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INDUSTRY NEWS Four member companies of The Refractories Institute are recipients of the TRI Chairman’s Safety Awards for 2006. The Chairman’s Awards are presented to companies who have operated with the best safety records in the membership determined by category based on total man hours worked. In the small company category, The Nock and Son Company was recognized for its continued success. Among the mid-size companies, Wahl Refractories and Unifrax Corporation earned the honors, and Thermal Ceramics placed first in the large company category. TRI Associates Committee Leadership At the recent TRI Membership Meeting, Nancy Bunt of Kerneos moved up to assume the chair of the TRI Associates Committee where she will serve a two year term. Leslie Powers of Almatis was elected Vice Chair. Under the Institute Bylaws, Ms. Powers will assume the chair position in two years. Both the Associates Chair and Vice Chair serve on the TRI Board of Directors during their terms. Congratulations and thanks to both ladies, as well as to Bob Stacy of Calucem who served with distinction the past two years as the chairman of the Committee. Clayburn Industrial Group Ltd. as announced a corporate reorganization and the appointments that have taken place coincidental with these changes. The growth of the company over the past few years made it necessary to create a “holding company”, CLAYBURN INDUSTRIAL GROUP LTD., according to Clayton Sessions, Clayburn Chairman. The officers of “CBIG” are
This company now is the sole shareholder of the following companies. Each has its own independent board of directors.
Any questions should be directed to J. Donald Harris at 905-892-8861 or by e-mail at harrisjd@clayburngroup.com Bush Names “Manufacturing Czar” The Bush Administration recently announced the nomination of William “Woody” Sutton, former President of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute and board member along with TRI president Rob Crolius of the Council of Manufacturing Associations, to be the Assistant Secretary of Commerce (Manufacturing and Services). In his new role, Mr. Sutton will be the Administration’s point man for U.S. manufacturers. On a less satisfying note, Michael Baroody, former Executive Vice President of the National Association of Manufacturers and speaker at the TRI 50th Anniversary celebration in Ponte Vedra in 2000, has withdrawn his nomination to chair the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Baroody had been opposed by Hill Democrats as being “to close to business interests.” According to the Industrial Energy Consumers of America, U.S. consumers paid $75.7 billion more for natural gas and $65 billion more for electricity in 2006 than they did in 2000. Bill Brown is the 2007 TRI Golf Champion. Linda Pierce is the 2007 TRI Women’s Champion. In the afternoon tournament, Dan Lease was second low net, and David Gregory, John Morris, and Don McLeod tied for low gross. Bill Brown had the longest drive and Don McLeiod was closest to the pin. In the Ladies Tournament, Denise Brown and Joan Graham tied for second low net. Ms. Brown was first low gross, and Ms. Graham was second low gross. Karen Hartley had the straightest drive, Linda Pierce was closest to the pin, and Denise Brown had the longest drive. The team of Dell Hadden, Jacque’ Lease, Pete Fulton, and Ron Campbell took first place in the Scramble. REGULATORY/LEGAL Lawsuit on OSHA HAZCOM Reg Dismissed The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has dismissed as untimely a petition for review by a number of manufacturing organizations which challenged the OSHA hazard communication regulation. The group alleged that OSHA effectively amended the regulation without public comment and participation in 2006 when it adopted by reference an updated list of Threshhold Limit Values (TLVs) developed by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). The court stated that the regulation had always provided that OSHA could updated the reference to the TLVs, and, therefore, the petition was twenty years too late. LEGISLATIVE R&D Tax Credit Legislation Expected Congressman Sander Levin (D-MI) and David Camp (R-MI), senior members of the House Ways and Means Committee, are sponsoring legislation that would strengthern and make permanent the R&D tax credit. The legislation would increase the rate for the Alternative Simplified Credit to 20%, repeal the Incremental Research Credit, and make the entire credit permanent, including the traditional credit formula. Industry has been hampered by Congress dithering with the credit. There have been thirteen short-term extensions of the credit over the past twenty years. Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) has introduced the Safe Climate Act of 2007. The bill, H.R.1590, would establish strict limits on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by calling for an 80 percent reduction in U.S. emissions by mid-century. The bill would also cap U.S. emissions in 2010, and then reduce them by 2 percent per year until 2020. After 2020, emissions would fall by about 5 percent a year. MEETINGS National Safety Congress & Expo | |||||||||||||||