Sutton-Garten

Author Archives: Sutton-Garten

  1. Our Outlook for the New Year

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    The New Year is now underway—do you know what that means? It’s time for us, as a company, to look back at our successes of the past year and work to capitalize on them in the coming year. This past year proved to be a record year for Sutton Garten is sales, and that is something we only hope continues into 2014. In order to maintain our success amidst a stagnant U.S. economy, our biggest goal of the new year is this: become more diversified so that we can weather any future economic downturns.

    Diversifying our company has certainly helped to make us more available to our customers; we plan on using this foundation to continue adding capabilities to our forte. Here’s a quick rundown of what lies ahead in 2014 for us:

    CO2: As we garner more interest from customers in the CO2 division, we are looking at investing in another bulk CO2 truck or increasing our current horizontal tank and replacing it with a vertical CO2 tank.

    Welding: Our welding training classes have been expanding and our relationship with the Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative (IWDC) remains strong.

    Product line: The inventory of our product line will be increasing, as Hypertherm will be introducing a new plasma cutting line, Miller continues to develop an air filtering line of equipment, and ColdJet’s dry ice blasting equipment remains a high seller and renter.

    Trade shows: We just returned from the PRI trade show, and we plan on attending other industry shows throughout the coming year, so that we remain on top of the industry.

    While this has certainly been a successful year for us, we have our hands full when it comes to making 2014 an even better year for our company. We hope you’re a part of it!

  2. Helping Solve America’s STEM Problem

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    There has been a great deal of discussion of late about America’s lack of qualified workers. A recent survey from Georgetown University claims that we will face a shortage of 5 million qualified job applicants by 2020. How could this be possible? Why is the U.S. losing its competitive edge, and why is the problem only getting worse?

    One of the main culprits for this shortcoming is a lack of proper STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) training. According to the National Math + Science Initiative, 69% of high school graduates are not prepared for college-level science courses and 54% are not ready to handle college-level math. This educational deficit is made even starker when you realize that only 31% of U.S. college graduates have degrees in STEM fields, compared to 61% in Japan and 51% in China, as outlined in the same report.

    At Sutton Garten, we take this problem seriously. Having a highly skilled and knowledgeable team of employees has been one of the main reasons we have stayed at the top of our industry for the past 90 years, so we understand the importance of training.

    Welding classesIt is why Sutton Garten offers welding certification and training classes at our 2000 sq. ft. training facility. We teach and certify in:

    • Stick Welding
    • Oxy/Fuel Cutting
    • Mig Welding
    • Tig Welding
    • Plasma Cutting

    If you want to gain the critical skills needed to join the modern workforce, there is no better place than Sutton Garten. We hope to see this training and STEM education grow in other areas of the industry as well.

     

  3. Need a Bulk Supply of Liquid Nitrogen? Our New Trailer Delivers!

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    For many years, Sutton-Garten has supplied liquid nitrogen to customers in a wide variety of industries, from the food and beverage industry (for making ice cream, pouring draft beer, etc.) to the welding industry (gas pipe purging, laser cutting, etc.) and the automotive industry (pressurizing tires).

    In a previous blog post, we talked in-depth about liquid nitrogen and its uses. Now, in this post, we want to share some related information: news and details about our new liquid nitrogen trailer, which can fill customers’ liquid nitrogen storage tanks.

    Bulk delivery with our new trailer works to everyone’s advantage – yours and ours – by saving time and money and eliminating the headaches caused by having to move and transport cylinders. With our new liquid nitrogen trailer, we deliver to your locations and use a hose to fill your tanks directly from the trailer. It’s bulk delivery of liquid nitrogen at its best!

    Here’s some additional interesting information about our new liquid nitrogen trailer:

    • It’s a “Gorilla trailer” made by West Cryogenics, Inc.
    • The trailer holds up to 850 gallons of liquid nitrogen.
    • It offers vaporizing capabilities, turning the liquid nitrogen into vapor when our customers need it in that form.

    Nitrogen TrailerKeep in mind that while the list of customers who get liquid nitrogen from us is very broad and varied, the service and quality product Sutton-Garten supplies is always the same. We continue to provide products and services that meet the highest industry standards, and we’ve been doing this for more than 90 years!

     

     

  4. U.S. Manufacturing Is Trending Up – Slowly, But Surely

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    We’re hearing a lot of positive news lately regarding the U.S. manufacturing sector and the economy, in general. It seems as if manufacturing is making a welcome comeback here – slowly, but surely – and a similar recovery trend is happening in other countries around the world. A recent report said, “American producers are leading a global manufacturing recovery that stretches from China to Europe as their economies improve.”

    There are several indicators pointing in a positive direction right now:

    Other trends positively impacting U.S. manufacturing today include “onshoring” (or “reshoring”) and the increased access to manufacturing-related education and training.

    American ManufacturingThe onshoring trend we’re seeing now reflects the fact that more companies are setting up or moving manufacturing operations to the U.S. after they’ve realized that manufacturing overseas is costly and can be unreliable when it comes to quality control. The education/training trend is driven by the fact that more manufacturing jobs are open or they’re being created. Therefore, more people are seeking the training and education they need to fill those jobs. Specific manufacturing-related skills training and education (including welding training) are in demand, and welding education programs are being added to the curriculum of schools and colleges across the country.

    Right now, any way you look at manufacturing and the economy, you’ll see positive signs. In a recent USA Today article, one market strategist says, “Overall, the direction of manufacturing continues to be positive.” We share this optimism, and patiently look forward to the upward trend in U.S. manufacturing continuing in the months and years ahead!

     

  5. Recapturing CO2 Works to Everyone’s Advantage

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    Environmentalists around the world have been talking about the negative impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on our environment for decades now. It seems as though every day we hear complaints about CO2’s relationship to rising sea levels, extreme weather, and climate change. Heat waves, superstorms, and deadly tornados are routinely blamed on the climate change environmentalists believe is caused, in large part, by CO2 emissions.

    CO2

    But, over the past few years in particular, we’ve seen businesses and industries working together to develop ways to reduce CO2 emissions. Everyone seems to have “sustainability” and the protection of our environment in mind. Reports say U.S. carbon emissions have “declined at an impressive rate given the absence of any cohesive federal climate change policy.” Everyone’s making an effort and doing their part.

    The sectors cited as the top two CO2 emissions producers are the transportation industry and electricity generation. These industries, as well as others with processes that emit CO2, have been modifying their operations and cutting back on their CO2 emissions.

    At Sutton-Garten, we’re also doing our part to help our environment by using recaptured CO2 emitted through the production of ethanol. We’re taking something that’s perceived to be hazardous or “bad” and making it “good” by putting it to good use!

    CO2Our CO2 is used for beverage systems, welding, pH control of water, and dry ice production.. By recapturing the CO2 and doing these things, we’re also helping the ethanol plants be more productive and environmentally friendly… It’s a win-win situation for everyone!

  6. Liquid Nitrogen: Industries, Applications, and Advantages

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    As a compact, easily transportable product, liquid nitrogen has been used in a range of industries and applications for many years. Its beneficial uses include cryogenics, backup nitrogen, shrink-welding of machinery, various cooling applications, HVAC industry usage, sample preservation, beer production, and many food storage, preservation, and preparation methods.

    Especially popular in the food industry, its use has dated all the way back to the late 1800’s. In more modern times, liquid nitrogen’s rapid chilling had made it extremely beneficial. Nowadays, it is even being used to quickly freeze cocktails and chill glasses, create a fun, smoky presentation for food and drinks and in the ever-trendy world of molecular gastronomy.

    As a company with a great deal of experience with other gases—we have four bulk carbon dioxide trucks—we are very excited to now have a bulk liquid nitrogen trailer. This will allow for countless clients to use liquid nitrogen for food processing purposes, as well as many others.

    For instance we have one client that uses liquid nitrogen in soda bottles. The nitrogen makes the bottle expand and helps increase the strength of the bottles, allowing for better stackability. Another customer uses it to make ice cream; due to the formation of smaller ice crystals as a result of the liquid nitrogen, the product is smoother because of it. This new trailer means we can offer bulk supplies to our customers.

    Whatever its use or purpose—fun or functional, food or industrial—you’ll find the bulk liquid nitrogen supply to be just what your company needed.

  7. Are You Wired For Welding Safety? OSHA Turns its Attention to Manganese in Welding Wires

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    In its mission to protect welding workers nationwide, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) recently turned its attention to cutting down on the use of manganese in welding wire. Welding wire is often composed of many different materials and elements, including manganese, which helps prevent corrosion when added to steel. The problem for welders and other industrial workers, according to OSHA, is created when manganese fumes or dust particles are inhaled on a regular basis.

    Exposure to manganese fumes can cause injury to the human brain and central nervous system. Research has shown that inhalation of manganese fumes creates neurophysiological effects, including conditions known as “manganism” and “metal fume fever.” OSHA defines “manganism” as a condition that mimics Parkinson’s Disease – it causes people to have gait disturbances, clumsiness, tremors, speech disturbances, and psychological issues. “Metal fume fever,” according to OSHA, is a temporary condition caused by inhaling manganese fumes, often with symptoms such as chills, fever, upset stomach, vomiting, dryness of the throat, cough, weakness, and achiness.

    OSHA works closely with the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) to determine its weld fume particulate regulations. A recent article in The Fabricator, published by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Int’l, says, “The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommended a 10-fold reduction in the time-weighted average (TWA) (measured over an eight-hour shift) threshold limit value (TLV) for respirable manganese particulate. The association reduced the respirable TLV-TWA limit of 0.2 mg/m3 to 0.02 mg/m3. According to the new TLV, a person should not breathe in more than 0.02 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/m3) of manganese over an eight-hour work period.”

    Within the last decade, similar requirements were established in Europe, and now they’re being adopted in the U.S. These new guidelines dramatically reduce manganese exposure limits and cause companies in the welding community in the U.S. to rethink their operations and safety plans.

    What’s being done now? Both Miller Electric and Hobart Filler Metals have developed new products to meet this challenge. Companies are installing fume extraction systems and using fume extraction guns, along with requiring employees to wear respiratory protection masks or helmets. Additionally, welding wire is now being manufactured with much lower levels of manganese in order to help companies meet OSHA’s new guidelines for working with manganese fumes. Industry is now beginning to take a proactive approach to the safety of its welders—and so should you.

     

  8. Narrowing the Manufacturing Skills Gap with Welding Training Classes

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    For more than a year now, manufacturers across the U.S. have been facing a skills gap: There just aren’t enough skilled workers available today to fill key manufacturing jobs – welders, machinists, industrial machinery mechanics, etc. According to one recent poll by Industry Week, more than half of the manufacturers surveyed said, “We need skilled workers today…” and another 28% said, “We’re okay now but the future is troubling.”

    Another report by the American Enterprise Institute earlier this year said we will be facing “a future high-skills gap in manufacturing that could approach 875,000 machinists, welders, industrial engineers, and industrial machinery mechanics by 2020…” 875,000? That’s a lot of open jobs that will be waiting to be filled! Even as the economy continues to slowly recover, the manufacturing skills gap will continue to grow unless more people start to get the proper training they need to master specialized skills and to obtain the required certifications.

    At Sutton-Garten, we believe we’re doing our part to narrow the manufacturing skills gap: We offer hands-on welding training classes. The types of classes range from introductory courses for individuals and groups to specialized/customized classes and training for companies doing all types of welding. We also offer certifications for MIG, TIG, and stick welding.Stick Welding

    In addition to our welding training classes, our commitment to welding education extends to high schools in the area. Sutton-Garten proudly sponsors teams in the AWS Midwest Team Welding Competition each year. As proud U.S. manufacturers, we are doing our best to improve the current and future state of manufacturing.

     

  9. Our Recent Welding Involvements

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    As spring has gotten underway, things have really picked up here at Sutton Garten. By this, we mean we have been involved in a lot of different industry events! Let us tell you about them.

    AWSAWS Chapter meeting: As members of the AWS, we often attend chapter meetings, to keep in touch with other members within the industry and stay on top of any new technologies or trends in the welding world. This past April 2nd, we hosted the chapter meeting, something we typically do about once a year. At this meeting, we discussed and demonstrated a new piece of Miller welding equipment, in order to show how to build up your welding facility and fleet of equipment.

    Midwest Team Welding Competition: On April 24th and 25th, the Midwest Team Welding Competition, sponsored by AWS, was held at the JE Light Career Center. Essentially, the competition includes teams of high school students from various vocational schools in the area, encouraging them to compete in welding contests. Specifically, we sponsored the TIG welding content, as we have been a part of the competition for some time, and want to help build up schools that are training students in the welding methods.

    Although a busy month, April helped get us more involved in the welding community—something we are continuously working on!

  10. Keeping the Welding Community Safe is a Top Priority at Sutton-Garten

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    Whatever the industry, if there are welding operations, there is potential for a wide variety of hazards. At Sutton-Garten, keeping the welding community safe has been, and always will be, a top priority. Some of the hazards affiliated with welding that can cause complex safety and health issues are:

    • Toxic gases and fumes
    • Explosions
    • Fires
    • Arc radiation
    • Noise
    • Electrical shocks.

    According to the OSHA website, “Welding, cutting, and brazing are hazardous activities that pose a unique combination of both safety and health risks to more than 500,000 workers in a wide variety of industries. The risk from fatal injuries alone is more than four deaths per thousand workers over a working lifetime.” OSHA also discusses the hazards of hexavalent chromium, compounds which can be formed during the welding process. If inhaled, hexavalent chromium can literally burn our insides, and dangers like this have caused OSHA to raise safety standards and to require monitored air filtration systems in welding environments.

    Welding HelmetWe believe there’s a “safety evolution” happening in all industries, and we’ve seen OSHA raise standards and offer specific safety guidelines for the different industries employing welding practices. Additionally, there are specialized standards to meet as well for particular types of welding.

    At Sutton-Garten, we’re happy to see that industries are continuing to evolve and to become more focused on safety issues and on hazards prevention. We offer a complete line of welding safety equipment, including gloves, helmets and more. Like we said before, keeping the welding community safe is, and always will be, a top priority for us at Sutton-Garten!

     

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