Sleepy summer?
I suppose that by the time you read this editorial you will be back at work, busy with a million and one things and your summer vacation will seem a very long time behind you – at least, that is, if you hail from the northern hemisphere. As an increasing number of Stainless Steel World’s readers also come from below the Equator, I had better be careful about what I now say. Anyway, it’s a bit of a joke among colleagues in our office that after even a few days back they are already saying that they need a new break to recover from all the energy expended catching up again on projects caused by them leaving to get away from things in the first place. I guess that this is the same everywhere – light hearted fun with a hint of truth, not to be taken seriously.
At Stainless Steel World, however, I cannot say that there has been anything like a drowsy, sleepy summer going on. As you will have noted over the past months everything here is in full swing preparing for the two shows that are about to happen in just over a month’s time. The first in terms of imminence is that of Stainless Steel World America two-day Conference & Expo combined with an MTI– Stainless Steel World one- day Control Seminar that will take place in Houston, Texas, USA from October 5–7th. If you want to take part in the event, either as a delegate or as a visitor, it is still possible. Just visit our website and log in at http://www.stainless-steel-world.net/ssw2010/ShowPage.aspx?pageID=1513 and register or read the appropriate pages in this month’s magazine (pp. 38–41) and register by submitting the form to us. It promises to be a very good networking opportunity and an interesting program, which addresses practical issues that should be dear to everyone’s heart during this time of economic difficulties.
If, on the other hand, crossing to America seems very far and you are more caught up in the very exciting developments that duplex has to offer to the industrial marketplace, then I suggest the Duplex Conference organised by Jacques Charles of ArcelorMittal, together with its intimate exhibition put on by the Stainless Steel World organisation in Beaune, France between October 13–15 could be the event for you. Visit the site at http://www.stainless-steel-world.net/duplex2010/ShowPage.aspx?pageID=1644 and check it out. It could be an event that you had really rather not missed. Also as a means of celebrating the latter event we have included in this September edition of Stainless Steel World a special supplement devoted to duplex and the forthcoming conference & expo. This in addition to the normal number of pages included within the issue.
And what else can you expect from us this month? Well, to begin with, we have the first in a new series of articles featuring rare earth metals and other precious metals with highly specialised applications. The kickoff article is on beryllium (p. 77) and we have already lined up in the coming months those on molybdenum, niobium, zirconium, and chromium. The idea is to provide an overview of the make-up and characteristics of these metals and their major applications. We hope that the information will be an interesting revelation to many of you.
Special also to this month is the report on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (p. 38) “Question of integrity: lessons to be learnt from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill”. Though Stainless Steel World always brings an impartial view, it does concentrate on something that will affect all of us, namely how this disaster will affect standards and safety in the offshore oil industry in the coming years.
Talking about practicalities leads us on to Paul Jordinson’s article of particular relevance at a time of economic difficulties, “CRA’s: weighing benefits against costs”. Paul is a Welding Service Manager at AMEC with a vast experience in welding a variety of materials so his views will undoubtedly be of interest to you. Further, we have Arjen Reinders, a Metallurgist at CB&I, who tells us something about his experiences in the industrial use of materials in the construction industry where changing demands and trends, whether these be high temperatures, environmental considerations, corrosion or micro-organisms, are very much affected with time. Add to this our relatively new features on Wire News, an account of who the top ten solar energy countries are, Cobb’s Corner – this time on America’s first stainless steel, an article about opportunities of working with sour gas and oil, and many more and, we feel that we have an exciting issue for you.
Best wishes,
John Butterfield
Editor in Chief of Stainless Steel World
j.butterfield@kci-world.com