The Mercy of Others

If you follow this blog or our Twitter feed you have heard about our little company purchasing a new CNC plasma table. The process has been exciting, especially since it's the first time in years the business has taken steps to move forward and grow. When last I updated the optimism was flying high and I expected the machine to be running sooner than later. Sadly, it's later and the plasma still sits gathering dust waiting for the final hookup. The waiting game continues for a step down transformer, exhaust fan and final electrical installation.

My hands are tied. Everything in my control is complete and for now I am at the mercy of others to get the ball rolling again. The last word I had was this week was looking good for receiving both the transformer and exhaust fan. Whether or not I hear the glorious beeping sounds of a truck in reverse will remain to be seen.

My optimism still reigns true, but the waiting game is growing tiresome.

CNC Plasma Table, Air Compressor Installation Update

Been a few weeks since our new CNC plasma table and Air Compressor were delivered, so I thought I would give a little update.

First off, the machine and air compressor are still not hooked up and running just yet. In fact, I haven't even taken the plywood off the table top that was placed there for shipping purposes. Usually, I would chalk this up to dropping of the ball or laziness. Not this time. We have actually been hindered by some electrical issues, and by issues I mean really old building with screwed up voltages and the like. Minor problems, but still problems.

So we have a 600 volt 3-phase coming into our rented space and we need to transform that down to a 230 volt 3-phase. I was unaware that this is an odd ball transformation and that much of today's industrial electricity or bigger buildings run on 208 volts 3-phase.

For some perspective, I am a dummy when it comes to electricity, so a professional has been hired. I like to think of my father and I as pretty handy with skills to take care of many tasks. These do not however include electricity or water.

Anyway, we have had to order a transformer--15 day wait--so that we can have our electrician get everything set, giving us the opportunity to schedule techs to come in and make the final connections for the equipment and software that runs the machine.

My stock answer to everyone who enters the shop these days is that we have cut sheet metal by hand for 20 years, so a few more weeks won't kill us. However, we need to start paying for our new toy, so crunch time is near.

We are close and my minor issues are exactly that, minor. The transformer is ordered and our electrician is set. A few more weeks and we should be rockin' and rollin'. As for me, I have that child at Christmas feeling again, except this time the gift is open but the batteries were an oversight. Now my shiny new gift sits neglected until the stores open later in the day.

Patience young grasshopper.

2013: Breaking it Down and Building it Back Up

Happy New Year to all! I was originally going to write a post looking back at 2012 and all that has happened over the year. However, after thinking on it for a few minutes I realized that looking back wasn't something that would benefit our company at this point. The end of the year brought our biggest change--financing and purchasing a new CNC plasma table--since the business began in 1989. Not much is going to trump that for us.

The weekend after the machine was delivered my father and I were text-ing back and forth about needed tasks to get things moving. He ended the conversation with "Start of a new era" and he is absolutely correct. We are starting from a whole new position, not to say we will forget anything that has gotten us to this point, but we are turning the corner and making a new path.

My father and I had stagnated up until a few months ago and honestly we are looking forward to what will be, rather than what has been, helping to focus on growth. I understand learning from history and all that jazz, but this company needs to focus on gaining positive momentum over the next few years. We are breaking it down and building it back up.

I expect 2013 to be one of our best due to our recent changes in procedure and mindset. The biggest is being mindful of not stagnating and searching for business rather than sitting back, waiting for things to come to us. We need to concentrate on being proactive, creating proper boundaries that will benefit us as a growing company.

Our company needs to take that fearful step forward and let the past fade, letting those new positive changes filter in.

Have a great 2013!

Someone Has a New Vanity Short Link...keshtm.tl

Over the last few days you may have noticed that many of our Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin links had a little more K & E panache than ever before. Well, your sharp eye could not be more accurate. Friday I decided to invest in a new short domain for all of our social media short links with the intent of helping to grow our brand as much as possible. For a $40 yearly investment I secured keshtm.tl as our new vanity short link. Therefore, when you're perusing our social media pages and see our new link, you can trust that you will be led to our website kesheetmetal.com or a trusted article sent out by my father or I. Who am I kidding...I would be the only one sending anything out :)

My nightly reading has focused more on branding the business and making sure that our web presence is as consistent as possible. The short link is just another step in that direction. We may be just a tiny local HVAC sheet metal fabrication shop in the physical world. However, with the internet, we can be as big as we wanna be, spreading our wings and finding new business wherever it is hiding.

Walking that same line we must keep in mind not to over extend ourselves, losing focus on finding new business and keeping our new investment running at all times. Marketing the business is new territory, so we must keeep things in perspective and not spread ourselves too thin.

Exciting Start to Our Holiday Season!

A Happy Thanksgiving to all! We are having an exceptional start to the holiday season because K & E Sheet Metal has secured an equipment loan to purchase a new Multicam CNC 1000 Series plasma table cutting system, helping to grow our business immensely over the next 5 to 7 years.

The time was right to make the investment in our company, taking steps to increase our production of HVAC sheet metal duct and fittings in the Glens Falls, NY community. We could not be more excited and hope to have the new machine installed and running by early January. You can follow our twitter page or Google+ page for updates as we begin the shipping and installation process.

We have to thank Glens Falls National Bank for the wonderful work in helping us to secure the loan. They were beyond helpful and honest about the process, informing us clearly on what they could and could not do. In the end they hit all of our targets and we could not be more pleased with the service. Our company does what we can to stay local and this project was no exception. Quality service like this is why our family has been doing business with Glens Falls National Bank for over 30 years. A fantastic community bank.

Slowing Construction in Glens Falls, Queensbury Not Good For HVAC Business

Not surprisingly the local construction numbers in Glens Falls and Queensbury were down in 2011. The Post Star reported today that construction in both areas declined by roughly half the level of 2010.

From The Post Star:

The city issued building permits for $13.81 million of construction in 2011, compared with $25.26 million in 2010, according city Code Enforcement Office annual reports.

Queensbury experienced a similar decline in construction activity, dropping to $28.6 million in 2011 from $41.2 million in 2010, according to the town Community Development Office annual report.

Read more: Construction Activity Slows in 2011 for Glens Falls, Queensbury

We are seeing the same thing in our business with the majority of our work coming from people remodeling a room or basement, not building new homes. There is much less demand for full duct systems and more for furnace replacements or repairs. There has been minor demand for some movement of duct work for better air flow, upstairs heat or new additions. However, this has not been something to be counted on like it may have been in the past. The jobs are scare and competitive.

Because we focus on sheet metal fabrication along with heating and cooling installation, we have a good idea of what's going on locally. Granted, we are very small in comparison to other companies. However, we have been in the area for over 20 years and know many companies that have been seeing the same things. Much of the trickle down fabrication for these companies comes our way and last year was much slower.

If the 2011 trends continue through 2012, business in the local residential HVAC market will continue to feel the pain of the last few years. I don't see many of our customers on as regular a basis like before the financial crisis. Many have found jobs in other fields or signed on with larger companies in the area. This can hurt us a bit because a lot of our business comes from the micro business service and installation professionals.

We can only hope for a warm summer and good air conditioning sales because the mild winter has not helped the beginning of this year. A summer with last years cool temperatures and we could see some lower revenues through the middle of the year as well. Last year we noticed a lot of customers asking about widow units rather than a new central air system.

If that trend continues, it would not be good for business throughout 2012.

Replaced Your Furnace Filter Lately? Visit Our Tool Shop to Stock Up Today! Visit kesheetmetal.com/toolshop

My Memories of Gary 'The Kid' Carter

I was sad to read about the passing of Gary Carter on the twitter feed last night. My family and I are life long New York Mets fans and the teams with Gary Carter behind the plate were what I grew up with. I never missed a game. Those Mets teams made me love the game of baseball.

I remember my cousin and I would play in the backyard, him as Gary Carter and me as Dwight 'Doc' Gooden. He was infatuated with Carter and I with Gooden. My cousin went so far as to model his batting stance and swing after 'The Kid' and used it all the way through high school. Every time we played against each other it was like watching a childlike Carter impersonator. I loved it.

We lived and died with those Mets teams and I loved watching Gary Carter play the sport. I was always the rough, hustle everything out type of player and I learned it from watching Gary Carter play day in and day out. He always looked like he was having fun playing a game that most little boys grow up wishing to play.

I never knew him as a person, but when you grow up watching and loving certain people and professionals, it's tough not to feel like they are a part of your life. Everything I've ever heard or read about the man has lead me to believe he was a good person. I'm glad that a gentleman like Gary 'The Kid' Carter existed and he will obviously be missed in the baseball world.