VIEW FROM THE FLOOR
PATIENCE AND PARTNERSHIPS
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Do you have a story to tell? We’re always interested in hearing from our readers about changes they’ve made to make their business better. Reach out, we’d like to share your success!
or as long as this magazine has been publishing, and that goes back 110 years, there have been articles dedicated to providing an inside look at how shops across this country operate, where they came from and what they’re doing to keep going strong. Our readers enjoy these articles, and I can only speak for myself, but as an editor, visiting shops is the best part of the job. Being welcomed into a business, whether it’s by the company owner or the shop floor manager, the experience is always the same. These people love what they do. They’re proud of the work they are doing and the new challenges they are facing on a daily basis. Their passion is obvious. We’ve dedicated most of this issue to sharing the stories of shops we’ve visited across the country so far this year. To be honest, we’ve had the opportunity to visit even more places than we could fit onto these pages, but we have plenty of issues to come. Searching for common threads among the sites we’ve seen and the people we’ve met, aside from their general enthusiasm, it would have to be the genuine appreciation for the advancements new technology has introduced to their operations. Whether it’s the time saved from fewer set-ups with multi-tasking machine tools, like lathes with live tooling or multi-axis mills, or the ability to better control internal
PUBLISHER STEVE DEVONPORT 416.442.5125 ß sdevonport@canadianmetalworking.com
production flow by bringing previously outsourced services like laser cutting or precision grinding in-house, or the introduction of robotic cells to automate welding or loading and unloading, or adding a coating or paint line, these Canadian shops keep pushing their businesses forward. “You can’t be stagnant in this industry,” notes Paul Chissell, president of Wynn Machine and Manufacturing in Edmonton. Closely tied to the energy supply chain in Alberta, Chissell has seen the taps turn on and off in the oil and gas sector many times, and he understands that for a family-owned business like his to survive it requires foresight, patience and perseverance. It also requires strong relationships, and companies of all size remark on the importance of their talented workforce and the partnerships they form with their suppliers, and more importantly with their customers. Despite the current oil price shock that has cooled off his local market, Chissell remains optimistic, because he’s taken steps in previous years to fortify the business, make those connections and position the company well for when the taps start flowing again. Every shop in this country has a story to tell, and we’re here to listen.
DOUG PICKLYK, EDITOR dpicklyk@canadianmetalworking.com
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ROB SWAN 416.510.5225, cell 416.725.0145 ß rswan@canadianmetalworking.com
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EDITOR DOUG PICKLYK 416.510.5206 ßdpicklyk@canadianmetalworking.com
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ART DIRECTOR STEWART THOMAS 416-442-5600 x3212 ß sthomas@annexnewcom.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER SELINA RAHAMAN 416.442.5600 x3528 ß srahaman@annexnewcom.ca MARKET PRODUCTION MANAGER BARB VOWLES 416.510.5103 ß bvowles@annexnewcom.ca PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER PHYLLIS WRIGHT 416.442.6786 ß pwright@annexnewcom.ca PRESIDENT OF ANNEX BUSINESS MEDIA MIKE FREDERICKS VICE-PRESIDENT OF ANNEX BUSINESS MEDIA TIM DIMOPOULOS
10 | AUGUST 2015
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CM accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue. DISCLAIMER This publication is for informational purposes only. The content and “expert” advice presented are not intended as a substitute for informed professional engineering advice. You should not act on information contained in this publication without seeking specific advice from qualified engineering professionals. PRIVACY NOTICE From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1.800.668.2374 Fax: 416.442.2191 Email: vmoore@annexnewcom.ca Mail to: Privacy Office, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Canadian Publications Mail Agreement: 40069240. ISSN: 0008-4379 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
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