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More from Vicki Bell
- From The Fabricator
Chances for economic improvement ‘shaky at best’
- By Vicki Bell
- Feb 5, 2014
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
The Great Recession officially ended June 2009 in the U.S. Since then, the economic recovery has plodded along slowly. Nearly five years later, the snail’s pace continues, with small business optimism crawling along with it. The National Federation of Independent Business (NIFB) Research...
- From The Fabricator
Earth may not be flat, but the economy is
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 30, 2014
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
You no doubt have heard many experts weigh in on the economy, and you may have heard the 2014 State of the Union address, which focused a lot on economic conditions. Yes, we want to know what others think, what the trends are, and where experts think we are headed. But those who weigh in seem to...
- From The Fabricator
In praise of snow plows
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 28, 2014
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
As I write this, I’m watching the snow fall outside my office window. If you’re in a part of the world that has seen far too much snow this winter, you’re probably thinking, “Big deal.” Actually, for those of us in parts of the country that seldom see snow, it is a big deal. It’s...
- From The Fabricator
Team USA wearing USA-made
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 23, 2014
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Less than two years ago, the 2012 U.S. Olympic athletes’ official uniforms, designed by Ralph Lauren, drew much criticism—not for appearance, but because they were made, head-to-toe, in China. The 2012 fiasco was a subject of a blog post on thefabricator.com entitled, “Will Olympic uniform...
- From The Fabricator
A nickel for a nickel
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 21, 2014
- Metals/Materials
- Blog Post
Fabricators aren’t alone in looking for ways to cut back on material costs. A friend recently posted a photo of a large jar of coins on his Facebook page—change from a routine purchase. In coming years, that change jar might have a different color, from the inside out. As reported in the...
- From The Fabricator
Shop towels and the unseen danger
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 17, 2014
- Safety
- Article
Those freshly washed shop towels you may be using to clean your hands in the workplace might be doing more harm than good. A recent study shows just how contaminated these towels can be.
- From The Fabricator
U.S. small businesses increase revenue exporting to China
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 15, 2014
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
If you think only large U.S. corporations export to China, you’re wrong. Small businesses export as well. Money.cnn.com recently profiled five small businesses that currently are exporting their products to China. These products include wine, air purifiers, wallpaper, explosives detection...
- From The Fabricator
Encouraging employees to solve problems
- By Vicki Bell
- Jan 8, 2014
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Yesterday’s “Fabricating Update” e-newsletter featured an item about a soft skills gap—how manufacturers are finding that their current employees and potential hires, are deficient in communication and problem-solving skills. According to a recent survey of hiring managers and human...
- From The Fabricator
The shoppingest time of the year
- By Vicki Bell
- Dec 17, 2013
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Three days ago someone asked if I was done with my Christmas shopping. When I said, “No,” this person said, “Why not?” Not that I owed him or anyone else an explanation, the truth is, I really dislike shopping. I know this flies in the face of the stereotypical thinking about women: Women...
- From The Fabricator
'I quit'
- By Vicki Bell
- Dec 12, 2013
- Bending and Forming
- Blog Post
Yesterday's "Stamping News Brief" e-newsletter focused on job satisfaction. It featured a blog post by my colleague, Dan Davis, in which he wrote about the relationship between age and job satisfaction, and how employers are happy with older workers. We asked newsletter readers to share their ages...
- From The Fabricator
Honor and influence
- By Vicki Bell
- Dec 4, 2013
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Today is my dad’s birthday. If he were alive, he would be 89 years old. Sadly, he passed away at the young age of 48. He served in World War II honorably, enlisting when he was 17. Well, he lied about his age to go into the military, but for an honorable reason. He lived his life honorably, and...
- From The Fabricator
Day 3 of FABTECH
- By Vicki Bell
- Nov 20, 2013
- Bending and Forming
- Blog Post
Day 3 of FABTECH® 2013, and my mind is filled with all things fabricating. At a booth visit earlier today, an exhibitor asked what my colleagues and I are seeing that’s new and unique. Where to begin. Although fiber lasers have been out for a while, the race has been on to produce a model that...
- From The Fabricator
A bright spot in an otherwise dark day
- By Vicki Bell
- Nov 19, 2013
- Bending and Forming
- Blog Post
Early on the morning of November 17, with severe storms forecast in Chicago, my husband turned to me and said, “It’s your call.” Translation: You decide whether we are going to participate in RUN4MFG, a 5k run/walk sponsored by FABTECH® hosts the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association,...
- From The Fabricator
The greatest show in fabricating
- By Vicki Bell
- Nov 13, 2013
- Manufacturing Software
- Blog Post
The holiday season is fast approaching, and what better way for fabricators to kick it off than by holding their own extravaganza celebrating metal manufacturing and its technology. FABTECH® truly is an extravaganza—a spectacular array of the latest equipment and software for producing metal...
- From The Fabricator
Keepers
- By Vicki Bell
- Nov 6, 2013
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
As promised, here are some positive comments from “Welding Wire” readers about their experiences dealing with today’s young workers. First up is Dan, who works for a Michigan-based company that touts its “benchmark craftsmanship by certified welders.” Dan said, “I like to work with the...
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 04/16/2024
- Running Time:
- 63:29
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s...
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- Upcoming Webcasts
Nitrogen Generation for Laser Cutting: Navigating System Design for YOUR Operation
- April 24, 2024
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- May 16, 2024
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