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The CISA Mission is to:
Support member companies in order to facilitate
growth and prosperity by providing information, education and business
opportunities, and by
interfacing with other industry associations around the world to benefit
the casting industry while fostering rewarding professional and business
relationships.
MEETING IN REVIEW
2012 94th CISA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The theme for this meeting was Mining and
Minerals. This subject is very timely since minerals and mining are
critical to the survival and prosperity of our customers
and the many CISA members who are directly involved in the industry. It
is unusual to find a meeting theme that directly impacts both the
suppliers to the foundry industry (CISA members) and our primary
customers, the
foundries of North America and, indeed, the world. The foundry industry
business climate continues to improve
and it appears that 2012 will see trend continue.
The program that your Board of Directors, Jim Bade 1st VP, Dean Weaver
2nd VP and Roger Hayes developed for this meeting addresed the following
issues:
• We got an industry overview by participating in the soon to be famous
“Industry Round Table Discussion”
• We learned from Harry Tian from Georgia Iron Works how their products
are utilized in the mining and minerals industry primarily the oil shale
industry.
• Chuck Fowler from CISA long time member company
Fairmount Minerals addresed the future of the sand industry and how the
oil and gas industries increasing use of frac sand has impacted the
foundry industry.
• Dr. Angela Lee educated us with: “Communication in today’s
Environment”
• Marlene Koswan from Rio Tinto gave an excellent presentation on the
state of the mineral industry as it is viewed by her company who, of
course, are a major mineral supplier.
• Carol Raulston from the National Mining Association could not make it
to Florida being "stuck" in Rome, Italy! She has promised to be back for
her presentation on the present mining industry situations.
• Professor John Cuddington from the Colorado School of Mining gave us a
presentation on long-term trends in primary commodity prices and the
role of primary commodities on macroeconomic performance.
2012 was the first year with a “2 meeting “schedule for CISA. The board
and officers will continue to review this major change in the CISA
meeting schedule. If you have any thoughts or comments please contact
one of our Board Members or officers. This board of directors has been
extremely active and focused on improving the meeting content and
improving the overall meeting environment.
Those of you who came, thank you for attending this first “Annual
Meeting” because your continued participation will guarantee the success
of CISA.
2011 93rd CISA SPRING CONFERENCE
It
is always amazing how much the world changes in the time between our
meetings. The names that
feature in the news today are not that familiar -Christchurch,
Sendai, Cairo, Tunis, Fukushima and Benghazi.
How many of us could find all of them on a map?
This highlights the need to keep learning because
things are changing at a faster and faster rate.
This is very apparent in the energy sector.
With oil over $100 a barrel again and the current crisis with
nuclear energy it is clear that the speed at which countries look for
alternative forms of energy is increasing rapidly.
We are getting close to a turning point in the US where there
will be a stronger pull for cleaner energy.
This pull will come from the need for energy independence and the
effect on consumers' wallets from higher energy costs.
It’s clear that dollars trump CO2 emissions every
time. The outcome will be a
win for everyone. More
energy independence, fewer emissions, and if we can get it right, a
chance for North American manufacturers to participate in a growth
industry that can produce jobs.
With more manufacturing comes more casting usage.
Jim Bade, CISA 2nd VP, supported by the
board, put together a great line-up of speakers for our 2011 Spring
Conference. We had industry
experts from across the energy sector including wind (Diane "Dee"
Holody, Director of Operations, GLWN), solar ( A. Norton Archibald), and
nuclear (John E. Marra, Associate Laboratory Director; Strategic
Initiative Development). We
also had two metal casting speakers. Joe
Simko VP of Business Development for Hodge and Elyria Foundry has been a
leading voice in the call for manufacturing wind castings in the US, and
Tom Armstrong, President & Chief Operating Officer with Bradken
Industries, a major supplier of steel castings to the oil and gas
sector. The members' forums
had an energy theme too; Lew Fish from Asbury Graphite discussed their
growing presence in the lithium ion battery industry and Mark
Ziegler from Unimin Corporation discussed the booming
market in natural gas being drilled in the US.
To add a local flavor, we had Dr. Donald Epley, a professor at
the University of Southern Alabama, who provided an overview of the gulf
economy since the spill in 2010.
Since our members asked for an economist at least twice a year,
we had James Russell, Regional Investment Manager & Senior Vice
President of US Bank who helped us predict the economic future.
Many of the presentations can be found in the "Members Only" section of
the CISA website.
In all, a truly interesting and informative conference appreciated
by all the attendees.
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