Pigs to the rescue, once again. This time we’re helping out the ethanol industry.

Two of its production problems are reducing emissions and marketing byproducts.

Researchers have figured out a way to process distillers’ grains (stuff left-over after turning corn’s starch into fuel) in a way that decreases emissions.

Then they mix the grains with soybeans to create pig feed that’s as nutritious as soybeans alone but cheaper.

Problems solved, oink you very much.

I do love straight soybeans (especially served by my Mom! Sniff, Love you, Mom), but, sure—I could go for some nice soy-grain.

I can see it in Soybutter Dip. Garbansoy Soup. Lemon-Artichoke Soyffle. Soy Yogurt Berry Pops. Mmmm …

Image © cullenphotos – Fotolia.com

What were we talking about?

Eco-flaps do even more than they were designed to.

The original idea was to reduce blinding overspray thrown by a tractor-trailer (we’ve all been there, right?), making highways safer for both trailing vehicles and the trucker looking in his rearview mirror.

But the slatted, 75%-open design also decreases drag, thereby saving gas and reducing emissions significantly.

Drive safer and greener with Eco-flaps, baby!

With those on your wheels, and equipment for quick, effective spill response on board (bag spill kit, containment pool), you can feel pretty doggone good about yourself.

A recent study indicates that a workplace may see small but significant decreases in the risk of obesity by taking relatively simple steps, including:

• Stocking vending machines and cafeterias with healthy food choices
• Marking out walking paths
• Posting signs encouraging increased physical activity

A related study found that medical costs are about 20 percent higher for obese workers versus normal-weight workers, so those simple steps may not only help particular workers but produce net savings.

Images © AJ Design – Fotolia.com

I finally know what “gently-worn” means, as in “donate your gently-worn footwear to needy people through Soles4Souls.”

They define “gently-worn” as: You’d still wear them. Good rule of thumb—er, toe, in this case.

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based group that facilitates tax-deductible donations of both new and used shoes. So far it’s distributed over 3.3 million pairs (one pair every 23 seconds) to over 60 countries, including Honduras, Romania, Thailand, and the Sudan.

One of their recent press releases points out that a shoe fair or shoemobile at your work site is a great time to collect used safety footwear and other work shoes. Their Shoe Drive page does a good job of spelling out the process. Hike over there and check it out.

Doug Hershey is Executive Vice-President of New Pig.

Direct marketers like New Pig are sometimes questioned about our mailings. What are the environmental considerations of catalogs and other paper advertising?

We take this issue seriously. Yes, some New Pig mail is immediately discarded—and eventually, most of it. We’re constantly testing new ways to communicate—including this blog, web sites, emails and more. Over time, there’s often a natural migration away from paper.

But paper still has strengths. Many aren’t ready to read everything on a screen. You have to look the big picture and the pluses and minuses.

First of all, direct mail is “junk mail” only when you don’t want it. It’s valuable when it brings you important information or savings. Our mailings have high value to many, just not everyone.

Second, you can stop direct mail that you don’t want. Believe me, we don’t want to send you mail you don’t want. You can call 1-800-HOT-HOGS® or email any time to be taken off our list, and we’ll do our best avoid picking up your name in the future.

At dmachoice.org, you can control your mail in general. It’s a program of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA, we’re members, I’m about to use much DMA data). In 2007, dmachoice.org prevented 930 million pieces of mail.

Third, mail recycling is growing. 66 percent of the U.S. has access to recycling for magazines, catalogs and direct mail paper. Now any catalog can carry the DMA’s Recycle Please graphic to help promote direct mail recycling. It’s on Pigalog® back covers.

That helps cut direct mail in landfills. It’s about 2.4 percent of all U.S. solid waste—less than you might think. Newspapers are 4.9 percent.

Overall recycling of paper is also increasing. In 2007, 55 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling, 360 pounds per person. It became boxes, pencil barrels, grocery bags, home insulation—and new paper.

Fourth, direct marketers use the least amount of paper possible. Bigger, heavier mailings cost more.

Fifth and finally, remember that paper’s a renewable resource. The wood products industry sustains forests by planting 1.7 million trees every day. Total U.S. forestland is about the same as 100 years ago despite 200 million more in population.

Besides paper, the DMA works with printers on initiatives like soy-based ink and new lighting. Big goals for everyone are to cut waste and pollution and protect the environment.

Plus stay in business! Thanks for listening. Your turn.

P.S. I’ll be back sometime soon to tell you all the stuff we recycle at New Pig.

Tidbits from the latest Plant Engineering Salary Survey:

Plant manager earnings:

• Average salary: $103,396 (up about 4%)
• Average bonus: $17,530 (down about 2%)

Among plant managers:

• 63% consider manufacturing a secure career 63%
• 74% are satisfied with their career
• 66% consider their own job secure
• 61% consider employees’ jobs secure (down from 70%)
• 31% said their biggest concern is the lack of skilled workers
• 15% said their biggest concern is downsizing’s reduction of productivity

Read this for a quick check of whether your MSDS practices are okay

E-A-R, Peltor and 3M teamed up to create this web site to help you stay informed about pending changes to the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) and related technical issues.

New Pig is certainly no nut-free zone.

What makes me say that? Aside from the fact that we have plenty of oddballs? (including me)

It was reading the words “nut-free zone” in this story about a fired maintenance worker who allegedly exacted revenge on his former employer by tossing around peanuts where there aren’t supposed to be any.

This nutty act is said to have cost $1.6 million in lost production. Nutty and pricey.

The company is called Pork Farms, by the way. This Pigger loves that name.

Here’s a quote from the prosecuting lawyer:

Some people are highly allergic to nuts, and Pork Farms corporate customers demand that no nuts or products with nuts should be brought into the factory at all. All staff are strictly forbidden from bringing nuts or anything containing nuts into the factory—every member of staff knew that. In fact, it was a nut-free zone.

Nuts are allowed at New Pig. Most definitely allowed.

I got to wondering about other strict prohibitions. Is there a particular thing that every employee at your site or area knows not to bring?

Don’t give me the stuff that many workplaces ban: guns, drugs, fruitcake.

What can’t you bring to work?

Image © davidjmorgan – Fotolia.com

Something may be lost in translation from this article published in the United Arab Emirates, but apparently more people are drilling holes in oil pipelines.

“Tractor drivers” do it (tractor-trailer drivers?). “These drivers drill a hole in the pipe, extract the amount of oil that they need and leave. Thereafter, oil keeps gushing out of the pipe.”

Even if entire oil tankers are filling up, the wasted oil must dwarf the pirated oil.

The bulk of the story is actually about cleaning up oily marine spills, often using skimming absorbents.

Image © AlienCat – Fotolia.com

I read this article twice because it paints a fantastic picture of a manufacturing company and touches on several things that I’ve blogged about:

• A family business for 93 years
• Small but doing business globally
• Appreciates and cares for its employees (free haircuts!)
• Promotes education that steers students into manufacturing
• The leaders are active in their community
• And the top leader is a hard-hatted woman! She’s an engineer, she’s in manufacturing, and she knows her way around a plant floor, so I’m calling her a hard-hatted woman.

Shining examples like this give one hope.

Everyone knows that attendance at the inauguration will number approximately a gazillion.

But how many of us stopped to ask: “Will they have enough traffic cones?”

ConGRUNTulations to the company that filled a rush order for 2,000 traffic cones to be used at the big parade.

Fulfilling rush orders can be just that—a rush! One of our recent cases went like this:

A customer placed a web order for 55-gallon drums, then cancelled it due to the lead time for the unusually large quantity. I followed up to see if we could help and learned that the customer was running out of time to ship out some hazardous waste.

We found items that we could deliver faster—this drum and this drum—and worked with the manufacturer and shipper to expedite the order. It took lots of work and calls, to say the least. My fellow Customer Service Pigger Mary Patton and I bonded during this time.

It always feels great after you’ve banded together, crossed the finish line in time and delighted the customer. How about sharing your company’s story of saving the day?

By the way, folks in D.C., we sell traffic cones, too.