When it comes to sheet metal fabrication, SMT, Inc.,located in Raleigh, N.C.,can handle anything. In business since 1969, SMT has grown exponentially over the years, now serving an array of blue-chip clients with products that range in size from a couple of ounces to thousands of pounds.

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Auxiliary Equipment

Finishing Brands
Glendale Heights, IL • 630-237-5169
www.finishingbrands.com

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The 2014 Powder Coating Show—the only tradeshow solely dedicated to the powder coating industry in North America—is finally here. Proudly recognized as the leading resource for technical and applied technology forums as well as new product innovations and developments, this is your single best opportunity to meet and interact with the leading professionals from the powder coating industry.

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Getting the powder to the part is a critical step in the powder finishing process. Are you looking for an automatic system or a manual gun for touchups? There are several suppliers from which to choose. To help you in your search for the right equipment, this special advertising section highlights a few PCI® members that make powder application equipment.

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Well powder fans, the 2014 PC Summit is history now. It wasn’t exactly my summer vacation; however, I have lots to report on. As expected, we had a band of industry experts expounding their knowledge of the latest technical trends in our industry. And, as always, we had a throng of august technologists attending and bringing networking to an expected crescendo.

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It pays in many ways. Sure, volunteering makes me feel good, but I have also met some extraordinary people—both in and out of my field—who have made an impact on my life. As a byproduct of my volunteer spirit, I have made life-long friends, boosted my resume, advanced my career, and significantly increased my knowledge in many areas.

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Some operators have to beg to get spare parts to keep their equipment working. The cost of purchasing spare parts can be significant, prompting most companies to put them in secure areas with limited access. Given the fact that these parts have little value outside the industry, this approach can be very short sighted. For instance, your local pawn shop has no value or market for fan spray nozzles, so spare parts theft is not a problem. A well-run operation must have spare parts readily available to shop personnel to quickly fix and maintain the powder coating system.

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Manufacturers continue to wrap their heads around the fact that growth in the early months of 2014 has been more disappointing than originally anticipated, but at the same time, they are cautiously upbeat about the second half of the year. The sharp 2.9 percent drop in real GDP in the first quarter clearly altered perceptions about the economy, with business leaders struggling to try to figure out how that impacts their prospects for the rest of this year.

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In California, the state Assembly has passed legislation that would hold companies responsible for the employment conditions of its contracted, temporary workers that are employed through staffing agencies. CA AB 1897, currently pending in the Senate, would require client employers to share legal responsibility with labor contractors for any wage violations, on-the-job injuries, workers’ compensation coverage, and tax contributions. Labor advocates argue that temporary workers are more frequently subject to unsafe working environments, have higher rates of on-the-job injuries, and are not always paid their full wages by the agencies employing them.

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PCI® recently signed a letter urging Congress to pass H.R. 803, the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act. Employers are significantly impacted by the lack of high-skilled workers required to meet the needs of advanced manufacturing and we need immediate and long-term solutions to replenish the skilled workforce pipeline. H.R. 803, Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act takes significant steps towards that goal. For more on this Bill, visit www.shopfloororg/2014/07/21st-century-workforcetraining/31657.

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