…but we’re still doing our best to be responsible!

A recent article at Converting Digest uncovers that many businesses are not planning to boost their eco efforts in the near future. While 2/3 of some 1,400 CFO’s surveyed anticipate their efforts to remain the same, another 25% look forward to increased attention on the issue.  In all cases, profitability and economic stability are the driving forces behind every decision.

As a supplier serving numerous industries, we at York Saw have a chance to see multiple opinions on this hot button issue.  While more consumer-oriented businesses may be quickly motivated by popular pressure to change for the “greener,”  others don’t always see the value or incentive to pick up and make the change.

The decision to make progress toward sustainability is often not a matter of  “should I” or “is it what I want to do.” Instead, if it isn’t government mandate, it’s a matter of value and return that seem to drive the bulk of decisions to become more eco-friendly.

It’s no mystery: it takes green to be green.  If the perceived value isn’t there, the chance of a company investing in those changes in today’s economy are slim.

And what about you guys?

Us? Well, we definitely care about not being wasteful and having as little impact on the world outside as we can.  So, we weighed the pros and cons and as a result have made some major changes for the better-for-the-Earth that also happen to be good for us, too.  Not only does York Saw contribute zero identified sustainable hazards in the waste stream, we’ve also completed a recent remodel in which we:

1. Installed triple-pane windows – Heavier and more costly than traditional dual-pane, these are the most energy efficient of all windows choices. Not only are they durable, but the savings in energy use and cost will pay for the upgrade many times over.
2. Installed a rubber roof on our entire facility – Rubber roofs are made from recycled material, they are incredibly energy efficient, durable, and leak proof.  All this helps cut back on our energy usage as well as greatly reducing future maintenance costs.
3. Upgraded our facility insulation – A no-brainer energy saver that will again pay for itself in multiples over the seasons to come.
4. Upgraded our light fixtures – Another no-brainer.  We’ve seen the benefit of eco-friendly light bulbs and fixtures in our homes. Now apply that benefit to a 65,000 square foot manufacturing facility.
5. Integrated a new, paperless invoice system- The new web-based method allows us to keep in contact with vendors and clients alike in real time without wasting trees and all the related resources.  Keeping those things online in one place, helps us stay pretty lean and organized, too!

Great job, guys. But what do you REALLY GET out of it all?

Not only does it feel good to be responsible, it feels even better knowing the investments we make now put us in a better position in the long run.

Physical improvements are dramatically decreasing both our electric AND natural gas usage.  That means less money spent on bills now and more energy left to be used later (you know, for the kids?! ).  Most of these upgrades are also ones that require less maintenance and future fuss: another bonus for longevity!  Likewise, infrastructure improvements like the invoicing system not only reduce our supplies cost and environmental impact, they help us operate more efficiently as team, too.

Overall, our choices are motivated by a proven return on taking responsible action.  Yes, it is a lot up front. Yes, we think it’s more than worth it. Yes, we’re one of the 25% who plans to do more in the future.

What, if any, steps is your company taking to become more sustainable?

The growth of the internet and  surge of Social Media outlets have caused a major swing in the way we do business today.  Prospects and clients alike can easily research and choose the  solutions for their needs: often before the traditional card-toting, cold-calling salesman has a chance to get his foot in the door.

Today they have more ways than ever to draw conclusions on YOUR brand before you may get a chance to say it yourself.

So what’s a company to do?

Many B2C companies  have already accepted the paradigm shift and hit the ground running with experiments in new media.  They interact with customers via company blogs, Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, and other online tools.  For better or worse, they’re opening up to their client base and encouraging growth through direct interaction.  They’ve thrown away the old “I’ll tell you what you want” mentality for a more collaborative “What can I do better for you” mantra.

But, what about companies like us: the niche market, B2B, industrial establishment?  Here at YSK, we’re certainly branching out in the appropriate avenues.   Trying new media. Interacting with buyers and fellow suppliers alike on new levels.

I can say from our success at this year’s Pack Expo alone, the extra effort has certainly paid off.  That success indicates there are many others out there doing the same thing,  but I can’t help but think there should be even more.

And so the question remains: Why aren’t more B2B’s so quick to pick up and run with these new concepts?  Our clients and prospects are the same people that are the browsers and customers of these end-user B2C companies.

Why don’t more of us put ourselves in front of them at the office the way those companies do when those same people are at home?

You may not be aware, but starting in 2010, Process Expo will no longer be teamed up with behemoth Pack Expo as it has for the past years.  In what looks to be a more symbiotic venture, the Food Processing Supplier’s Association will co-locate their flagship event with the Institute of Food Technologies’ (IFT) Food Expo in what IFT describes as an opportunity to  “gain a better understanding of the interrelated stages involved in the delivery of a food product.”

This new partnership could serve to benefit both parties substantially.  Food Expo has suffered dwindling participation over the past few years, and Process Expo has played what many view as consistent second fiddle in the shadow of PMMI’s towering crown jewel.

One of the best commentaries I’ve found comes from foodprocessing.com’s own Editor in Chief, Dave Fusaro.  It does a great job highlighting the potential benefits of the new partnership.  It also points out some of the PMMI-FPSA backstory that I hadn’t been aware of before.  If you have a moment, I encourage you to take a look for yourself.

Overall, the new event looks like a good opportunity for IFT and FPSA alike.  It will be interesting to see how it changes turnout and results for both the Food/Process and Pack itself for 2010.

It’s great to see widespread satisfaction across the board, for visitors and exhibitors alike.   Frankly,  we’ve been trying to sum up our feelings about the whole thing, and all we’ve managed to come up with is one simple word:

Awesome.

Over the years we’ve watched Pack grow into what has truly become an international exhibition.  This year, we had the opportunity to connect with processors and OEMs from 10 different countries – more than we’ve ever met before at one event. It’s hard to pinpoint our most popular product at the show, but this is certain: no matter where they came from or what they came for,  visitors to our booth were most interested in our depth of capability, our “no minimum” required custom knife manufacturing, no tooling charge, and very short lead time.  Overall, the 2009 Pack Expo Las Vegas brought a 5% increase in leads over the last Vegas show and was just, well … you know … awesome.

If you’re looking for more of the dirty details, check out PMMI’s own writeup or look at more real-time results as the buzz continues on Twitter.

In 1906, York, PA man Louis Klunk set out to become a premier manufacturer of steel, set-tooth saw blades.  He built a business from the ground up, employing and honing the skill of a dedicated, local workforce to see it all through.  The then-titled York Saw Works soon became renowned  for its quality, reliability, and superior service to numerous industries in need of quality saw blades.

York Saw Works in the 1950's

The company continued to flourish in the following decades, and in 1969 the old York Saw Works was sold to James O. Pickard, Sr.  At that time it was renamed the York Saw and Machine Company, Inc.  In 1991, the company purchased the Luxite brand of professional, carbide-tipped sawblades. Then in 1994, E.G. Oleson’s & Sons was purchased. The newly-renamed  Oleson Saw Technology joined the family in serving the needs of the logging industry and is the exclusive distributor of Iseli equipment used in the maintenance of saw blades in lumber mills.

40 years later, York Saw is run by a second generation of Pickards as the York Saw & Knife Company.  Now located in a modern 65,000 square foot facility just outside York proper in Emigsville, the company employs over 70 skilled workers and support staff.  Support and capabilities are stronger than ever, with the company offering its products from the largest industries to the smallest niche markets.

York Saw & Knife today.

The custom blade  manufacturer continues to expand in both product line AND company size, offering much more specialized and custom knives for applications never-before supported in the company’s history.  Products today include carbide-tipped saws,  wide band saw blades, and numerous other blades that cut off, perforate, and slit food, paper, foil, film, plastics, and corrugated products.

While the question remains whether Mr. Klunk would even recognize his creation 103 years in the future, one would hope he could be proud of a versatile company which continues to grow with such diversity.  Strong core values of American-made quality and service remain the cornerstone of all York Saw’s endeavors.

Follow us: @yorksaw

Got something to say in 140 characters or less?  We do!

York Saw & Knife is happy to announce its most recent online social endeavor: a Twitter account!

If you’re already there, follow @yorksaw for great links and commentary.  We’re relatively new to the community and welcome new fans and followers any time!

If you have no idea what it is, you might want to check this “Twitter thing” out and give it a try for yourself.  It is a great, quick way to connect and keep in touch with friends, followers, and generally like-minded people all over the world.

Oleson Saw serves the cutting needs of the logging industry.

You’re probably already aware that York Saw & Knife has been a proud manufacturer of saw and knife solutions for numerous industries.  Hopefully you’re also aware of the quality and top-notch service that comes with our products, too.  But, did you know one division of our company is dedicated to serving the needs of the logging industry alone?

And that beyond manufacture and sales, that division extends its knowledge and experience in educating others in the field?

Oleson Saw Technology, Inc. is just that.  In addition to a full line of quality saws, Oleson offers filing room supplies and equipment as well as extending filing training opportunities to interested parties at their Emigsville, PA headquarters.

Oleson is also an active participant in the Saw Filer’s Education Association, a  national organization dedicated to the preservation of  knowledge and advancement of education in the art of saw filing. As a result, the company will be exhibiting at the 2009 Western Saw Filer’s Education Association (WSFEA) conference.

The event will be held Sept 18 & 19 at the Monarch Hotel in Clackamas, OR and is slated to feature guest speakers, workshops, and a traditional business expo. The 2-day event  is invaluable to anyone interested in logging industry offerings or with sawfiling needs in general.

Oleson will be featured in the expo at booth #7.  For more information about Oleson and the Convention, please call 1-800-256-8259. For general info about Oleson Saw, please visit www.olesonsaw.com.

Want to discover your best options at one exceptional event?

Save $60 Each With Free Passes to Pack Expo 09!

The 2009 Pack Expo will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in  Las Vegas, NV from October 5 -7.  Devoted to the packaging industry, this event serves  suppliers and buyers of packaging machinery, materials, components and services.  As in previous years, Pack will also be co-located with both Process Expo, with a focus on the food processing industry, and CPP Expo, dedicated to converting & package printing interests.

Discover more than 1,200 exhibitors coming together for a single purpose—to meet your needs.

-www.packexpo.com

Pack exhibitors offer packaging, processing and converting solutions for various products: food & beverage, chemicals & cleaners, cosmetics & paper products … you name it!

Attendee passes currently retail at $30 if purchased before Sept 15, 2009.  After that, they double to $60 per person.  YSK is offering Free Tickets to Pack Expo Las Vegas.

Quantities Are Limited – Call for Yours Today!

Without a pass registration is $ 30.00 before 9/15 and $ 60.00 after 9.15. So hurry up and save!

For your tickets, contact Tom Bowser 800-233-1969×227 or Jeff King 800-233-1969×225

Pack Expo 2009 - Las Vegas, NV

Has it been a year already?

It seems like just last week we were sharing our excitement over our enormous success at the 2008  Pack Expo, and now we’re gearing up for what hopes to be even bigger event than before.

Devoted to the packaging industry and serving suppliers and buyers of packaging machinery, materials, components and services, the 2009 Pack Expo will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in  Las Vegas, NV.

We’ll be following with more details as the event date nears, and we sure hope you join us at Booth S4924 if you’re at the Expo – it’s a great opportunity to visit with customers and vendors, both old and new!

York Saw and Knife recently assisted a major consumer products, pressure-sensitive adhesives and materials producer in creating a new cut-off knife for a Winder/Rewinder machine.

The company developed a new, very tough film that typical knife designs could not cut cleanly and completely, resulting in a shredded, undesirable edge. Aware of York Saw and Knife’s free test cutting a perforating services (of flexible films utilizing a plunge cut with a straight, serrated edge blade), the company contacted York Saw and Knife and we quickly started to tackle the challenge.

York Saw and Knife engineered and constructed a unique, serrated edge knife to accommodate the film. Our client sent us their new, very tough film to begin test cutting. Utilizing the correct combination of materials, sharpness and cutting forces, YSK was able to generate and consistently replicate a clean cut.

Due to its intimidating look and ultra sharp blade, we nicknamed the cut-off knife the Shark Tooth.

We shipped a blade set to the company to use on their new, very tough film in their Winder/Rewinder. The Shark Tooth blade worked magnificently. In fact, the company commented “the cut was so clean that you can see the serrations from the knife very clearly in the cut.” Shortly thereafter, YSK received an order for the Shark Tooth cut-off knife. Another win-win resolution for York Saw and Knife. And our test cutter (Ol’ Cutty)!

***As stated, York Saw and Knife offers free test cutting and perforating of flexible films utilizing a plunge cut with a straight, serrated edge blade. Our applications engineers will test cut or perforate your material on our on-site test cutting equipment. We will return the sample cuts to you, along with a quotation for a knife determined to have the optimum cutting edge for your particular application.

If you are interested in utilizing YSK’s test cutting capabilities, email York Saw & Knife and get the ball rolling.