What's New
- IFC Presentation, The Steel Boom: Realities, Illusions and Consequences for the Forging Industry
- FIA Welcomes Danieli Corporation
- Members are Invited to IFC Plant Tour Closing Dinners
- Register Now for Open Die/Rolled Ring Producers Plant Tour Meeting in September
- International Forgemasters Meeting in November
- FIA Public Policy Committee Wants to Hear From You!
- FIA-Supported Intellectual Property Rights Measure Introduced
- Action Alert on HR 6566, American Energy Act
- Safety & Health August / September 2008 Newsletter
- DOE Offers Financial Opportunities to Advance New Technologies that Increase Energy Efficiency
- FIA Website - The Global Portal to the Forging Community
Danieli Corporation (www.danielicorp.com) in Cranberry Township, PA is the North American Representative of Danieli & C.,SpA located in Buttriot, Italy. Danieli provides open die forging presses, manipulators and automation and control systems to the forging industry.
Robert Smith, V.P. - Sales Non Ferrous will serve as Official Representative to FIA.
Following the IFC in Chicago September 7-9, off-shore delegates will have the opportunity to participate in one of seven regional plant tours. On Friday, September 12th each of the regions will host a closing dinner for participants and FIA Members.
As an FIA Member you are invited to be a part of this event that will close the week's experience of the Congress for our off-shore guests. This dinner will be the final event of the week and we're hoping to send our guests home with fond memories of the people they met, the locations they visited and impressed with the content of the Congress and world class forging plants they visited while in the US.
The regional dinners will be held in:
Schaumburg, IL
Cleveland, OH
Cincinnati, OH
Detroit, MI and
Los Angeles, CA
Cost for the reception and dinner will be $125 per person. If you're interested or would like to know more about the event, please contact the FIA Office (216.781.6260 or info@ifc2008.com). We'll keep a list of those interested and keep you updated on plans for the evening.
The meeting program and registration form for FIA's Open Die/Rolled Producers Plant Tour Meeting, Sept. 24-25, 2008 in Erie, PA has been mailed. Meeting registration is suggested by September 3. Hotel reservations at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel should be made by September 4 (Click here for program and registration form).
The program features business presentations on:
- Outlook for the U.S. and Global Economy, by Stuart Hoffman, Sr. VP & Chief Economist, PNC Financial Services
- Customer Outlook/Forging Requirements for Windpower Systems, by Prescott Logan, Drivetrain Technologies, GE Transportation
- Raw Material Producers Outlook, presentations to be provided by Ellwood Quality Steels, Republic Engineered Products, The Timken Corporation and Nucor Steel, Memphis. Since release of the printed program, Universal Stainless & Alloy Products has been added as an additional presenter..
Plant tours of McInnes Rolled Rings in Erie, and Ellwood National Steels in Irvine, PA are featured benefits of this event.
A group dinner event followed by recreational opportunities at nearby Presque Isle Racetrack and Casino promises a well rounded 24 hour event (noon-to-noon) for participants.
Dear Madame/Sir,
Only a little more than 3 months separate us from the start of the "17th International Forgemasters Meeting" to be held in Santander, Spain from 3rd to 7th November 2008.
This reminder is intended to revive the eventual interest in the conference and to recommend to examine the benefit of joining IFM 2008 before July 25th as the registration fee is 740 €. After that date, the fee for the standard registration will be 890 €.
For any further information please do not hesitate to consult the conference web site www.ifm2008.com
Sincerely yours,
Esther Pazos
AFID Congresos, S.L.
www.afidcongresos.com
T.: +34 942318180
Fax: +34 942318653
The FIA Public Policy committee works with our Washington Representative, The Laurin Baker Group, to advocate on behalf of forgers before Congress and the Administration on key issues of importance to forgers such as the Employee Free Choice Act; Cost/Availability of Energy; Climate Change as related to cost/availability of energy; healthcare reform relevant to small and medium businesses; trade issues such as access to fairly traded raw materials and currency manipulation; and tax reform. In 2009, these issues will continue to be at the forefront of Congressional debate regardless of who wins the White House.
In August, the committee plans to survey members for data on their experience with these issues to help make our case when called for, and to make sure we're advocating for the issues most important to you. Please look for the survey and send us your feedback!
It's never too late to be a member of FIA's Public Policy committee. Call Charlie at FIA HQ to learn more
Based on contacts made by FIA members in Congressional office visits during Lobby Day March 2007, FIA has steadily supported a measure by Senators Bayh (D-IN) and Voinovich (R-OH) (S.522) to curb adverse practices of counterfeiting and piracy of intellectual property rights by strengthening the intellectual property enforcement regime domestically and internationally. On July 24, Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and ranking member Arlen Specter joined Sens. Bayh and Voinovich in unveiling a new bill calling for a crackdown on counterfeiting and piracy. The legislation reflects a compromise of a number of intellectual property rights proposals introduced this session, including S. 522, and would strengthen federal resources and authorities to combat IP crimes.
(Thanks to those members who already responded to this separate Action Call on July 25. The issue will still be hot when Congress returns from recess in September....keep those letters coming!)
BACKGROUND: For forgers, an adequate supply of energy at affordable prices is a key component of global competitiveness. Yet the U. S. Congress is locked in a partisan battle over how to address record-high energy prices and to date no action has been taken. In an effort to break the impasse, 108 House Republicans have cosponsored HR 6566, introduced on July 23, 2008. HR 6566, The American Energy Act, combines numerous ideas presented to date to increase the supply and production of American-made energy, to promote renewable and alternative energy technologies, and to improve energy conservation and efficiency. This comprehensive energy plan tackles all aspects of the energy problem and should be voted on by both the House and Senate.
ACTION NEEDED:
Please contact your Members of Congress as soon as possible and urge them to support HR 6566. A sample letter is provided below for your use in communicating with your Members of Congress. Please contact our Washington Representatives, Laurin Baker at 202-842-5059 or Jennifer Reid at 202-842-2818 at The Laurin Baker Group, LLC if you have any questions.
You should FAX your letter rather than send it by mail. Contact information for Members of Congress can be found at www.congress.org by entering the zip code of your plant location. Please send a copy of any letters you send to Congress to The Laurin Baker Group, LLC at jreid@thelaurinbakergroup.com or fax a copy to 202-842-0439.
DRAFT LETTER TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN SUPPORT OF HR 6566, THE AMERICAN ENERGY ACT
[DATE]
The Honorable [insert Member of Congress' Name]
[Insert Member of Congress' Address]
SENT VIA FACSIMILE
Dear Senator or Representative (last name):
On behalf of (company name), located in (city, state), I am writing to urge swift action by both Houses of Congress on HR 6566, The American Energy Act. HR 6566 will increase the supply and production of American-made energy, promote renewable and alternative energy technologies, and improve energy conservation and efficiency. My company employs (number) people in (city), and we make (description of types/end uses).
The rising cost of all forms of energy threatens my ability to compete globally. [Company] recognizes that a long-term solution to our energy problems must be broad- based, including conservation and alternative energy sources, as well as increased supply and production from traditional sources. However, as research on future technologies continues, increased domestic supply and production must begin now to fill the gap until those technologies are proven viable.
We urge you to work in a bi-partisan manner to enact a comprehensive energy solution that includes all elements necessary to bring down energy costs for manufacturers and consumers. To avoid a worsening economic crisis, please bring HR 6566 to the floor for a full debate and passage by the (U.S. House of Representatives OR Senate depending on addressee).
Sincerely
In this edition:
- 5 Reasons For OSHA To Come Knocking
- Safety & Health Committee Needs YOU!
- Safety Tip Sheet #3: Reduce the Risk of Back Injury
To view/print Newsletter (Click here)
FIA works in partnership with the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to increase the energy efficiency of the forging industry. DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) leads national efforts to reduce U.S. industrial energy use and carbon emissions. A key component of this effort is to provide financial opportunities for research, development and deployment (RD&D) and promote commercialization of innovative, energy-saving technologies. To learn more, open the following link: Financial Opportunities Help Advance New Technologies
The FIA Website, www.forging.org, once again exceeds a record number of visits for a July, with 61,000 visits, compared to July 2007's 51,711 visits, an 18% increase. Individuals from over 100 countries accessed the FIA Site in July.
(Click here) to view/print the complete Website Report, listing: Top 20 Pages Viewed, Top 50 Visiting Countries, and much more.