CWA News
The voice of the welding industry in Canada
May, 2008
CWA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
The CWA’s Board of Directors meeting was held in Edmonton on May 8. Of CWA’s directors, 11 out of 12 chapters and seven of eight supplier members were represented. Doug Luciani attended on behalf of CWB Group. This was the best attendance we have had since CWA and WPMAC got together to form CWA in 2001.
All directors felt that this meeting was a momentous event for the Canadian Welding Association and were unanimous in their approval of the acquisition of CWA’s national body by CWB Group and of the other related resolutions.
Doug stated that the joining of the two organizations – CWA and CWB – would help the Canadian welding industry meet international competition, bring the Canadian welding community closer together and increase membership in CWA.
The Affiliation Agreement and the National Chapter Handbook were discussed. They had been put together by a committee consisting of Emad Assaad, Dan Tadic, Dale Malcolm, Doug Luciani and John Levi. Everyone on the committee had the same objective, a successful future for CWA. To that end, CWB Group had supported the operations of CWA through the past six months and will continue to assist.
Directors suggested several opportunities for new chapters, sources of members and tangible membership benefits.
The meeting was followed by a reception at which Emad Assaad and Doug Luciani jointly announced the new organization to welding professionals from across Alberta. The general buzz was that this would be good for the industry and everyone in it.
CANADIAN WELDING WEEK
At the CWA board of directors meeting last week, Dan Tadic proposed establishing Canadian Welding Week, a celebration of welders and welding in Canada. Some of the events will include:
- September 22 – CWA’s National Advisory Council meeting
- September 22 – CWA’s annual awards dinner including the awarding of the Robert J. Jacobson Memorial Award and the Michael N. Vuchnich Award
- September 23 to 25 – Weld Expo Canada trade show
- September 23 to 25 – Welding seminar at Weld Expo Canada
- September 24 to 26 – 5th International Seminar on Advances in Resistance Welding (Toronto), The Rebirth of American Manufacturing
Companies, schools, colleges and universities from across Canada will be invited to participate in events with tours, seminars, demonstrations and open houses. A committee has been formed to plan and implement events related to Canadian Welding Week. In addition, the committee will work at communicating the event through national and trade media as well as working with government to have the week of September 22 officially declared Canadian Welding Week.
WELD EXPO CANADA TRADE SHOW
The Weld Expo Canada Trade Show is scheduled for September 23 to 25, 2008, at the International Centre in Toronto. Supplier members are working with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers to host a seminar series at the trade show in which the four speaker tracks will include Welding as a Career, Safety, New Technology and Productivity. Watch for announcements about Weld Expo Canada in upcoming issues of the Canadian Welding Association Journal, in CWA’s newsletters and on the website.
5TH INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON ADVANCES IN RESISTANCE WELDING SEMINAR
The seminar will be held in Toronto from September 24 to 26, 2008. This is the first time this seminar is being held outside Europe. It will bring together North American technology with Asian and European advances. Information for the event and its program are posted to our website in the “Welding Industry Events” Area.
CANADIAN WELDING ASSOCIATION JOURNAL
The spring 2008 issue of the Canadian Welding Association Journal is in the mail. Its theme is the welding of exotic metals. Let us know what you think of it.
The article submission deadline for the summer 2008 issue is June 1. It will focus on productivity and will include articles from supplier members who are exhibiting at Weld Expo Canada.