Gretchen Salois, Senior Editor

he team at UFP Industrial is experienced with the industrial packing and logistics needs of dozens of industries, including agricultural, manufacturing, energy, technology and transportation. Whether it’s wood, steel, mixed materials or hard cases, the company can support any custom packaging project—from one-time applications to sustainable programs—blending functionality, durability and cost control into each solution. Todd Droze, regional sales manager, and Dave Watson, director of national sales, discussed UFP’s problem-solving process with FFJournal.

outhwest Welding LLC took root in Wakarusa, Indiana, in 1985 under the skillful hands of owner John Martin. The fabricator learned to weld as a teenager under his Uncle Ray’s careful instruction. “A little 1,500-sq.-ft. shop became available, and I took it,” he recalls. “I moonlighted the first six years before I was able to quit my day job and take the business full time in 1991.”

Production Manager Tucker Smart was tasked to bring production for the PTO chipper in house and set up a domestic assembly line. It was a “huge undertaking,” he says. “In the beginning, I handled everything from purchasing, programming, running cutting and bending operations, and overseeing the assembly line. I was running from one job to the next. If I had some help, we were processing 24,000 lbs. of steel a day. If I was running the line by myself, I was cutting and forming 8,000 lbs. of steel per day.”

umans breathe oxygen produced by plants and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants use the carbon dioxide to create oxygen. The link between humans and plants is an example of mutualistic symbiosis—where different species benefit from a relationship with one another.

hen COVID-19 hit, Kloeckner Metals UK became the first SigmaNEST customer to switch its entire operation to a completely cloud-based infrastructure, and the change has proven to be invaluable. In 2020, fabricators of all sizes were forced to adapt to a world in shutdown. Many businesses scrambled to establish remote options for employees while others were more prepared with remote desktop or similar applications to continue operations away from the job site. But a full-cloud solution, which includes both the company and clients in the cloud, can be accessed anywhere with little to no latency.

udding music artists are often cautioned about the importance of knowing their niche—their selling point. It’s advice that America’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell gave to a 15-year-old country singer from Utah during the show’s 2020 season when he said, “I love artists who know what kind of lane they want to go down.”

Richard Keeton, president of Houston-based Plasma Systems Inc., learned the value of staying in his lane when he identified a niche and nurtured it. This year, the company celebrates its 30th anniversary.