show mailing hard to drive booth traffic.

Heat Treat News will have volunteers at the show and will be posting news and photos from the show during the week. This year the actual exhibit is only on Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 27-28) even though the technical program starts Monday. We're hoping a spy or two can sneak some shots of the exhibit out as early as Monday night...

If you're not yet registered click the ASM banner to get in on the action. I hear Rolled Alloys never really checks for an invite...click here to chime in on the show.

Timken Restructures, Raises Prices and Adds Surcharges

(September 21, 2005) - Two big news items out of a benchmark company today as Timken announced that it was raising steel bar prices, adding natural gas surcharges and closing the former Torrington plant in Clinton, South Carolina. One can't help but wonder if gas surcharges aren't going to start being levied by most big energy users.

The Clinton closure comes with good news: Timken will be offering jobs to those who work at the plant. This is highly unusual but keep in mind that Timken has four other plants in the general vicinity (Union, Honea Path, Walhalla, Shiloh) so chances are good nobody is facing a huge relocation to more frigid parts.

You can read Timken's detailed press releases on these events here or discuss this news by clicking here.

Updated news on SEAHTA's Site for the South East Asia Heat Treatment Conference 2005 in Ban Na, Thailand, 1-2 November

(September 21, 2005) - Pittsburgh not en ouch to quench your Heat Treat info thirst? Pack the bags and head for Thailand. SEAHTA has updated the site for their upcoming Conference with a schedule of events and a list of speakers. Take a look. No mention of how far to the nearest beach...

Super Systems Receives Vacuum Furnace Upgrade Order

(September 15, 2005) - Super Systems Inc. received an order from a major mid-western aerospace company to upgrade five of its vacuum furnaces. Each furnace will have a new control enclosure designed and fabricated to meet current NFPA safety requirements and NEC specifications. Read more »

ASM Show and Questions About Turn-out Loom

(September 14, 2005) - The long-awaited ASM Show (see banner above) is nearly upon us. The big question on every exhibitor's mind is "will there be good attendance this year?" It seems like the last go-round ASM was bragging about having over 4,000 people. Personally I think they were counting all the ASM folks and every vendor and booth...uh..."spokesperson" (yes we still appreciate Nathan's booth).

This year ASM is saying that there will be furnaces on the floor. If that's true this might be the best show in recent history. I know that a good number of heat treaters with whom I've spoken are pulling at the company purse strings for travel funds and there seems to be a pent-up demand for new equipment.

HTN will go with the ASM hype on this one. We think it's going to be a good show. What do you think?

Reinhard Jabs (Cand-Eng) Dies

(September 12, 2005) - According to the IH Daily News Brief, Reinhard Jabs, President of Can-Eng Furnaces, died this past Sunday:

" Mr. Jabs joined Can-Eng Furnaces in 1983 as company controller and was promoted to vice president of administration and finance in 1985. In 1993, he was appointed vice president and general manager and in 1996 was promoted to the role of president. Mr. Jabs was a member of the Canadian Institute of Charter Accountants and ASM International. He also served as a trustee of the Metal Treating Institute from 1996 to 1999. A service for Mr. Jabs will be held in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, September 15."

North American Economic Trouble Looming?

(September 2, 2005) - Today we have a series of posts/links to troubling news for the North American Economy. Katrina has battered the energy economy sending gasoline and natural gas prices skyrocketing. Already numerous manufacturing companies have warned of a slowdown as they cannot afford to operate with current energy costs.

To top this off we have links to a series of disturbing articles from ISA that don't bode well. Please add any comments or insight you might have as this is an important issue for all of us in North American heat treating:

GM Plans to Up its Sourcing of Parts from India from $120 million to $1 BILLION

Auto Production in Japan Slowed in July

Daimler-Chrysler Ups its Investment in Chinese Company

Factory Orders Falls by Largest Amount in 15 Months

Are we headed for another economic dip? What will be the mid-term impact of Katrina?

Disclaimer: HeatTreatNews.com makes all efforts to vet its news sources for accuracy and truthfulness. Unfortunately even vetted news can prove inaccurate at times. HeatTreatNews.com will make every effort to ensure that all of the information contained herein is correct but but HeatTreatNews.com cannot guarantee accuracy. Please send any concerns or corrections to admin@heattreatnews.com