Posted by Traveling Salesman at 1/29/2011 10:58 AM
Categories: uncategorized
Fully Threaded Radio #18 is up and ready for listening. And thank goodness it is. The news is what it is but, I sure have not had a load of stuff to talk about. Todd Walters has started a new group on LinkedIn called Capscrews which I think is kind of an interesting idea. There are discussion groups all over LinkedIn and some of the topics are just excellent. I love following some of those threads. For Todd to start a discussion group related to a particular item is interesting. Who isn’t curious about what is going on with Cap Screw pricing? I imagine you could have discussion groups about many fastener products or categories. “Imported Fasteners” would probably draw interest. What are prices doing, are there shortages of any items. There is also that fine line between discussing the “players” involved in that market and feeling like you are gossiping. But honestly, everyone does want to know what is up with the major importers. We all wait to hear what products are being added by a particular company. And I cannot go out into the field without someone saying, “Hey, did you hear that (fill in the blank) just went over to (fill in the blank)”. As I have traveled throughout January, there has been a lot more talk about personnel moves and product than there has been about any big fastener industry announcements.The industry magazines do a formidable job of reporting the news. What they report is of great value. But, I see the role of Fully Threaded Radio as something a bit different. I think Brian and Eric create the news. Think about it…especially you sports fans. If the Super Bowl were the only thing worth watching then why do we have twelve hours of pre-game coverage looking at every angle of the game and speculating on what is going to happen during the four hours that the game is actually played. Brian and Eric are our pre-game and post game hosts. I know one of their guests on this edition is Heidi Volltrauer, the manager of the upcoming All American Fastener Show in Branson. I have not yet listened to the broadcast but I am anxious to hear what is going on with that show. I can go to the website and see the updated exhibitor list but I want to hear from the manager herself what new things to expect from the show this year. I like when they interview industry veterans with stories about the fastener industry. It’s good stuff. I know the Vegas show is moving down the strip to the Sands Convention center. Closer to that show, I will want to hear more about that venue. Where will people gather in the evenings. Will there be a “Round Bar”? That kind of stuff will not be in the magazines. It will be on Fully Threaded Radio or on LinkedIn or even on Twitter.
Another discussion topic that keeps coming to my mind is this, “Where is the next burst of fastener industry growth going to come from?” . Over the last several years, as many companies witnessed their existing business slow down, a lot of companies pursued military or government business. The GSA’s. Major military contractors. From place to place I would hear this. More recently, I hear a lot of companies talk about pursuing business in the energy field. Certainly, we have all read or heard about Cardinal Fastener going after wind turbine business ever since the President visited them, but there are a lot of other companies chasing this …
Read the full Article via Fastenerblog.net: Fully Threaded Radio #18.