UMA MEMBER COMPANIES IN THE NEWS:
BRUSH RESOURCES CHANGES NAMEMarch 8, 2011, Brush Engineered Materials Inc. announced that it has officially changed its name to Materion Corporation and unified all of its businesses under the new Materion brand. .
"The unification of our businesses as Materion is more than a name change. It also represents a strategic commitment to go to market as one company and more closely align our global structure with the needs of our customers," commented Richard J. Hipple, Chairman, President and CEO of Materion.
Included in the name change is Brush Resources Inc., now known as Materion Natural Resources. Materion Natural Resources is a new name of the business that has done business in the Delta, UT area since 1965.
The 71 employees working at the plant on the Brush Highway and the mine further to the west at the end of that highway have joined the rest of Materion in making the first of many changes.
“Materion is a coined name,” said Alex Boulton, Materion Natural Resources Pres. “It implies new value, ideas and technology. It incorporates the word material—the ore we extract and process; ion, Latin for action; and on for movement—to move on, to advance.” Materion has acquired several other businesses that complement its own operations and goals in recent years.
All of those businesses now go to market under the Materion master brand name. Their products include precious and non-precious specialty metals, precision optical filters, inorganic chemicals and powders, specialty coatings, specialty engineered beryllium alloys, beryllium and beryllium composites, and engineered clad and plated metal systems, a great many of which depend on the ore mined to the west of Delta.
“Now 30 percent of our business is in beryllium products, just the opposite of what it was a few years ago,” Boulton said. “Changing the name benefits our customers. We’re a global material company providing advanced materials.”
Day-to-day operations won’t change much. Materion Natural Resources is the beryllium mining and milling business of Materion. The unique geologic features and state-of-the-art mining processes at the mine and milling plant near Delta brings the advantages of beryllium to the world. The high-quality concentrate produced by the mill is the world’s primary feedstock for the entire beryllium industry, and Materion is the world’s only fully integrated developer and supplier of engineered beryllium materials from mine to finished products.
Beryllium is many times lighter and stronger than steel. Beryllium’s high-performance alloys, providing high-strength, high-conductivity copper, copper beryllium, and other alloy products. Products used in cell phones, acoustic speakers, microphones, computers, medical products and more.
Founded in 1931, Materion has operations in the U.S. and ten countries internationally. They serve customers in more than 50 countries. They have operating, service center and major office locations throughout North America, Europe and Asia, and employ approximately 2,500 people worldwide.
Today in Manufacturing
The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate rose in 351 metro areas, fell in only 16, and was unchanged in 5 ... continue
GOVERNORS GIVE INDUSTRIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY A BOOST
Western Governor’s AssociationBOISE, IDAHO -- A two-day "Summit on Industrial Energy Efficiency" that wrapped up on Thursday will result in the development of a number of recommendations for Western governors to consider in an effort to save energy and reduce costs.
Gov. C. L. "Butch" Otter (Idaho), Chairman of the Western Governors' Association, addressed the summit attendees on Wednesday. He noted that industry consumes approximately 28 percent of the West's total energy use, which is why incremental improvements in efficiency can have a large impact on reducing the region's overall energy consumption. "Energy efficiency is the low hanging fruit in our energy orchard and we need to aggressively pursue all reasonable cost-effective opportunities," Otter said. "By aggressively pursuing energy efficiency we free up capacity on our transmission system and make more energy available to help businesses expand."
Otter said many states have programs that already have assisted industry in reducing energy use by 2 to 3 percent a year, resulting in a 10 to 15 percent savings over more than five years.
"We need to better understand which policies spur greater investments in energy efficiency, as well as those that may hinder progress," he said.
Summit attendees participated in breakout sessions to develop recommendations for the governors to consider when they meet this June in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for their Annual Meeting.
INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS SEMINAR - THURSDAY, MARCH 24
Conducting Effective Internal InvestigationsThe Employers Council
In this era of increased legal complaints, it is critical to have solid in-house investigation techniques and procedures. If conducted correctly, internal investigations can resolve a current problem and minimize the potential of a related lawsuit. An airtight internal investigation can be your company’s best defense.
Sharpen your skills by learning from experienced attorneys as they share insights gained from conducting countless investigations of workplace misconduct. Attorney and Council President Monica Whalen will be joined by Heather Gunnarson, Director of the Utah Antidiscrimination & Labor Division (UALD), who will provide an insiders perspective of what the UALD looks for during investigations of harassment and discrimination charges. Topics to be covered include:
When and why to investigate
Essential planning and preparation tasks
Keys to interviewing witnesses
How to analyze your findings, come to a conclusion, and take appropriate corrective action
Steps to wrap up the investigation
Bonus content: How to write a convincing UALD position statement
When: Thursday, March 24, 2011
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon (check-in and breakfast buffet from 7:30 - 8:00 AM)
Where: Red Lion Hotel, 161 W 600 S, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost: $125 per Council Member; $199 per non-member (includes materials, full breakfast, and parking)
Email or call the Council office for more information. You can download the registration form at http://ecutah.org/investigations.pdf. Full refund will be given if cancellation is received one week prior to event. Enrollment is limited to available space.
Quick Manufacturing News
Testing will continue 'until we are confident that any risk of contamination is completely removed,' Nissan said. Click to continue
...(EPA) overregulation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) on stationary sources will put high -paying manufacturing jobs at risk and prevent further economic recoveryRead more...
U.S. MANUFACTURING CAN RETURN TO GLOBAL LEADERSHIP STATUS
Skilled Labor Shortage, Energy Independence among Issues to Address
Mfrtech
ROCKFORD, Ill., – Two spirited keynote speeches that offered bullish perspectives on the future of U.S. manufacturing – with specific caveats – highlighted The FABRICATOR®'s Leadership Summit, 6th Annual Metal Matters and FMA's 15th Annual Toll Processing Conference, held in early March in Orlando.
Emily DeRocco, president of The Manufacturing Institute and the new National Center for the American Workforce, and Dan DiMicco, chairman, president and CEO of Nucor Corporation, the leading U.S. steel producer and the world’s largest recycler, each told the gathering of more than 200 executives at the premiere conferences for the processing and fabricating industry that the manufacturing sector can again be a global leader.
DeRocco outlined how even in today’s tough economic climate, U.S. manufacturing represents the world’s eighth largest economy, pays premium compensation when compared to non-manufacturing jobs, offers the strongest multiplier effect, and outpaces global rivals in research and development.
However, she noted a recent survey revealed 32 percent of companies reported “moderate to serious skills shortages in the hiring pool” and that “technological advances in modern manufacturing require more advanced skill sets.“
Major deficits in our education system hamper U.S. competitiveness on the world stage,” DeRocco said. “Our global competitors continue to surpass our education system in producing a high-volume, high-quality technical workforce.”
DeRocco issued a call to action that stressed, “Manufacturers can’t wait for the education system to reform itself.” Instead, she said, the sector must take the lead and expand industry-education partnerships to infuse technology in curricula, apply manufacturing principles in educational institutions and produce industry-based skills certifications.
DiMicco painted a bleaker picture of the sector’s current status, citing the large number of manufacturing jobs lost since its high point in 1998 and reporting the current level is the lowest since 1941. “How did we get here?” he asked. “A massive failure of trade policies. And, we bought into a failed economic model that a service-based economy could replace a manufacturing-based economy.”
DiMicco asserted manufacturing can lead the way to create more jobs and real wealth via several ways. One is to achieve energy independence by “developing all domestic energy resources – traditional and renewable. This will create jobs by building an energy infrastructure and driving R&D in the energy sector.”
Another critical strategy, he said, is to “balance our trade deficit and restore global trade balance.” A third emphasis must be upgrading a crumbling infrastructure to “lay the foundation for tomorrow’s manufacturers.
“Real and lasting wealth is and always has been created by making and building things and servicing the goods producing sector, not by a predominance of servicing services,” DiMicco said.
The FABRICATOR®'s Leadership Summit featured a unique format of peer- and consultant-facilitated roundtable discussions for attendees to exchange ideas and solutions that affect their business’ bottom line. Topics included automation; economic and financial issues of the day; personnel optimization; managing your company’s online presence; sales and marketing; and technology innovation. The theme of FMA's 2011 Toll Processing Conference was “Strategic Moves” and featured informative presentations on the global steel market.
The three-day events were produced by The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA) and The Tube & Pipe Association, International (TPA).
The 2012 summit and conference will take place Feb. 29 through March 2 at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. Information will be available online at www.fmanet.org/calendar, or by calling 888-394-4362.
Based in Rockford, Ill., FMA is a professional organization with more than 2,100 members working together to improve the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industry. Founded in 1970, FMA brings metal fabricators and fabricating equipment manufacturers together through technology councils, educational programs, networking events, industry trade publications including The FABRICATOR®, and the FABTECH® trade show. FMA also has a technology affiliate, the Tube & Pipe Association Intl. (TPA), which focuses on the unique needs of companies, engaged in tube and pipe producing and fabricating.
RECENT PROJECTIONS FOR THE UTAH ECONOMY - 2011
Utah BusinessThe Revenue Assumption Committee [1] released the most recent 2011 projections of Utah’s major economic indicators on February 22, 2011, Table 1. These projections revised the committee’s November projections. Of the 11 indicators, six were revised higher and four were left unchanged and one—net in-migration—was revised lower.
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NAM URGES CONGRESS TO MOVE FORWARD ON JOB-CREATING FTAS
NAM Capital BriefingOn March 14, Senate Minority Leader McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Hatch (R-UT) and Sen. Portman (R-OH) held a press conference calling for immediate action from the Administration on the three pending free trade agreements (FTAs) with Korea, Colombia and Panama. The Administration has indicated it is ready to submit the FTA with South Korea to Congress for ratification but needs more time for Colombia and Panama.
Also this week, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade held the first in a series of three hearings on each of the pending FTAs. On Thursday, March 17, NAM member Baker Hughes testified on the benefits of the agreement with Colombia.
Colombia is an important Western Hemisphere destination for U.S. manufactured goods exports. The International Trade Commission (ITC) estimates that the Colombia agreement would generate at least $1.1 billion in new U.S. exports annually, and the Commerce Department estimates that each $1 billion of exports supports about 6,700 U.S. jobs. Most of these jobs would be in manufacturing, where the average employee earns $75,500 annually.
The NAM is extremely concerned about the lack of movement on these trade agreements and supports passage of all three agreements as quickly as possible. Manufactured goods comprise two-thirds of overall U.S. exports of goods and services, and experience with previous trade agreements shows they provide robust new market access and increased growth in U.S. exports. In every case, these agreements reduce barriers to U.S. exports far more than any concessions made by the United States. U.S. tariff rates are far lower than those in almost any other nation, and the U.S. is open to foreign investment, so any FTA benefits U.S. manufacturing exports to a far greater degree than our partner’s exports to the United States.
In fact, the record shows that the United States sells more manufactured goods to our trade agreement partners than we buy from them. U.S. manufacturing has shown a trade surplus with our bilateral trading partners for three straight years, accumulating to nearly $70 billion. During that same period, our manufacturing goods deficit with countries with which we do not have trade agreements accumulated to $1.3 trillion.
The United States has not taken action to pass existing agreements or begin new negotiations on any bilateral agreements since Congress passed the Peru FTA in 2007. Meanwhile, four of our largest competitors—Canada, the European Union (EU), Japan and Korea—have either completed or are in the process of negotiating nearly 40 separate trade agreements with nearly 100 countries.
The United States must move swiftly to avoid trade diversion to the EU, Canada, Korea, China and other industrial competitors that threaten to leave America’s manufacturers far behind. The NAM believes the time has come to level the playing field for American manufacturers. Details: Doug Goudie, (202) 637-3078.
HOUSE AND SENATE TAKE ACTION ON EPA GHG BILLS
NAM Capital BriefingOn Tuesday, March 15, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the NAM-supported Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 (H.R. 910) by a vote of 34 to 19. Three Democrats—Reps. Barrow (GA), Matheson (UT) and Ross (AR)—joined Committee Republicans in their unanimous support of the bill, sponsored by Committee Chair Upton (R-MI) and Sen. Inhofe (R-OK). The bill would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gases (GHG) from stationary sources under the Clean Air Act.
The legislation would leave GHG rules for light-duty vehicles and medium- and heavy- duty engines and vehicles in place until 2016, at which point regulation under the Clean Air Act would stop. One amendment was adopted that would express the sense of Congress that there is “scientific concern” over climate change but would call on Congress to create policies that would not adversely affect the U.S. economy and energy supplies.
The measure, which the NAM strongly supports, is expected to pass the full House before Easter recess. Senate Republican Leader McConnell (R-KY) proposed an amendment on March 15 aimed at blocking the EPA's authority to regulate GHG emissions. The amendment (No. 183) mirrors language in the Energy Tax Prevention Act and was offered to S. 493, legislation that would authorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programs. The NAM sent a key vote letter to members of the Senate in support of the amendment. A vote on the McConnell amendment is expected after next week’s Senate recess.
EPA’S PROPOSED AIR TOXICS STANDARDS FOR UTILITIES ARE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF OVERREGULATION
NAM Capital BriefingOn Wednesday, March 16, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule to control mercury and other hazardous air pollutants from utilities (also called Utility MACT). The burdensome rule is likely to cause significant job losses across the nation due to higher electricity prices and the retirement of coal-fueled power plants. In addition, electric system reliability could be compromised by these retirements and by new environmental construction projects caused by Utility MACT and other EPA regulations. The NAM issued a statement citing the proposed rule as another example of EPA overreach. For more information on the proposed rule, click here.
NAM'S SMMS LIST HEALTH CARE AND REGULATIONS AS TOP CHALLENGES
NAM Capital BriefingIn a recent survey of SMM Board members, an overwhelming majority cited rising health care costs and uncertainty surrounding the implementation of health care reform as their top priority issues. Following close behind was the negative effect of over-burdensome regulations on the growth of manufacturing businesses. The results of the survey were reported at the SMM meeting held just prior to the NAM Board of Directors meeting March 16. In addition, over 80 percent of SMM Board members indicated that business has improved over the last year, and the same number indicated that they expect conditions to improve further over the next 12 months.
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