The Cutting Edge™ - February 2004

Printable Version of the Entire January issue of The Cutting Edge™

Clicking here will take you to an HTML page which contains all the articles in this month’s The Cutting Edge™. The articles are consecutive, with no frills. Please try this format for printing and let us know your feedback by emailing jconey@fernley.com.

13th Annual Woodworking Industry Conference – Early Bird Deadline Approaching!

Cash in on savings at the 2004 WIC by submitting your registration information by Friday March 5th. See http://www.wmma.org/events/wic.cfm for details!

Business Briefing

Political Economics, By Art Raymond, (araymond@raymondnet.com)
With the election campaign gathering steam, let’s look at the economic issues being bandied about on the stumps…
The Economy – Despite overwhelming data to the contrary, many of President Bush’s opponents would have you believe that the economy remains in a recession made by GW himself

Public Policy

Saving American Manufacturers, by John Satagaj, (email@jsatlaw.com)
Perhaps it was three years ago, but I can recall standing in a hotel hallway at a Woodworking Industry Conference with Frank York. Frank was asking me, "John, who in Washington is doing anything to save American manufacturers." I can recall answering Frank, "Frank, forget about finding somebody who is doing something

International Business Development

WMMA®'s Export Trade Certificate: Opportunity to Join, by Harold Zassenhaus (zemg@erols.com)
Since February 1989, the US Department of Commerce has granted anti-trust protection for members of the WMMA® that elect to be covered under the WMMA® Export Trade Certificate (ETC). Each year, the WMMA® goes through an amendment procedure that allows those members that are not currently ETC members to join.

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Program (TAA), by Harold Zassenhaus (zemg@erols.com)
Here is a program that you may want to check out. This little known program, provided by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the US Department of Commerce, was created in 1962 to assist US manufacturers get back on their feet because of foreign competition…

Education News

WMMA® Member Enjoys Engineering Support as a Result of Scholarship Program Relationship, by Todd Herzog (THERZOG@BLOMAND.NET)
Accu-Router has parlayed two WMMA® scholarship awards into a multi-faceted engineering support program from Tennessee Tech University. Needless to say, we are thrilled about this development. We will benefit from 21 Mechanical Engineering seniors working on their "senior design project."

Industry Information

WMMA® Offers Members Customized Economic Forecast Reports at Affordable Prices
WMMA® members have the option to tap into the expertise of the Institute for Trend Research, a professional research firm that provides market/economic trends and has a long history of accurately projecting when those trends will change

Manufacturing Strategies

Change Management: Ignore Your People, and Your Lean Journey Will Run Out of Gas, By David Berger, (david@wmc.on.ca)
One of the greatest challenges management faces in implementing lean manufacturing is ensuring that real behavioral change takes place at all levels of the organization. Even the most well-intentioned, fair and respected management team, without the enthusiastic embracing of the changes contemplated, will watch their plant revert back to old and familiar ways…

Safety News

Wood Dust: Lung Health and the Tulane Study Take Center Stage, Courtesy of American Furniture Manufacturers Association, AFMA (www.afma4u.org)
Last month, we traced the history of the wood dust issue, and the concerns over nasal cancer that drove regulatory thinking about wood dust for several decades. This month, we examine the current focus on non-cancer health effects, and discuss the pending Tulane University study with lead researcher Dr. Henry Glindmeyer…

Product Liability Workshop, February 24-25 in Chicago: Avoiding the Mistakes That Cost You in Court
Does your company face any greater risk than a product liability lawsuit?
You understand the stakes and how small things can come back to haunt you. After all, you live with this problem every day. You also know what you can do to help protect your company now, before there is a problem…

Member News

Thomas Moser to Keynote Chicago CWB Conference, March 24-25
Renowned custom woodworker Thomas Moser, founder and owner of Thom. Moser Furniture of Auburn, Maine, will deliver the keynote address at the 2004 Chicago CWB Conference & Woodworking Show. The event is scheduled for March 24-25, 2004 at Marriott's Lincolnshire Resort, Lincolnshire, IL…

WMMA® Welcomes New Associate Member
Gladu Tools Inc. - We design, manufacture, sell and service tooling for the secondary wood transformation industry. Our tools cut, profile drill, route and plane solid wood and engineered wood panels. Tooling is also available for plastic sheet, various composites and non-ferrous materials…

Request for Machinery to Build National Woodworking & Lumberman Museum
James Henager of Bucksin, Indiana is continuing his parents’ tradition of collecting American folklore, and has turned to WMMA® members for contributions. Henegar’s Memories & Nostalgia is adding a National Woodworking and Lumberman Museum…

WMMA Staff Information Charles A. Granger President Peter Perez Vice President Jim Laster Treasurer Kenneth R. Hutton Executive Vice President Bill Norton Director of Marketing & Information Jean McCann Director of Committees & Editor, Cutting Edge Karen Boyle Member Services Coordinator G.A. Taylor Fernley Management Liaison John Satagaj & Kevin Horan Legislative Counsel 1010 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20001 (202) 639-8888 Harold Zassenhaus Export Director 7758 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 306 Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 652-0693 Joseph Mc Hale Legal Counsel © 2004 by Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America, Philadelphia, PA. All rights reserved. This publication or any parts of it may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. For permission to reprint articles or to send correspondence, write to: WMMA®, 1900 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1498, Phone: (215) 564-3484. Fax: (215) 963-9785. E-mail: wmma@fernley.com. The opinion expressed in any articles by outside consultants are their own views and not necessarily those of the WMMA®.