MCAT Pipeline Summer 2008
(click here for full magazine in Adobe pdf format)
ON THE COVER: Victaulic Company
Piping. Systems. Solutions.
Victaulic, the world leader in mechanical pipe joining systems, was founded in New York City in 1925 to market a radical new concept in the piping industry — a mechanical bolted coupling that would engage into grooves and use a gasket seal.
The concept of joining pipe with bolted mechanical couplings originated during World War I for rapid deployment of fuel and water to Allied forces. The company that worked closely with the War Department of England to develop this new method of joining pipe was named Victory Pipe Joint Company after the coupling it had engineered — known as the "victory joint" from early military uses. Later, combining the words "Victory" and "Hydraulics" the name was shortened to Victaulic, and the company began to shift its focus to the commercial piping industry and market its new innovative method of joining pipe. Read more..
MCA Toronto Man-hours Continue To Soar
The Summer has blossomed into huge man-hours for MCA Toronto. The credit for the surge in man-hours can be felt throughout the membership as most of our members are experiencing a good workload. For the 2008 / 2009 we are budgeting conservatively for what appears to be another good year.
We have had some co-generation work, which will be completed later this year, and anticipate the large commercial towers coming out of the ground in the downtown core. The long-awaited tower construction will potentially cause a flurry of tenant movement within the downtown core resulting in an increase of workload for the tenant improvement contractors in our sector. Read more...
Developing A Service Business
By Giovanni Marcell, Accubid Systems
There are two questions you should ask yourself when attempting to develop a service business:
(1) Can I afford NOT to be in the service business? And,
(2) How do I develop a successful service business? Read more.. .
MCAT Members Participate In Ride To Conquer Cancer
For two days in June, three teams of mechanical contractors and suppliers from the Toronto area geared up to help raise funds for The Princess Margaret Hospital. The event saw cycling enthusiasts ride over 200 kilometres from Toronto to Niagara Falls. The course was ridden on a combination of city streets and country roads, with pit stops every 25 to 30 kilometres. Read more.. .
Construction Prices:
Rational Science or Creative Art
Consumer prices have received a great deal of deserved attention over the last few months, but, the price of non-residential construction has been growing at record rates over the last few years in Ontario. From 2002 to 2008 Statcan’s Non-Residential Price Index grew by some 46 per cent, four times the pace of the Consumer price index which rose 11 per cent over the same period. Read more...
Rising Price Of Oil Puts Increased Pressure On Ontario Economy
The price of oil set yet another record, breaking the $135 barrier on May 22, 2008. What’s more, growing supply concerns combined with growing demand for energy hungry China led Scotia Bank to forecast that these high prices are here to stay, at least through 2009. Scotia Bank is forecasting the price of crude oil to stay in the $135 to $140 range through 2009. The report attributes the rise in future price expectations to new supply constraints in Russia, as well as a number of other existing production capability constraints among other non-OPEC producers. The report also cites an expectation of growth in demand caused by high government subsidies shielding consumers in Asia, Middle East and Latin America from the extraordinary increase in gasoline prices. Read more...
Welding Fumes
By Lawrence A. Kurtz, MSM, DOHS, ROH
What Is Welding Fume?
The heat from welding vapourizes metals, fluxes and coatings, producing airborne vapour. The vapour cools in the air, resulting in particles of metal and other material suspended in the air. This cloud of airborne particles is called welding fume.
Who is most at risk? Read more...
MCAT 2007/2008 SAFETY COMMITTEE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
