WELCOME

CONTENTS Chair…

Planning our future

Message from your

03 Spatter Matter 04 AGM & Conference 06 Industry News 09 SIF Tips

10 Product Reviews – Spring 2010

INE SPA Kemppi UK Ltd Flextraction Ltd Anopol Ltd Fein Industrial Power Tools GYS Ltd Weldspares Ltd Technical Arc SIA Abrasives

12 AWD Interview

Bruno Bouygues CEO, GYS

14 BOC Merchandising

16 Scottish Pride in Govan Shipyard

17 Ask The Expert

Air Products

18 Harveys Weldweb 19 Industry Insight

It seems only yesterday that I was elected as Chair of the AWD, but I shortly approach my first anniversary as Conference & AGM time come around, where I look forward to networking with some old friends again. For many it has been a year in which we have had to tighten our belts as we slogged it out with the challenges presented to survive in what has been the worst recession for many years, and which this time was not lead by manufacturing. Look no further than the

Financial Industry for the source of our woes! If we ran our businesses as they did, we would have all been fired with immediate effect and we would definitely not have been bailed out by our Government with multi million pound pension pots and year end bonuses

The economic indicators, albeit tacit, suggest the worst is behind us now and that we can start to look forward with cautious optimism. There are signs of improvement in our industrial sectors, but not all and here the construction industry comes to mind. However, a number of companies and members that I have talked to are experiencing a definite increase in enquiries and some are finding a marked improvement in sales and that all important margin. Long may this continue, but we are being told by the economists, that it will be a fragile and lengthy improvement in growth. Let us all be more optimistic, I am sure it will help and by the end of the year we should all be seeing some benefits from a global upturn in demand. As for your AWD, well it's all change this year for our AGM and Conference. We will kick off early on Friday 16th April with our first ever 'Welding World' exhibition, a truly exciting new venture for us which many of you are supporting, and which we hope to develop further in the future, and use as a tool to attract a greater number of attendees to the event and as a catalyst to attract new and the return of previous members. To accommodate the exhibitors and attendees we are running the Gala Dinner on the Friday night, a break with tradition, but one which we will trial and assess the outcome and feedback for the future. Your AGM and Conference will take place as usual on the Saturday morning, where we will formalise our name change to the 'Association of Welding Distribution', a subtle but necessary change to reflect our membership and expand our reach to others in our industry. As usual, you can also expect some top quality speakers and the excellent networking opportunity the AGM always presents. Golfers need not despair, our annual competition will still be there for those wishing to participate. If you have not booked for either the exhibition, or the AGM/Conference I urge you to do so soonest. I very much look forward to meeting you at both. I would ask you all to remember this is your Association, your views, contributions and ideas are very important to us, so please feel free to contact me, council members, your regional chair or our Director Mike Hill. We will be delighted to hear from you.

AWD MEMBERSHIP

For more information and how becoming a member can help your business call us on:

01952 290036

Or visit us on the internet at: www.awd.org.uk

02

Welding

Best Regards

Danny Gallagher Chair

World

FRONT COVER IMAGE:

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