Welder World Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Stand’

2010 “World machine tool production and consumption survey” shows that the overall global metal processing manufacturing industry out of recession. Over the past two years, the growth of production fluctuations. In 2009, the world’s 28 major countries and regions in the output value production was down 32%. In 2010, the major producing countries and regions, economic recovery, the global machine tool manufacturing industry output value reached 66.3 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 21%. The “World machine tool production and consumption survey” includes a manufacturing industry and has statistics of 28 countries and regions, the production is cover 95% of world output and consumption.

According to the European Machine Tool Industry Council (CECIMO) statistics, in 2010, CECIMO production in the Member States Total 166 million euros, compared with the same period in 2009 declined slightly by 1%. In this regard, CECIMO Economic Committee Chairman Frank Brinken that with the release of production orders, industrial output in 2011 is expected to double-digit growth, the European market will enter a stable and sustainable growth phase, 2013 will likely reach a new peak.

CECIMO Member States in 2010 exports of tools 12.3 billion euros, accounting for total output value of 3 / 4. As for consumption, compared with 2009 and 2008, apparent consumption in Europe has been declining for two consecutive years. In addition, in 2010, the European machine tool production about the world’s total output of 1/3, while in 2009 their share was 43%, showing that the European machine tool market has shown a significant decline, the European machine tool industry is facing tremendous challenges. In this regard, CECIMO urged the EU to further open markets in Asia, anti-competitive conduct will not help restore the European market share.

By the international financial crisis in 2009, China, Brazil, Russia, India’s exports of metalworking machine has fallen sharply. Into 2010, due to the Asian region and emerging economies over Europe and the United States took the lead out of the woods, market structure of China’s machine exports also will change significantly. Plastic mold and metal according to the International Association of Permanent Secretary for Industry Supply Luo Baihui that the Chinese machine exports to the BRIC countries, the sharp rebound in Brazil, Russia, India’s exports are the top 10. First half of 2010, China’s exports of metalworking machine in India surpassed the United States, 1.4 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 7.4% of total exports of machine; on Brazil, Russia, exports increased more than 80% were, respectively, on top In the sixth and fourteenth up to the third and eighth. ASEAN regional markets continue to be optimistic, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to China Dengjun the top 15 export markets, exports surpassed 2008 levels. Especially in CNC machine tool exports to Myanmar in recent years the rapid growth of exports in 2009 increased up to 6 times more than in 2010, has doubled.

China for many years been the world’s largest machine tool consumer and importer. Plastic mold and metal according to the International Association of Permanent Secretary for Industry Supply Luo Baihui, the global consumption of 10 machines each, nearly 5 in China. With the vigorous development of China’s manufacturing industry, the demand for production equipment soared. In 2002, China became the world’s largest consumer and maintain so far. Large amount of China’s machine imports, from 2002 to 2005 China imported machine consumption in the average of 62%. 2006-2010, part of China’s domestic enterprises and foreign enterprises to gradually expand the market share in China. In 2009, China became the world’s largest producer of machine tools. China’s machine tool industry in 2010 to maintain the rapid growth in the share of world output and 35%; China’s consumption up 43% year, accounting for 28 major producing countries and regions, 48% of the total consumption. In 2010, China’s exports grew 31%, with exports amounting to 1.85 billion, ranking sixth. However, the Chinese exports accounted for only 9% of its GDP, which indicates that China’s domestic market demand is quite strong.

According to China Association of Machine Tool Industry Statistics, 2010, China, Japan, Germany among the world’s top three machine production. Japan’s machine industry has experienced a serious recession in 2009, fully rebound, the second largest producer of machine to return to the position. German manufacturing output continued to decline in 2010, but still ranked third. U.S. machine manufacturing output has continued to decline, has dropped the world’s eighth, is located in Italy, South Korea, Switzerland and other countries later.10 years ago, the United States is the world’s largest machine tool consumer, consumption is much higher than the second place was Germany, but the U.S. machine consumption has been declining since 2010, spending 2.75 billion, down 15%. In the exports, Japan, Germany, Italy ranked 3 2010, its exports account for production are in the 66% ratio. In 2010, the global consumption in the top five were China, Germany, Japan, Korea and Italy. Among them, Korea and Japan have achieved double-digit growth year on year. Differences in per capita consumption large, Switzerland remains the world per capita consumption of metalworking than any other country. In the mean time, product of china are low add value products, such as roll forming machines, or some area refer to roll forming areas, because of the ratio of quality of price, it indeed work well. But it is still a long way to through, not just for roll former but the whole machine tool industry.

Though the welding industry continues to vigorously defend itself against a growing tidal wave of welding rod litigation, it was dealt a serious blow in March 2006 when its repeated attempts to overturn a welding rod fumes case failed in the Illinois Supreme Court. The case is a landmark in welding rod litigation, in which former welders claim that exposure to fumes from welding rods caused manganism and even Parkinson’s disease.

The Original Case

Though several welding rod cases have produced multi-million dollar settlements, the original case in question is a landmark because it is the only welding rod verdict ever decided in favor of the plaintiff. The case, entitled Elam v. A.O. Smith, contended that the plaintiff, a 64-year-old Illinois welder who worked in the profession for 30 years, suffered neurological damage from long-term exposure to the toxic fumes that are a byproduct of welding rods. The case was previously tried before a hung jury (Illinois law demands a unanimous jury); Jack Elam was awarded $1 million in compensation during the retrial. The jury found that A.O. Smith failed to provide adequate safety warnings about the dangers of manganese in welding rod fumes.

The verdict was a watershed in more ways than one – it unleashed a wave of welding rod litigation once attorneys knew that it was possible for a verdict to be awarded in the plaintiff’s favor. The welding rod cases have become so numerous that a multi-district litigation is underway in Ohio; it numbers well over 3,000 plaintiffs.

Lost on Appeal

The defendants in the original case quickly appealed the case, contending that it did in fact adequately warn workers of the dangers of working with welding rod fumes. However, in December 2005, the 5th District Appellate Court of Illinois found that the company did not warn workers adequately, upholding the $1 million verdict. The court was taken before the Illinois Supreme Court on second appeal. Because of this, former welders filing litigation to receive compensation had elevated hopes of effectively winning future cases while the welding industry struggled to cope with the verdict.

Former Welders Cling to Hope; Continue to Litigate

Despite the fact that the $1 million verdict is the only one ever given to a welding rod litigant, former welders who are suffering from Parkinson’s, manganism and other occupational illnesses related to their welding work are retaining hope. Experienced welding rod lawyers believe that the Elam v. A.O. Smith will set a precedent that allows other litigants to collect damages for their occupational exposure to manganese. If you are suffering health problems due to your work as a welder, contact a doctor and then an experienced welding rod litigation attorney who can analyze your case and tell you whether you may be qualified to monetary damages.