HGR Blog
What type of employer is HGR? Q&A with HGR’s Inbound Logistics Department
(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Bryan Korecz, HGR’s inbound logistics manager)
What does your department do?
The Inbound Logistics Department is in constant contact with HGR’s vendors. We do not have much contact with customers who purchase items from HGR. After a buyer has made a purchase from a vendor we are in contact with the vendors until all items have been picked up. We ensure that the buying and shipping process goes smoothly for them and that they have a good experience and sell to HGR in the future. A day in the life would be 75-100 phone calls and email with vendors, trucking companies, dispatchers, buyers and then making it all come together so that the offloading of the equipment goes smooth here at HGR
How many people work in your department, and what are their roles?
My department is myself and Eric Karaba. He handles seven of the buyers, while I handle six and any purchases made by two of our owners, Rick Affrica and Brian Krueger.
What qualifications do you need to be successful in your department?
Patience. In this line of work, things will go wrong, and problems will come up. It happens all the time, and you just have to roll with it and adjust. Multitasking as well as being able to solve problems quickly.
What do you like most about your department?
I like that we play an integral role in the HGR “supply chain” process. I like that every day can be different, as well.
What challenges has your department faced and how have you overcome them?
We face challenges every day. You just have to learn from previous experiences and apply that knowledge to anything that will come up in the future.
What changes in the way your department does business have occurred in the past few years?
Two years ago, this department didn’t exist. We had an outside company do it for us, and we wanted to take control of it to better service our vendors and make the process smoother.
What continuous improvement processes do you hope to implement in the future?
We are in the process of implementing a process to ensure that equipment gets to HGR faster (so we can sell if faster) and more efficiently.
What is HGR’s overall environment like?
I think it is a pretty relaxed environment. We are able to get our work done.
What is your perspective on manufacturing, surplus, investment recovery/product life cycle/equipment recycling?
Before I came here I didn’t know much about the manufacturing industry. My experience was solely in shipping. During the course of the last two years, I have learned what certain machines are, what they are used for and what items HGR has success with.
Learn about the history of slo-pitch softball, which started in Cleveland, at the hall of fame and museum
In 1985, The Greater Cleveland Slo-Pitch Softball Hall of Fame began inducting members into the hall at its annual banquet. This continues to be the case today. But, in 1997, Founder Buddy Langdon and his partner had an idea for a hall of fame and museum in order to share the history of softball with the public. Originally, they planned to make it a mobile exhibit that could travel around the country by bus. Later, they approached the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, then located in what is now the Shore Cultural Centre in Euclid, Ohio, to pitch the idea that both museums be housed in the historic, former Euclid City Hall building that the city had planned to condemn and demolish.
In 1998, both museums set up shop at 605 E. 222nd St., Euclid, Ohio. The softball hall of fame decided that Euclid was a central location between the furthermost east and west sides, and the city had teams that played in the biggest and best leagues. The museum is a nonprofit that is funded through ticket sales from its induction banquet, donations from visitors and an annual raffle fundraiser.
When I visited, I learned so much about the sport and the history of the area. The first slo-pitch team was formed in Cleveland in 1939 by the Jewish Recreation Commission. As Curator Rich Yonakor explains, “Since they celebrated the Sabbath on Saturday, it was something for them to do socially on Sundays. They decided to make the ball bigger and slower since everyone was not able to hit a baseball. Gambling occurred, as the community placed bets on the outcome of games. They decided to open the games up to the public.” One of the first softballs was made at a YMCA by taping up a ball of socks.
By the 1960s and early 1970s, there were 280 local teams competing in a single elimination tournament to go on to the world championship. Later, the tournaments changed to double elimination, and instead of one champion, one team comes out of every governing body and league. In 1975, Cleveland’s Pyramid Café team won the first world championship for the city. In softball’s heyday, most teams were sponsored by bars, restaurants and the unions within companies. HGR Sales Associate Andrew Pringle’s grandfather, Douglas Pringle, played softball in the 1960s and was inducted into the hall with his team.
Many people don’t know the difference between fast pitch and slo-pitch. Women’s fast pitch is played at the high school and college level where the pitcher winds up and throws the ball hard and fast in a straight line. The pitcher also is six feet closer to home plate. In slo-pitch, the ball is lobbed in an arch of 10 feet to 16 feet, depending on the governing body. Most have a rule of 10 to 12 feet. There are a multitude of governing bodies, and each has different rules regarding the type of bat used and the pitching arc.
Today, the sport has experienced a decline in popularity that Yonakor attributes to the electronic age where people are not getting out to play sports as much. He says the materials have changed dramatically and that “often the equipment is doing all of the work for them, not like in the old days when it was about competition and exercise. No one got hurt, and they all went out afterwards.” Now, the ball is harder; therefore, players can hit it further and over the fence for more home runs. The leagues have actually had to limit the number of home runs in a game on this account.
If you are a sports enthusiast, which you must be if you got to this point in the blog, when you stop to visit the museum, you can talk softball, baseball, basketball AND football with Yonakor. Does that name sound familiar? Yep, he’s the son of football legend John Yonakor, a member of the 1946-1950 All-American Football Conference Cleveland Browns. His father took him to every Browns home game from when Yonakor was four until he was 17. John Yonakor was originally drafted into the NFL Philadelphia Eagles, but Paul Brown offered to pay him more, $9,500 per year as opposed to $7,500. He also played in Canada for a year, with the New York Yanks for a year and with the Washington Redskins for a couple of years. His son, Rich, was recruited six years ago to assist Langdon in running the museum. When Langdon passed away, Yonakor took over. Rich Yonakor played NBA basketball for the San Antonio Spurs and then professional basketball for overseas teams, including Italy, France and Belgium, for a few years. He also was the softball director for the City of Euclid.
Apr. 29, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. to ???: AWT RoboBots Battle Bot Competition at Lakeland Community College
What do a Chicago crime boss and EHS’ competitors at the AWT RoboBots competition have in common?
(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Bob Torrelli, Euclid High School’s Science Department chair and Robotics Team coach)
They are going down!
We had a very successful meeting in March at SC Industries. The robot is totally together and all that’s left to do is shed 0.15 pounds and practice driving and using the weapon.
The Euclid High School Robotics Team has been relentless in solving the gear ratio problem between the motor and the weapon shaft. We finally got it resolved while we did work on the robot during spring break. So, without any other unforeseen problems, we will be ready to test it out this week at Fredon in the cage. We need to solder some specific connections onto the new 12-volt batteries, hook the electronics together, and attach the armor. We have about four weeks to test it and make sure it is competition ready for the 2017 RoboBots Battle on Apr. 29 at Lakeland Community College.
Our team name still is The Untouchables, and our robot’s name is Elliott Ness.
HGR Industrial Surplus is one of the team’s sponsors.
Great Scott Tavern helps build community
I had a sit down with Bob Edwardsen, general manager of Great Scott Tavern, 21801 Lakeshore Blvd., Euclid, Ohio, to find out more about how the restaurant came into being and how it has evolved since its opening in June 2015.
Bob’s known the owner, Mrs. Scott, since he was a child. His parents were friends with her and her husband. They traveled and spent holidays together. Before becoming a restauranteur, Mrs. Scott worked in real estate management and lived in New York for a time. But, now, she’s a Euclid resident.
According to Edwardsen, “Her lifelong dream was to have a restaurant. She wanted to locate it in her city because she feels that Euclid needs another good restaurant. She’s in here every day. This is like her child. She eats here all the time.”
Originally, Mrs. Scott bought the gas station next to the Beach Club Bistro where she intended to open the restaurant, but there was a parking issue. So, when the current location, a former office building, came up for sale, she bought the building, spent more than two years renovating it, tore down the gas station and created a parking lot that the restaurant shares with its neighbors. The restaurant specializes in American comfort food, and the décor reflects its desire to be cozy and inviting.
The restaurant has more local connections in its management team: Edwardsen grew up in Euclid. His assistant general manager, Tom Laurienzo, who Edwardsen calls “his right and left arm,” and current head chef live in Euclid. About Laurienzo, he says, “Tom started here as a server and was promoted. He is phenomenal at what he does and is a great person, too, with children and a wife while being active in his church. I don’t know how he finds the time.” As Edwardsen says in his staff meetings, “It takes a team to win.”
He made his way to Great Scott because he and Mrs. Scott shared the same cleaning lady. The cleaning lady told him about the ongoing renovations. Then, Mrs. Scott started coming to Edwardsen’s bar and restaurant on E. 200th to ask him questions about restaurant management. In February 2016, he joined her staff. His favorite menu items are the cabbage rolls and meatloaf. During Lent, the restaurant serves a fish fry made with Bob’s recipe that he served at his former restaurant.
The name Great Scott Tavern is a pun on words. First, it’s Mrs. Scott’s last name, but she also used it because of its association with film heroes, superheroes and comic-book characters, such as Christopher Lloyd’s character in the movie “Back to the Future,” Superman and Dennis the Menace when they utter that famous exclamation of surprise, “Great Scott!”
Mrs. Scott is heavily involved in philanthropy and in the community. The restaurant is a member of The Euclid Chamber of Commerce and the Euclid Kiwanis Club. It has participated in local events sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Taste the Neighborhood in Collinwood. The restaurant hosts meetings and parties for local organizations, such as Euclid Beach Park Now. She is also one of the sponsors of the Cleveland International Film Festival, and she is involved with the Henn Mansion, Shore Cultural Centre and Euclid Pet Pals.
Edwardsen also has a love for his community. He belongs to The Nobel-Monitor Lodge of the Swedish Vasa and is active at Holden Arboretum, about which he says, “I went there for the first time and thought it was fabulous. It took my mind off of everything. Before that, I buried myself in my work.” He also loves local sports and went to the Cavs’ Championship Parade, but The Cleveland Indians are his favorite team. He encourages others to get involved and says, “You have to build the community.”
Great Scott is open Tuesday through Thursday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Enter to win HGR’s April 2017 “guess what it is” Facebook contest
Last month, we went too easy on you; so, we decided to make it a little harder this month to guess what piece of equipment or machinery is pictured. To participate, like our Facebook page, share the post, and add your guess in the comments section. Those who guess correctly and meet these criteria will be entered into a random drawing to receive a free HGR T-shirt.
Click here to enter your guess on our Facebook page by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 14, 2017. A winner will be drawn and announced the following week.
April is National Welding Month!
In support of the American Welding Society, we’re celebrating all the talented, hardworking welders who make many of the objects that we use and appreciate on a daily basis, especially those that get us where we need to go. Welding was discovered in the 1800s and has continued to make strides. Consider a career in welding and talk to your local community college or trade school, or let us know if you are a welder and what you weld. Thank you, welders!
If you’re looking for welding equipment, HGR Industrial Surplus has affordable new and used items to fit out your weld shop.
Our phone system has been automated
When you call HGR Industrial Surplus at 216.486.4567 or 866.447.7117, you will notice that something has changed. We now have an automated phone system for your convenience to efficiently get you to the person you need. Here’s more info.
Pardon our dust
HGR is gutting and rebuilding our front entrance, restrooms and sales office to better serve our customers. The construction work is being done at night while we are closed, but you will notice some changes in the next four months. We’ll be moving our desks around to accommodate the work being done, and the front restrooms are closed; so, customers will need to use the restrooms in Aisle 6 or in our back offices if you are unable to navigate the stairs to the restrooms.
Please excuse the shuffle while we make amazing improvements. You still can count on the same great products, service and prices.
Thanks!
Kiddie City Child Care Community hosts fundraiser
HGR loves to support the Euclid community. If you live or work in the community, you might be interested in attending a comedy show and Chinese auction on Apr. 22 at Kiddie City, 280 E. 206th Street, Euclid, Ohio. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. with three local comedians. Snacks, beer, wine, pop and water will be included. It’s only $27 per couple and is tax deductible since it’s a fundraiser for Kiddie City, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit in Euclid since 2006. This fundraiser occurs so that Kiddie City can continue to create a lifelong love of learning for children in its teachers’ care.
Jennifer Boger, Kiddie City’s director, says, “We’ve been doing this fundraiser for 10 years now to supplement summer programming for families in order to do enhancement and enrichment activities for the children that parents don’t need to pay for out of pocket since 80% of students are using childcare subsidy for lower-income families.”
For tickets, contact Kiddie City at 216-481-9044.
Get the flavors of Jamaica right here in Euclid, Ohio
I was planning a business lunch to talk about the Waterloo Arts District, redevelopment, travel and other things with a colleague at The City of Euclid. When I asked where we should go, she suggested a new Jamaican restaurant that people are raving about on E. 185th Street: Irie Jamaican Kitchen.
This small, cafeteria-style takeout is decorated in the bright colors of Jamaica (black, red, yellow, green). There is bar-style seating with a few stools, too. We dined in and got to meet Omar, the owner, and chat with him about his inspiration. It turns out he went to Cuyahoga Community College and Kent State University for culinary arts and hospitality management. He worked at restaurants his entire life.
Three years ago, he decided to fulfill his dream of owning a restaurant and working for himself. He opened Irie Jamaican Kitchen at Richmond Mall. One month ago, he moved to Euclid, where he currently lives, because he loves the community and felt it would offer a great customer base. So far, he’s doing well.
And, we can see why! Everything was fresh, tasty and full of flavor. There was so much to choose from, including healthy options. You could get a bowl (Jamaican version of Chipotle) with either salad or rice as the base. I got a salad bowl with jerk chicken, vinegar cucumber slaw, pineapple coleslaw and heavenly, carmelized, fried plantains. I also ordered a cup of thick, rich chicken-feet soup. My colleague had a rice bowl with curry chicken, mango salsa, plantains and sour cream. I wanted to try the fish stew in brown sauce, but there will always be another time.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
History. It’s what we do. Old and new. The treasure chest (or pot of gold) to be found in the aisles of HGR’s showroom. We love the history of machines and buildings. So, on this day when everyone thinks about green beer, leprechauns, shamrocks and luck, remember that St. Patrick is one of the patron saints of Ireland. He lived in the fifth century.
And, there’s the well-known Irish Blessing, an ancient Celtic prayer, that you may have read before:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
There’s also this one:
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
Enjoy your day. We hope to see you soon.
What Type of Employer is HGR? Q&A with HGR’s Showroom Department
(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Rich Lash, HGR’s Showroom supervisor)
What does your department do?
The Showroom is the last chance to make sure things are displayed properly and as nice for the customer as possible. We think that keeping things orderly helps in the sale of the piece. Our goal is to take care of the customer in the best way possible.
How many people work in your department, and what are their roles?
The Showroom has seven employees. Our jobs consist of many different things: clearing walls of new inventory and taking it out to the showroom floor. We also are responsible for loading customers with the pieces that they have purchased, from 20 pounds to 40,000 pounds and more. Each Showroom employee is trained to treat each piece as if it is theirs.
What qualifications do you need to be successful in your department?
It starts with basic forklift operator skills, and by the time training is done, the forklift operator will be chaining, lifting and loading pieces with a 30,000-pound forklift with very little assistance from others.
What do you like most about your department?
We like dealing with the customer and trying to be the best at what we do and who we are.
What challenges has your department faced, and how have you overcome them?
HGR is remodeling different areas of the building, from repairing the roof to a new locker room and, soon, a new sales office. Each time, everyone has to help by moving things out of the way so work can be done. It is hard at times but the end result is great because the improvements are worth it. We have come a long way from the early days of HGR when there were 11 employees.
What changes in the way your department does business have occurred in the past few years?
Well, before eBay, we had a lot more customer walk-in traffic, which sometimes made it difficult to get through the showroom with sold pieces for customers. Since eBay, it seems that sales have gone up but customer traffic has gone down, which makes it easier to get through the showroom.
What continuous improvement processes do you hope to implement in the future?
I think training is the key to making things better in the showroom and in every department, for that matter. Knowing your product and how to treat it and display it sure makes a difference.
What is HGR’s overall environment like?
HGR has been a very pleasant and enjoyable place to work over the years. The people I work with and the people I work for are just great. I have never worked for a company that tries to make their employees feel good with company picnics, gift cards, rewards and a holiday party like HGR has. They also have a profit-sharing program for the employees that sets them apart from other companies.
Cleveland Job Corps needs help starting a manufacturing technologies training program that will feed area manufacturers with a skilled workforce
The WorkRoom Program Alliance, part of the Dan T. Moore Company, is partnering with Cleveland Job Corps, Coit Road, Cleveland, Ohio, to create a manufacturing center at the Job Corps facility in order to offer manufacturing technologies training. This is about workforce development and creating a skilled workforce, folks! Something that every manufacturer I know worries about: filling those vacancies with skilled labor.
Here is their needs list so that they can align with federal standards. As you can see from the list of equipment, this is a seriously valuable program for local manufacturing.
Can you or anyone you know help? HGR is checking its showroom to see what we have that would be suitable, but I’m sure other organizations in the area might be able to make an equipment or financial donation to get this program off the ground. Contact Gina at HGR if you can help: [email protected].
| Quantity | Equipment |
| 1 | Comparator |
| 1 | Drill Press |
| 1 | Drill, Electric, Portable DWT |
| 2 | Gauge, Height RUT |
| 1 | Grinder, Bench, Electric |
| 4 | Grinder, Die, Pneumatic |
| 3 | Grinder, Die, Pneumatic |
| 1 | Grinder, Metal, Floor, Electric BAL |
| 1 | Grinder, Metal, Floor, Electric FALCON |
| 1 | Grinder, Metal, Universal SHOP FOX |
| 1 | Grinder, Portable, Electric DELTA |
| 3 | Grinder, Portable, Electric DUM |
| 1 | Grinder, Surface CHEV |
| 1 | Lathe, Computer Programmable |
| 1 | Lathe, Metal, Engine, Permanent |
| 2 | Lathe, Metal, Engine, Sliding Gap KIN |
| 1 | Lathe, Metal, Engine, Solid Bed ACR |
| 1 | Lathe, Metal, Engline, Permanent ACE |
| 2 | Lathe, Metal, Engline, Permanent JET |
| 1 | Machine, Bending CHI |
| 1 | Machine, Forming PEX |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Computer Programmable EMC |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Computer Programmable INT |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Computer Programmable TEC |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Computer Programmable TEC |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Metal, Vertical ACE (1) |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Metal, Vertical ACE (2) |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Metal, Vertical ACR (1) |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Metal, Vertical ACR (2) |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Metal, Vertical DAY |
| 1 | Milling Machine, Metal, Vertical FALCON |
| 3 | Plate, Surface, Stone |
| 1 | Router PTR CBL |
| 2 | Sander, Portable, Orbital SKIL |
| 1 | Saw, Circular, Portable, Electric DWT |
| 1 | Saw, Metal Cutting, Band WIL |
| 1 | Saw, Metal Cutting, Circular MIL |
| 1 | Saw, Reciprocating PTR |
| 1 | Sharpener, Drill Bits OTMT |
| 1 | Vacuum, Wet/Dry |
| Quantity | Technology |
| 1 | Combination TV/VCR/DVD |
| 1 | SMART Board technology |
| 1 | 3D Printer |
| 15 | Scientific calculators, such as TI-30xa |
| Quantity | Furniture |
| 12 | Student Desks |
| 12 | Student Chairs |
| 2 | Student Computer Work Station |
| 1 | Instructor Desk |
| 1 | Instructor Chair |
| Quantity | Hand Tools |
| QA and Measuring Tools | |
| 10 | Set of 1″ Mics, 6″ dial calipers and 6″ scale |
| 1 | 6″ digital calipers |
| 10 | Metric scales |
| 1 | Gage blocks, 81 pc. Set, grade B |
| 2 | Surface plate, 18 x 24, lowest grade |
| 1 | Surface plate, 24 x 36″ with stand |
| 2 | Height gages, vernier |
| 2 | Height gages, 12″ dial |
| 3 | Angle plate |
| 1 | Plug gage set from .011 to .500″ |
| 5 | Holder for plug gages, to make go/no-go gages |
| 2 | Machinist square |
| 6 | Combination square |
| 10 | Tape measures |
| 5 | Drop indicators with magnetic stand and 22 pc set of points |
| 3 | Vee blocks, set of 2 |
| 3 | Test indicator set |
| 3 | Radius gages, set covers 1/32 to 1/2 |
| 1 | Set of 5 micrometers covering range of 1″ to 6″ |
| 2 | Thread gages for 1/4-20 UNC-2B, for NIMS benchwork project |
| 1 | Optical Comparator, 14″, new, with Fagor Digital Readout and cabinet, Suburban Tool |
| 1 | Stage center for Optical comparator, MV14-CTR |
| 1 | Estimated equipment shipping costs |
| Metalworking Tools | |
| 5 | Scriber |
| 5 | Hammer, ballpeen, 8 oz |
| 1 | Parallels for milling vise set |
| 1 | Milling vise, TTC, swivel base, 6″ wide jaws, opens 5-1/2″, wt. 100# |
| 1 | Vise, angle, for drill press |
| 10 | Allen wrenches, set |
| 5 | Oil cans, small |
| 12 | Files, mill |
| 12 | Files, rattail |
| 12 | Files: bastard |
| 20 | File handles |
| 1 | Tap and die sets, including wrenches |
| 2 | Hammer, ballpen, 16 oz |
| 5 | Power hand grinders, (Makita) |
| 1 | Drills, complete 1 to 60, A to Z, 1/64 to 1/2″, set |
| 5 | Reamers, for specific projects |
| 5 | Dead blow hammer |
| 3 | Bench vises |
| 4 | Worktables |
| 8 | C-clamps, assorted sizes, 2 of each |
| 10 | Eye loupes |
| 1 | Tapping head for drill press w/ collets |
| 5 | Prick punch |
| 1 | Soft jaws for vise |
| 1 | Drill chuck for milling machine, for NIMS |
| 2 | Magnetic base for indicator |
| 1 | Millermatic 210 MIG welder |
| 1 | Miller Synchrowave 180, TIG welder |
| 1 | MSC 3-in-1 metalforming machine |
| Quantity | Personal Protective Equipment |
| 1 | SDS “Right to Know Station” and HMIS labels |
| 1 | Red can for rags |
| 2 | Fire extinguishers, recharble for student practice |
| 1 | Eye wash station |
| 1 | First aid kit |
| 1 | Lock out/tag out kit with forms and 10 booklets |
| 1 | Spill clean up kit and additional “snakes” and oil-dry |
| 1 | Hand washing facilities |
| Quantity | Consumable items |
| 1 | First aid supplies |
| 1 | Red and green labels, for good and bad parts |
| 3 | Layout dyes |
| 1 | Dye remover |
| 20 | Hacksaw blades |
| 3 | Replacement files: bastard, mill, rattail |
| 5 | Handles for files |
| 1 | Replacement files: bastard, mill, rattail |
| 5 | Deburring tools, countersinks |
| 1 | Metal for projects, should be donated but if have to purchase |
| 2 | 6″ buffing/polishing wheels, for pedestal grinder |
| 50 | Discs for hand power grinder/sander, abrasive |
| 20 | Discs for hand power grinder/sander, polishing |
| 10 | Cutoff wheels for hand power grinder |
| 1 | Sandpaper, sheets: series of rough to fine |
| 20 | Scotch-brite pads, medium and fine |
| 1 | Oil, lubricating |
| 3 | Cutting fluid (tap magic) |
| 1 | Surface plate cleaner |
| 2 | Stones for surface plate |
| 1 | Sharpening or replacing reamers |
| 3 | Recharging fire extinguishers |
| 1 | Misc |
| 1 | Shipping |
| 1 | Curriculum, workbooks, and certification testing |
| Quantity | Other Items |
| 1 | Annual Contracted Machine Maintenance, Service & Repair |
Call for industrial artists to deck out HGR’s offices!
As you may know or have read about in past blogs, HGR has invested in building out a new back office for executives, HR, payroll and other internal departments. It is designed with manufacturing and industry in mind. We also will be starting a complete renovation of our front Sales office where customers come in to make purchases and drivers come to pick up loads for delivery. That project is expected to be complete late this summer.
We need some two- and three-dimensional art for the walls, a clock, a coat rack, an A/V stand and other items that keep to the industrial theme, including machinery, our building’s history, Nickel Plate Road railway, etc. We have lots of machinery badges, blueprints and equipment schematics that we would like to display. Like any office, we need art, decorations, plant stands, and functional items.
I know that we have many artist and maker customers who shop here for material and inspiration. If you want to showcase your work and get some notice by the people who walk in our doors every day with photos, proposals or ideas. We have a modest budget; so, we are looking for lesser-known artists and makers who just want to be part of HGR’s future. We can trade store credit or marketing services, too!
Nickel Plate Road Historical & Technical Society donation for convention luncheon
On Sept. 28 – 30, The Nickel Plate Road Historical and Technical Society (NKPHTS) is hosting its annual convention in Cleveland, one of the stops on the Nickel Plate Road railroad, which connected New York, Chicago and St. Louis. HGR’s current facility was one of the Cleveland stops on the line where GM’s Fisher Auto Body Plant used the railroad to transport automobile bodies to Detroit.
So, why are we talking about an event that doesn’t take place until September? Well, because pulling off a convention takes planning, and Chuck Klein, NKPHTS’ convention chairman, is running the show. On March 7, he visited HGR’s showroom in Euclid to pick up his “check” for $1,000, donated by HGR. Matt Williams, HGR’s chief marketing officer, is a member of NKPHTS. And, HGR cares about preserving the heritage of its site, which was an important part of the war effort and industrialization in Cleveland.
Williams joined the society because his grandfather worked in Nickel Plate’s Canton, Ohio, railyard, and his father, an electrical engineer, was The Orville Railroad Heritage Society’s president. While Klein, a retired optician, is a model railroad enthusiast and a committee member for the National Model Railroad Association, which is how he came by the job of convention chairman.
Klein says, “We almost didn’t do the luncheon because it wasn’t financially feasible, but with the donation from HGR to cover the room rental, we were able to pull it off.” And, pull it off in style they will do. The society is shuttling convention attendees from The Holiday Inn South Cleveland — Independence to The Terminal Tower with a special stop along the way. A visit to the tower’s observation deck also is planned. The topic of the luncheon presentation will be “From Chicago World’s Fair to Cleveland’s Public Square: the Story of the Terminal Tower.”
For lovers of Cleveland history, especially of Public Square, Klein provides a wealth of information. I learned more in an hour with him about the history of the buildings on Public Square and the Van Sweringen brothers who built them than I’ve learned in my (ahem) undisclosed number of years on this planet where I’ve lived in Cleveland since birth. He recommended the book Invisible Giants: The Empires of Cleveland’s Van Sweringen Brothers by Herbert H. Harwood Jr. It’s now on my Goodreads list!
If you are interested in joining the society or attending the convention, you can get more information on the society’s website. We’ll be at the luncheon looking for you!
Euclid High School Robotics Team’s battle bot build update
(Courtesy of Guest Blogger Bob Torrelli, Science Department chair and Robotics Team coach, Euclid High School)
Heading into competition Apr. 29 at the Alliance for Working Together’s RoboBots competition at Lakeland Community College, Euclid High School’s team and coach are hard at work. The frame and the armor are complete. The wheels are on, and the skids are mounted in the front. The weapon and axle are being finalized this week and, hopefully, mounted. We will then mount and attach the motor for the weapon. We need to make sure we have the correct fly wheels and belts. Then we need to run the inside electronics. We are continually doing quality inspections before proceeding to the next step so that the robot holds up this year in competition. We should be complete in about two more weeks, then five to six weeks of testing and tweaking.
The students asked for one of the titanium rail holes to be enlarged, and Gary (pictured in photo) gave them a lesson on what it takes to properly enlarge the hole evenly and proportionally. They also gained experience using a band saw, a jigsaw and many other tools that they had never explored before.
Go Team Euclid! HGR Industrial Surplus is a sponsor for Euclid High School’s team and encourages youth to choose careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, including manufacturing, welding, machining and other high-tech trades.
Enter to win HGR’s “Guess what it is” Facebook contest
Do you know which piece of equipment in our showroom this close-up photo is of? If so, enter our March “Guess What It Is Contest!” You can find anything at HGR, including this. But what is it? Click here to enter your guess on our Facebook page by midnight, Monday, March 13. If your guess is correct, you’ll have a be entered into a random drawing to win a special HGR T-shirt! The winner will be announced here on our blog and on Facebook.
HGR offers $2,000 STEM scholarship to Euclid High School senior
2017 HGR Industrial Surplus STEM Scholarship
HGR Industrial Surplus Inc. annually awards a scholarship to a high school senior who has been accepted by an institution of higher education for the next academic year to pursue a degree or certification in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) field. This includes, but is not limited to, the fields of engineering, engineering technology, electrical, mechanical, welding, manufacturing, or construction. This year, one student from Euclid High School will be awarded a $2,000 scholarship.
Scholarship guidelines are as follows:
1. The applicant must be active in any facet of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math).
2. The applicant must be in good academic standing at his or her high school.
3. The applicant should be a senior.
4. The applicant must be accepted into an institution of higher education or a trade or technical school for the next academic year.
5. Financial need will be considered.
Those applying for the HGR Industrial Surplus scholarship should submit the following materials when applying:
1. A completed scholarship application.
2. A 350-word autobiography.
3. A 350-word statement explaining why this scholarship is important to you, including your financial need.
4. A minimum of one letter of reference. Up to three letters of reference will be accepted. Letters of reference should be from teachers, counselors, coaches, employers, mentors, etc. rather than from family or friends.
5. Scholarship Submission Deadline: All materials should be submitted here by April 15, 2017.