After over a century in the cutting business, all we can say is: we get it.

As an OEM, you want a reliable solution that’s cost-effective, quick to turn around, and consistent.  We can work with your engineering team to design the best cutting edge for your specific application.

As an end user, you want the most economical solution to your knife needs without having to go back to your machine’s OEM. Maybe they’re overseas and hard to contact. Maybe their costs are too high or their lead times too long.  As long as we don’t already have a working relationship with your machine’s OEM, we are more than happy to assist you with your machine knife requirements.

No Matter Your Role – Count on YSK to Deliver the Best Knife Every Time:

• Financial Savings – Time and time again we have saved manufacturers and end users money over knives sourced from overseas suppliers.
• Time Savings – It is not uncommon for our lead times on knife fabrication to be 50 – 70% quicker than those of other suppliers.
• No Minimum Order. Need I say more?
• Free Test Cutting – Haven’t you met Ol’ Cutty yet? Anyway, we provide free test cutting services as part of helping you on your way to the optimal cutting edge.
• 106 Years of American Made Quality and  Knife Expertise
• ….oh. And We’re Fearless – Think your processing knife is a challenge to duplicate? Go on. Send it over. If we can handle shark teeth, we can handle anything!

Food Processing to Form Fill Seal, whatever your application, we’d love to work with you to design and produce a knife with the ultimate cutting edge.

Interested? Give us a call today.

It doesn’t matter how much you get from the internet or trade publications: nothing beats the reality of hands on experience. Especially in the industries that make real stuff for real people.

Or, like us, the ones who makes the parts for the machines that make real stuff for real people.

So, in the spirit of interaction and community, this month’s round-up encourages you to get up, get out, connect, and take a look at what’s going on in your field on a wider scale.

As the supplier of knives and blades for applications from peach pitting to film slitting, we have the opportunity to work with OEM’s and end users alike from all points in the production cycle. From bulk solids to green manufacturing, we’ve picked some of the biggest names in their respective fields for this showcase.

So here we go. In no particular order:

1. Bridging the Gaps: SME Annual Conference

   When: June 06 – 08, 2010
   Where:Sheraton Music City, Nashville, TN
   Industry: Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering

   The Society of Manufacturing Engineers hosts its annual convention in Nashville, describing it as one with “insights into the technologies and processes that span the scope of manufacturing.” Features and topics of interest include everything manufacturing from green and sustainability concerns to leadership seminars and Keynote sessions with industry leaders.

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2. National Food Industry Summit

   When: March 11, 2010
   Where:St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
   Industry: Food Marketing, Food Retail

   Hosted by St. Joseph University’s Food Marketing Program, this one-day keynote conference features lessons from food industry leaders such as ConAgra Foods and the Coca-Cola Company. SJU notes the “challenges of today’s economy and competitive market” and offers “fresh ideas and innovative strategies” in this 4th annual summit for food industry leaders.

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3. Worldwide Food Expo

   When: October 28 – 31, 2010
   Where:McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
   Industry: Food Processing, Handling, Manufacturing, and Retail

   The World Wide Food Expo is the name for the combined AMI International Meat, Poultry & Seafood Industry Convention and Exposition; and the IDFA Food, Dairy & Beverage Expo.  The show is a great relationship builder, as well as offering insights into everything food-industry related.

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4. Converting & Package Printing Expo

   When: October 31 – Nov 3, 2010
   Where:McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
   Industry: Converting, Package Printing for Food, Medical, Household, and more

   Event producer H.A. Bruno, LLC. looks to “create results-oriented markets for buyers and sellers” in the converting and packaging materials industries with the renowned CPP Expo. 2010 marks a positive turning point as the event co-locates with PMMI’s Pack Expo for the first time ever.

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5. Pack Expo (co located with CPP)

   When: October 31 – Nov 3, 2010
   Where:McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
   Industry: Packaging, Processing for all Industries

   Producer PMMI gears up this year’s Pack Expo in an effort to keep stride with the “industry-wide shift toward total systems solutions.” New show features hope to connect attendees with these needs better than ever; Co-location with CPP Expo rounds out the offering as an all-in-one solution for education and resources for all things packaging.

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6. Process Expo

   When: July 18-20, 2010
   Where:McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
   Industry: Food & Beverage Processing

   After a 3-year stint with Pack Expo, the FPSA managed Process Expo 2010 co-locates itself with the IFT’s Food Expo.  It’s a long-awaited partnership for many, as the one-of-a-kind event “brings together professionals involved in both the science and the business of food.”

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7. IFT Food Expo (co located with Process Expo)

   When: July 18-20, 2010
   Where:McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
   Industry: Food Science, Technology

   Appearing at McCormick place with Process Expo is the internationally-renowned IFT Food Expo.  The show centers around food technology, education, and relationship building – adding to the that the other opportunities presented by Process Expo in “one focused, convenient, and cost-effective venue.”

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8. Graph Expo

   When: October 4-6, 2010
   Where:McCormick Place South, Chicago, IL
   Industry: Printing & Graphics for Packaging to Publishing,

   Graph Expo boasts opportunity to anyone involved with printing and graphics: from print buyers to newspaper publishers to packaging and fulfillment professionals.  Opportunities include live equipment demonstrations, business diversification, education, and relationship building.

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9. Lean & Green Summit

   When: July 12-13, 2010
   Where:Savannah, GA
   Industry: Any Business Interested in Green/ Sustainability (Executive Level)

   The Lean & Green Summit is geared toward “senior leadership and their entire planning teams” and hopes to address growing demand for sustainability in business. Topics include carbon footprint reduction and cost saving green strategy.

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10. PTXi – Process Technology for Industry 2010

    When: May 4-6, 2010
    Where:Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL
    Industry: Processing, Process Manufacturing

    Produced by Cannon Communications, LLC, PTXi offers cost-saving technologies, keynotes from industry leaders, and all resources geared to helping process manufacturers “increase production efficiencies, cut cost, eliminate waste and ensure product consistency.” Admission to the Expo Hall is FREE (conferences cost extra – see site for details).

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11. WESTEC

    When: March 23-25, 2010
    Where: LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
    Industry: Manufacturing

    Another SME-produced event, WESTEC looks to help manufacturers “get the inside track on running a manufacturing enterprise, buying machinery, and manufacturing leadership.” Featuring FREE exhibit hall admission as well as various complimentary keynotes, this year’s WESTEC focuses on running lean (and somethimes green!).

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12. Electrical Manufacturing & Coil Winding

    When: October 18-20, 2010
    Where: Grapevine, TX
    Industry: Electrical Manufacturing

    The non-profit Electrical Manufacturing and Coil Winding Association sponsors this 6-in-1 event featuring displays and presentations ranging from antenna systems to energy efficiency. Positions are open for 2010 individual paper presentations and keynote discussions (see site for more details).
    

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This list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to trade shows and  events – we encourage you to check out the sponsors and organizers of those in your industry – be it manufacturing, converting, packaging, or whatever – to see what other webinars and conferences they offer.

NOTE: Links and summaries of events are provided for informational purposes only and are not to be considered endorsements by YSK. Dates and locations are subject to change at the discretion of event organizers.  Please visit the event website or contact event coordinators for guidance on registration and other event-specific concerns.

It’s especially challenging when your current setup seems to “stop working” out of nowhere.

Problems Like These in Your Cutting Operation…

• Degradation of your cut-off or perforated edge
• Knife no longer cuts through material
• Significant decline in knife life

…Are Likely Caused by the Following:

• Change in raw materials supplier
• New raw material that requires a new or revised

Changes in foil, film, and plastic compositions can wreak havoc overnight with the cutoff or perforating knife you have historically used with success.

YSK can produce the knife to meet your cutting needs

Whether you’re in the market for new machine blades or troubleshooting your existing setup, choosing the best cutting solution can be tricky.  With countless tooth shapes, angles, pitches, tooth spacing, and sharpening geometries to consider, why not consult a saw & knife professional?

YSK offers our expertise in building the right knife for your needs using our CNC Technology. We’ll evaluate your blade-related problems and even perform test cutting for free.

For OEM’s and end users. Whether you’re stemming fruit, slicing paper tubes, separating packages in a form fill seal operation – whatever it is – we’re here.

We can. And do solve cutting problems.

Call one of our Technical Sales Representatives @ 800-233-1969 (717-767-6402) or email us @ info@yorksaw.com today to discuss how we can help you choose the optimum cutting edge!!

The following recommendations are some of our favorite places for packaging trends, news, information, and insight.  Many of these sites offer both on- and off-line resources, and quite a few are also very active in the worldwide community via social media.

Without any further adieu, here’s our top 6 online resources for packaging industry everything:

1. Packaging Digest

• Website: www.packagingdigest.com
• On Twitter: @packagingdigest
• Print or Online? Both

Not only has it published a great print magazine for almost a half-century, Packaging Digest’s online presence runs the gamut from category-specific “eLetters” to regular posts on Twitter.  Topics range from design trends to sustainability: It’s a must-know publication for for anybody with an interest in any aspect of the packaging industry.

2. Packaging World

• Website: www.packworld.com
• On Twitter: @packagingworld
• Print or Online? Both

Here’s another industry leader offering insights on every aspect of the industry.  Offering a number of online digests to subscribe to as well as the printed Packaging World magazine, this is another resource we just can’t live without.

3. PMMI

• Website: www.pmmi.org
• On Twitter: @PMMIorg
• Print or Online? Online

Probably best known for it’s annual Pack Expo (it’s in Chicago this year, by the way) – The Packaging Machinery Manufacturer’s Institute is also the brains behind PMMI.org. PMMI members can log in to access a number of features, but even non-members can enjoy the varied news, insights, and industry information.  PMMI.org also regularly features webinars for members and non-members alike.

4. PackageDesign.com

• Website: www.packagedesign.com
• On Twitter: @packagedesign
• Print or Online? Online

As the name would suggest, PackageDesign.com’s major focus are the top trends in consumer packaging and beyond.  They also feature automation, technology, and sustainability RSS feeds in addition to offering the new “Chatterbox” e-Newsletter.  @packagedesign is very active on Twitter, and likewise the site is an ever-growing resources for the latest packaging news and trends from around the web.

5. PackagingUniversity.com: The Blog

• Website: www.packaginguniversity.com
• On Twitter: @packagingdiva
• Print or Online? Online

The entire Packaging University site features rich insights into brand promotion through packaging, and important industry trends. The blog is frequently updated and full of great commentary.  As for online involvement, @packagingdiva is one of the more interactive, helpful personalities in the online packaging industry social community.  Another excellent resource for packaging-related links from all over the web.

6. Food & Beverage Packaging

• Website: www.foodandbeveragepackaging.com
• On Twitter: @FoodPack
• Print or Online? Both

Here’s an excellent starting point for news and trends in the Food, Beverage, and Drug Packaging arenas. Like other Magazines in this roundup, Food & Beverage also offers a regular print publication in addition to the numerous online resources published.  Other topics of interest include White Papers, market insights, and profiles of “Packaging Leaders”

We’d love to hear your suggestions for the round-up: are you looking for food processing resources online? Maybe you want tips for making the most out of that paper tube saw you just ordered?   Or are you new to new media and want some recommendations on the best people in your industry to follow?

Whatever it is: knives to processing, packing to community – let us know how we can help!

Post your comments on the blog or reply @yorksaw on Twitter – we can’t wait to hear from you!

1. The Ever-Increasing Influence of Social Media on Product Development

   Consumers at any level (B2B included!) are more connected then ever, and  they are not afraid to join in the conversation.  Whether it’s crowdsourcing a new product and package design or simply paying stronger attention to real-time consumer commentary on blogs and other social media venues: the packaging industry sees a continued shift in the product development paradigm to include a bigger-than-ever focus on direct user feedback.

   After all, it is the people that make our business possible in the first place, right? This new way of doing business will continue to influence the success of companies  in the years to come.

2. “Green” is Here to Stay

   It’s no secret the packaging industry has tried to be more environmentally friendly in the past. Back then, efforts were mostly thwarted by a combination of high cost and lack of consumer interest.  But today people are demanding improvements in sustainable, more eco-friendly packaging.

   “Less is better” is a popular theme, as is the notion of “repurposeable packaging” Some even speculate  the adoption of  new techonologies to further quantify and justify the results and claims of eco-friendly efforts. No matter what, the idea of “being green” with product packaging becomes the norm, not just the “added bonus” exception.

3. Pouches, Pouches, Pouches!!

   Closely connected to resource use and other environmental concerns, pouch packaging looks to hold great promise in 2010 (especially for food and beverage).  It is an economic and likewise eco-friendly solution.  Improving materials and technology hopes to ensure a high quality product, despite the newly slimmed packaging.

   While foils are a common material in these types of packaging,  look for increased use of  sustainable, degradeable media like bioplastics to take their place in production of this and other packaging.

4. The Truth is In the Label

   

   While overall package design shifts to a cleaner feeling with increased product visibility, expect more prominence of special labeling. This particular trend is part governmental-influence, part consumer-demand. Agencies like the FDA will push for more specific labeling in some cases, as will end-user demand for knowledge like product source and eco-concerns.

   Simplicity and clarity are the major themes of package design and labeling for 2010.

5. The Higher Visibility, the Better

   Speaking of visibility: blister packs, clamshells, and other windowed and high-visibility packaging seems to show promise for 2010.

   People want to see what they’re buying, so the obvious advantage of this packaging is product visibility.  Other benefits include everything from loss prevention to materials reduction.  Likewise, developments in degradable plastics and other bio-friendly materials help position these package types for success in a more earth-conscious consumer environment.

So What Does it All Mean?

These predictions indicate major changes in all areas of packaging: be they design, production, or delivery. The eco-mindset prevails, closely followed by the major shift in product development as influenced by the internet, social media, and users themselves. These particular elements may even prove to be the “make or break” point for some struggling businesses who fail to take advantage of new expectations.

Overall, much of the projected change will lead to increased benefit as simplified packages and improving technologies help reduce costs and production time.  Cost reduction benefits the bottom line, too, and that’s a more-than-welcome ray of sunlight in these cloudy economic times.

While these are the largest commonalities between the myriad packaging trend predictions we’ve seen, no single source will be the authority on what comes true this year and what doesn’t.  Only time can tell that much.

And all our research leaves us to wonder: What do you think will be the prevalent trend in packaging in 2010?

Sources and Inspiration: mashable.com, pmmi.org, packaginguniversity.com, wikipedia.org, thepacker.com, freedoniagroup.com, packagingdigest.com

Happy Holidays From our Family to yours!

All us here at York Saw & Knife Company want to wish you a wonderful Holiday and a prosperous New Year.

2009 was a big year full of surprises and big successes.  While it’s sad to see the time pass so quickly,  it’s exciting to consider all the new experiences and opportunities 2010 will bring.

But besides looking to the future, now is an even better time to slow down and reflect. Between the hustle and bustle of shopping and travel, we can hopefully all take a moment to be thankful for friends and family that make each our lives so special.

So go ahead and enjoy it while you can! The new year is coming fast, and we’ll be back into the swing of daily grind before you know it.

Happy Holidays again, from our family to yours. We wish you all the best and look forward to being your source for high-quality cutting tools in the exciting new year and beyond.

Here’s to a healthy, prosperous 2010!

Tabitha Babbitt, a Shaker from Harvard, Massachusetts, appears to have conceived of the idea independently here in the United States. Her circular saw was the first used in saw mills. She came up with the idea in 1810 when working at her spinning wheel. She was watching two men struggling with a pit saw that was used to rip logs into lumber and realized that half of their energy was wasted because the saw only cut on the forward stroke.  Babbitt discovered how a way to solve the problem using her spinning wheel.
She mounted a tin disk with notches along its circumference. Being pushed into the spinning disk cut the wood with much less effort than a pit saw. Her idea was enlarged and adopted for use by the local saw mill.  Use of the circular saw became a common practice here. Because of her Shaker religion, Babbitt did not apply for a patent for her invention.

…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?