METALfab2018 is Less Than 2 Months Away! Have You Registered Yet?
Don't miss THE industry event of the year which will include outstanding education, visits to local shops, and a massive trade show. Mark your calendars now for an event you won't want to miss!
Call for Auction Items
Start planning and designing your donations today! The next NEF Auction will take place during the Party for a Purpose on Thursday, February 8, 2018, at METALfab2018 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Get your costumes ready and join us as we go back in time to the 1950s when NOMMA was first established. Our "Great Balls of Fire" theme will set the tone as we celebrate NOMMA’s 60th Anniversary! The NEF Trustees have set a lofty goal for the 2018 auction to raise $1,000 for every year NOMMA has been established. We need your help in achieving our goal, so let’s join forces to successfully raise $60,000 to support education in our industry! This auction is our largest fundraiser, and it is critically important to be able to expand educational offerings to the people of our industry. 
The 2018 Auction Committee, chaired by Carl Grainger, has been hard at work. Leaves,
custom forged by NOMMA's very own Jack Klahm, will be available for purchase again this year to commemorate, celebrate and honor individuals and companies.
NEF would be very grateful for any donated items submitted for the auction. Past donations included tools, gift cards, jewelry, electronics, gift baskets, hand forged items such as tables, motorcycles, garden art, candlesticks and more. Donated
items can dropped off at the NEF office located in the Phoenix Convention Center in room 232C. Prior to the auction, items will be on display in the NOMMA Pavillion. Generous donations from our members and supporters help to make the auction
a success. Let’s make this the largest auction in NOMMA’s 60-year history!
Look for details on where to ship donated items on the NOMMA website (www.nomma.org), or items can be dropped off onsite at the NEF Office room at the Convention Center after February 7, 2018. The donation form is also available for download at http://www.nomma.org/?page=NEFAuction.
METALfab2018 Schedule of Events for February 5 - 10
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This year, Octoberfest 2017 was hosted by Bailey Metal Fabricators in Mitchell, South Dakota. Greg and Heidi Bailey and their entire team put forth an extraordinary effort to ensure the demonstrations and education were outstanding. A big NOMMA "thank you" to them! Thank you to Nick Schulte, Matheson Gas, for sponsoring a vendor table to demo equipment.
"When you find out you don't have what you need, STOP and think about what you do have," said Heidi Bailey. She and Greg shared examples of creative problem-solving to meet the challenges of everyday life as a metal fabricator.
"Hire for attitude and train for skills," said Curt Witter from Big D Metal Works, Dallas, Texas. Curt and Greg Bailey shared tips on how to screen prospective employees and bring them on board.
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December Roundtable Recap
Vacation & Sick Time Policy
As an employer, you consider many things when seeking the right employee. Those considerations can include a person’s skills, employment history, and education. Similar to an employer’s search, job-seekers are looking for the right employer. Beyond the level of compensation, job-seekers want great benefits such as health and dental insurance, and, of course, vacation/sick time.
If your company offers vacation time, sick time or paid time off (PTO), here are a few things to consider:
- Does your company have a vacation time, sick time or PTO policy?
- Are your current employees aware of and do they understand the vacation policy? (It’s ok to veer from the policy on a case-by-case basis.)
- Review your policies annually and make adjustments as needed.
- Make sure employees are aware of any changes. Request employee signatures stating the acknowledgment of the changes.
- Remind employees that sufficient notice when requesting time off is beneficial for them and the company.
Unable to join the Roundtable discussion? Now you can now listen to previous discussions by visiting www.nomma.org/roundtable.
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 The Top Job Submission Deadline is Quickly Approaching!
The early bird deadline has already passed, but it's not too late for you to submit your work to the Top Job Contest. All entries must be submitted by December 31!
For a list of Top Job categories to enter, contest rules, or photo tips, visit the following link:
NOMMA Top Job Brochure
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A team of researchers from HRL Laboratories have devised a method that finally allows for the 3D printing of high-strength metals and alloys. These materials, commonly used in heavy-duty industrial parts, can now be manufactured faster and cheaper than ever before.
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The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) rose by 5 points to 74, marking the third consecutive increase. The index is now at its highest level since July 1999
Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes increased five points to a level of 74 in December on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) after a downwardly revised November reading. This was the highest report since July 1999, over 18 years ago. Builder confidence has improved in 2017 on hopes of an improved regulatory environment for firms in the residential construction sector.
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A security consultant lists the positives and negatives of emergency access system types.
As a professional fabricator, you may create ornamental gates for condominium complexes, private communities, industrial compounds, and apartment buildings. Depending on the application and level of security required, access control systems may be completely automated or staffed around-the-clock. While gates and fencing are intended to keep out undesirables, they also do a great job of keeping everybody out, including emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, firefighters, and law enforcement whose jobs are to answer calls for help emanating from within these residential and commercial fortresses.
**This article originally ran in the May 2002 issue of Fabricator.
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What would you do if the majority of your entry-level, hourly workforce was planning to leave in less than a year? More than half of the 1,200 young people working in entry-level jobs we surveyed said that was their plan — and less than a quarter felt highly satisfied with their job. That’s expensive for business. Turnover can cost up to 200% of an employee’s annual salary, depending on the role. In industries like retail, customer service, and hospitality, entry-level turnover alone costs billions of dollars each year, based on voluntary turnover rates and annual replacement costs. Meanwhile, employee disengagement results in higher absenteeism, more accidents, lower business profitability, worse customer service, and a lower share price.
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