Deeco on the US Economy

Posted on December 15, 2014 by admin

The US economy has been trudging along since 2008, trying to dig itself out of the Great Recession. With hard work, comes great reward as the US is finally in the black. There have been three driving forces helping the US economy bounce back.

The first of which is the lower energy prices. Oil is at its lowest for many years and the USA has become the largest oil producer in the world in a very short period of time!  This is credited to the development of alternative methods of sourcing oil such as fracking.  Oil prices have continued to drop and this decline is allowing the US to be more competitive globally as it drops production and shipping costs. Lower oil prices will allow American goods to be shipped overseas for much cheaper than before, allowing foreign consumers to purchase even more.  A secondary effect is increased spending by Americans, job-creation, and industry-expansion, thus increasing demand from imports.  A rising tide lifts all ships.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that lower energy costs will boost economic growth by 3.5%!

The second driving force will be the increased manufacturing demand from abroad.  Aerospace and automobile manufacturing is still large in the United States and as demand from the Middle East and Asia grows, so will the exports.

The last and possibly most important driving force is technological innovation.  Advanced automation, additive manufacturing, data analytics and the like is changing the manufacturing sector. With an emphasis on STEM education, more and more Americans are ready to tackle the challenges of advanced manufacturing.  CAD, prototyping, and other engineering skills are becoming commonplace and will give the United States a firm advantage in the years ahead.

Due to this increased attention to STEM education and Skilled/Technical Labor jobs, more advanced manufacturing is expected to return to the US in the future, but more on this in later posts.  Perhaps, the lower energy prices currently being experienced and projected for the future are the springboard that the US economy needs to further excel and advance.

2015 Projections

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Copper is more antimicrobial than stainless steel

Posted on November 10, 2014 by admin

Stainless steel products are prominent in hospitals and public places throughout the United States and the world; however, it may not be the best material option used.  In fact, studies show that copper is significantly more antimicrobial than stainless and kills more germs on contact than most all other metals.

Stainless steel is used throughout the hospital including surgery areas, bed rails, handrails, door handles and more.  When it comes to having the most sterile environment possible, copper and brasses are the material the medical industry needs to start choosing over stainless steel.  Professor William Keevil is a microbiological researcher and Head of Environmental Research at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom and his studies show that the super-virus MRSA simply will not last when in contact with copper, but continues to grow when in contact with stainless steel. This finding is very important, as MRSA is highly contagious!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tested this theory and the end result is that the EPA has now registered more than 350 copper alloys with a minimum copper content of 60% as antimicrobial.

The EPA studies show that uncoated copper alloys will kill more than 99.9% of bacteria within two hours of contact to the surface of the copper parts.  This will protect patients and hospital workers from various bacteria causing illnesses.  It has also been proven through clinical trial research that even tarnished copper won’t change the high effectiveness.

There are a few conditions to keep in mind when it comes to the effectiveness of coppers antimicrobial components.  For one, the copper products must never be painted, varnished or covered in any way.  The copper must also be cleaned regularly, and they are not registered for use to eat off it or drinking from it.

It is important to remember that when it comes to hospitals, public transportation, schools, shopping centers, care homes, private homes and cruise ships, to name a few common locations with surfaces that are touched by people, parts made out of copper and its alloys should be used for these applications.  The medical industry is leaning towards components made out of copper and its alloys as the surfaces of these items are much more effective in killing germs than stainless steel.  More and more people in the medical industry are discovering that copper is a highly effective antimicrobial option, which will continue to steer the industry towards a more sterile tomorrow. And as the medical industry turns towards copper, the other industries that can benefit may soon use copper as well.  Below are just a few examples of organizations already adopting this material:
Pullman Regional
Sentara Healthcare: Copper-Infused Linens
Copper Door Handles: the new standard

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Posted on October 3, 2014 by admin

MFGDay14_Logo_Date_ColorOn October 3rd, 2014 we celebrate Manufacturing Day in the USA.

This is the day that manufacturers open their doors and show what manufacturing is all about. This is a great time to open our doors and invite you to understand what Deeco Metals  is all about.

We began business in 1986 as a North American sales office for several international metal producers who were supplying metal components to OEM’s throughout the USA.  Our goal was to create a company that would serve the USA, Canada and South America by assisting companies in determining the best manufacturing process and the most suitable metal in order to obtain the highest quality, yet most cost-effective parts available. The key in accomplishing this was by making our technical background and experience available to anyone who believed that they would benefit by this knowledge.

We are privileged and happy to serve customers from our location in NJ to anywhere in the USA.  We appreciate the fact that prospective customers contact us to fill their needs and, as such, are happy to offer recommendations on how to move forward.

We strive for open dialogue with our customers about their needs as well as honest discussions on price, quality and service, all of which are important to you our customers. This kind of trust allows us to build a lasting relationship with our customers, some who have been buying from us for over 24 years.

Oftentimes, customers’ needs do not fall within our scope of supply and when this happens, we will try to recommend someone who may be able to fulfill their needs. If we can provide the needed products, we will provide you pricing that includes all tooling and material charges. If the prospective customer likes our offering, a PO is placed, tooling is manufactured and first article samples, produced from this new tooling, are provided. These samples are then inspected and if all is to the customers expectations, approval to proceed is given. One plus is that the samples can also be used as prototypes, while the production goods are being finished. This process ensures that everyone is happy with the products performance and ensures that future quality will meet the customer’s quality needs.

All our manufacturing plants are ISO certified, which further enforces our desire to offer our customers high-quality parts at the best and lowest prices.

We are located in Irvington, New Jersey, just minutes from New York City and our location has us close to the commercial shipping ports of New Jersey and New York.  We are in the center of all major trucking routes and our 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse houses a large just-in-time inventory of strategic customer metal products.

Our manufacturers are based in China, Spain, Italy, Turkey, South Africa, India, Korea and Taiwan so we can supply you good quality at the most competitive prices that assist you reduce your product costs!

Let’s celebrate together with an inquiry for your custom made metal products to obtain some COST SAVINGS!

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Architectural Metal Castings

Posted on September 29, 2014 by admin

Deeco can assist with all of casting needs. From your initial conceptual sketches to the casting designs to an engineered drawing that produce the final metal casting.

We have a full service metal sand cast and investment cast foundry that produces custom Architectural Metal Castings in Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Cast Irons, Ductile Irons, Carbon and Stainless Steels.

We can supply Architectural Metal Castings to any level of completion, from an as-cast condition with a shot blast surface or vibratory surface finish, all of the way through to a fully machined product. Castings can be provided with assembled sub-components like fasteners and also with secondary welding, as needed. These can be supplied in most surface finishes, such as powder coated, hand painted, anodizing, acid etching and patinas, all to a wide variety of colors and finishes.

We can use your 2D and 3D drawings or old original architectural metal castings samples to produce molds or patterns to replicate the desired castings, all in many different metal alloys.  We offer quantities ranging from 20 pcs and up, depending upon the weight of the parts.

Our metal castings are used for the restoration of historic building projects to new construction projects. These projects can be for the commercial, residential, institutional and governmental sectors.

Castings are made for lighting and lamp posts, gates and fencing, fountain parts, garden furniture, mailboxes, posts and caps, windows, elevator interiors, railings, hardware, flag staff components, corners and brackets, ornamentation and decoration items and many other architectural products.

We pack and ship castings to your location in special wooden cases to protect your product from damage.

In addition to the castings, we also supply custom extruded architectural brass and bronzes shapes as well as forged parts for the architectural industry.

Take a look at some of our past work below and please send us your Architectural Metal Castings inquiries.

corner-medalions-FAS

Corner Medallions

Rosettes-aluminum-(1)(1)

Rosettes Aluminum

Top-Grill-Original-bronze from customer(1)

Top Grill-Bronze

Corner-medallion-with-bronze from customer(1)

Corner Medallion With Bronze

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Deeco Close Die Forging

Posted on September 2, 2014 by admin

When you’re looking for a reliable metal producer to fulfill your manufacturing requirements, Deeco Metals is the company to contact.  We understand metals and metal processes. With fundamental qualities like technical expertise, honest communication, good service, quality, and experience, we work to provide our customers with the best custom metal producing experience in the industry. We use the most modern and effective manufacturing methods available to produce custom made brass and bronze extrusions, all metal castings, metal stampings and metal forgings, made of ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.

Our closed-die forging method produces both quality and cost effective parts for many diverse industries. The manufacturing process can be broken down into the following four basic operations:

1. A metal billet is heated to a “plasticity” condition. Once this is done and prior to placing this billet on the bottom die, a special graphite or lubricant is applied to the bottom and top die sections. This is used for various reasons. Primarily, this compound keeps the forged part from sticking to any of the die sections and also reduces friction and wear of the die.

The bottom die resembling half of the desired shape of the part is attached to the bottom die plate holder in the forging press. The other half of the die, representing the top part and other half of the forged part, is attached to the top die plate holder of the forging press.

2. Once the hot billet is placed in the bottom die, the press is activated and the top half of the die strokes downward at considerable force. This force is sufficient to allow the top die to meet the lower die and form the hot metal billet into the desired forged part. This downward stroke is quick and the two dies are likely to only come into contact with each other for a short period of time.

billet in forging press

3. A one stroke operation is often sufficient on smaller parts and when using certain metals, like brass and aluminum. However when forging steel or larger parts, multiple strokes may be required. This is determined by the metal being used or the size and complexity of the part and whether or not there is coring in the dies.

4. During the forging operation, excess metal squeezes out along the line where the two dies meet. This excess is called “Flash” and is removed, once the part has cooled, by placing the part into clipping die attached to a clipping press. Once trimmed, the part can be further processed, by heat treating, shot blasting, vibratory finish, pickling (acid bath for removal of surface scale) and/or machining.

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

While the initial cost of dies may be relatively high, the piece price can be very cost-effective. The design of the die, especially when coring is done, results in a product that is not only competitively priced, but also tough and durable. The process has low recurring costs and is most beneficial for long runs often associated with automotive and tool products. Small runs are also offered, however as mentioned above, this process becomes more economical with increased volume. The forging process produces parts with a high strength-to-weight ratio compared to cast or machined parts and when comparing the other manufacturing processes, forged products are subject to less chance of flaws resulting in fewer rejects.

Brass Forged Parts

Whether you’re in need of custom closed-die forging or other metal casting services, Deeco Metals can be your one stop shop for your metal products. Our quick turnaround times and JIT or Kanban inventory services are the best in the industry. Visit our website to see how easy it can be to work with Deeco for your custom made metal product requirements.

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A New Scam from Offshore Counterfeit Suppliers

Posted on June 2, 2014 by admin

We see it all the time: fake purses, watches, clothes and more, but what about counterfeit metals and industrial scams?

If you’re buying metal or metal parts from overseas suppliers, it is increasingly more important to be aware of what you’re buying and whom you are buying from!

We’ve been recently alerted to serious counterfeiting problems that could rob you of a 30% to 50% deposit on non-existent product or to a fake company. There are a few steps to this scam that enable the thieves to provide the appearance of a legitimate supplier and/or manufacturing business. They first set up a website claiming to be a supplier and a manufacturer of a specific industrial product. The scammers send out an email offering you their products and the email appears to be legitimate, especially after you check their website.

Now that you’ve determined that you want to move forward, you send an inquiry for your metal product and quickly obtain a very competitive quote from them, listing their terms.  You cannot ignore the savings, so now you place an order. If there is a tooling charge, you pay 50% to 100% of this and a 30% to 50% deposit for the cost of goods.  Standard payment terms for the balance are that all must be paid on receipt of the shipping Bill of Lading, when the goods are ready to ship.  All this appears very legitimate making you feel comfortable dealing with this supplier.

Once you place an order, one of two things happens; they either disappear with your money, as soon as you pay or they take the next step or after a few weeks, send you pictures of packed product that was shipped to the ocean port.  They also send you email copies of the Bill of Lading and insurance certificate. All of the documents are legitimate but what was shipped in your crates was not the material that you ordered.  Not knowing that the goods are bogus, you make the balance of the payment!  Everything is moving along well, so you wait 4 to 6 weeks for your order to arrive. Once it arrives, you pay all the import fees and trucking to your facility. 

Now the SHOCK! When you open the shipment or ocean container, it’s packed with worthless heavy bricks or stones……! 

NOW YOU HAVE LOST ALL YOUR MONEY AND MAKING A CLAIM FROM INSURANCE OR TRYING TO CONTACT THE SUPPLIER, IS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK!

It is very easy to buy from offshore; however, there are a lot of pitfalls, scams, bad quality and bad service!

Let Deeco Metals, a USA company founded in 1986, eliminate all the risks of buying your low cost metal products offshore.

Deeco Metals guarantees delivery of good quality product or parts.  We visit and approve all our offshore factories and have ongoing long established relationships with them. We continually check on the quality, keep to delivery schedules and also offer stocking programs like JIT and Kanban, from our warehouse.

Stay wary of these scams and save yourself a lot of money and trouble by calling Deeco Metals at 1-800-272-7784 or emailing us at sales@deecometals.com!

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Africa Isn’t The Only One With A Big 5

Posted on April 28, 2014 by admin

You may be wondering why we have African animals on our website or why we post “Big 5 Friday” facts on one of our social media sites every week. Truth is: we feel certain ties to the Big 5 and the habitat of Africa. For one, the industrial metal market can be an unforgiving jungle to those who try to go it alone. Look to Deeco Metals as your safari guide to getting the right metal components at the right price, shipped anywhere around the world. We also happen to have mills and manufacturing partners all over the globe, South Africa included!
We strongly identify with the Big 5. Originally, the term was used only by hunters referring to five of Africa’s greatest wild animals. The Big 5 refers to some of Africa’s most iconic animals; the lion, the leopard, the elephant, the buffalo, and the rhino. Sightseers and hunters alike seek out these popular animals to admire their beauty, strength, and power. Many consider a trip to South Africa incomplete if they did not spot these five majestic creatures. Similarly, customers seek out Deeco for our Big 5;
1. Full technical support
2. Experienced and courteous sales professionals
3. Technical knowledge and engineering services
4. Warehousing and JIT services
5. One stop shopping for all of your metal needs
We consider an experience with Deeco incomplete if our customer did not experience all five of our Big 5 pride points.

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The Advantages of Automation in Manufacturing

Posted on November 26, 2013 by admin

Robots may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of manufacturing metal products, but the advantages of automation today in manufacturing are growing rapidly. Robots can increase productivity with consistent quality, and are lowering manufacturing costs.  In this global market, companies are more competitive using robots and increasing company profits.

robot 1

USDA

As technology has advanced over the past decade and with more companies utilizing robots, prices have become more affordable.  Programming robots has also become easier and with low maintenance, robots can operate 24/7.  This increases productivity exponentially while still maintaining quality.

robot 2

Kinshofer

Along with increases in productivity, companies are seeing increases in profits making robotic automation an ideal choice of capital investment with ROI as quick as 6 months.

Over the past 5 years our foundries have incorporated robots in their manufacturing as well as their final inspection of parts and this has reduced rejects well below industry levels. By modernizing, our production has increased allowing us to supply consistent higher quality parts at even lower prices!

Please send us your inquiries to allow us to show you our good prices and quality metal parts!

robot 3

ICAPlants

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The Construction of One World Trade Center

Posted on September 24, 2013 by admin
Photo credit: Jason Andrew Layne

Photo credit: Jason Andrew Layne

Twelve years after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center removed the iconic southern Manhattan skyline, the newly erected One World Trade Center stands tall in that same location. The appropriately 1,776 foot tower not only replaces the Twin Towers, but it is a part of the 9/11 memorial to those affected by the attacks. The construction has brought new life to lower Manhattan and has illustrated a new standard in architecture and engineering.

The construction of One World Trade Center began in April 28, 2006, almost five years after the Twin Towers were destroyed. According to the official One World Trade Center timeline it took until May of 2013 to place the final piece at the top of the monumental building, making it the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. The tower is expected to be open to the public by late 2013 or early 2014, reports LowerManhattan.info.

The building’s modern architecture was chosen to make One World Trade Center “an innovative mix of architecture, safety and sustainability,” claims Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the agency that oversees the location.

new camera 9-13 296

A description on their website states:  “Its structure is designed around a strong, redundant steel frame, consisting of beams and columns. Paired with a concrete-core shear wall, the redundant steel frame lends substantial rigidity and redundancy to the overall building structure while providing column-free interior spans for maximum flexibility. The building incorporates highly advanced state-of-the-art life-safety systems that exceed the requirements of the New York City Building Code and that will lead the way in developing new innovative technology for high-rise building standards.”

new camera 9-13 353Building One World Trade Center has been a topic of discussion even before the tower was designed, and the subsequent construction has been emotional and inspiring, with the formerly dubbed Freedom Tower symbolizing more than just advancements in architecture and engineering.

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Hurricane Sandy Reconstruction Building Up Homes, Businesses and the Economy

Posted on August 19, 2013 by admin

Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the American northeast in late October of last year. Residents and business owners in New Jersey and New York City, along with Long Island and parts of the Mid-Atlantic felt the harsh effects of the 2012 superstorm. Since the horrific event reconstruction efforts have restored homes, businesses and even the economy.

Just days after the storm, reports surfaced from the Associated Press that reconstruction projects were going to play a role in rebuilding the American economy. The storm caused an estimated $50 billion in damages to personal property and businesses, along with added living costs. Over the months since the storm, construction increases in affected areas have been attributed to Hurricane Sandy.

The construction isn’t just a means of rebuilding what used to stand along the coastlines. State officials are hoping to build floodplains and other protective measures to keep this kind of storm from destroying homes and businesses in the future. New Jersey is in the process of spending $300 million to purchase homes in flood-prone areas, with New York spending $197 million to do the same, according to the New York Times.

Home and business owners are still facing obstacles in rebuilding their property hit by Hurricane Sandy. “The state is telling us that the funding from the federal government simply has not been as quickly forthcoming as it needs to be,” New Jersey Newsroom reports Assemblyman Gary Schaer said. “The federal government is pointing its fingers back at the state.” This follows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approving $1.4 billion in assistance as of June 3.

With work left to be done in states like New York and New Jersey, there is an influx of jobs for people in the construction industry. As different areas get grants, with $1.9 being given to Longport, N.J. as recent as late July, more job opportunities will be available for construction workers. Though this work is in the wake of tragedy, it has provided an opportunity to boost the economy.

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