... AND THEY'RE BETTER THAN EVER!
EVERY YEAR DOWN HERE BY THE WATER, THE BALD EAGLES SET UP THEIR WINTER HOME. THEY FISH IN THE RIVER, AND HEAD BACK NORTH IN THE SPRING.
I GUESS THEY DON'T MIND THE IRON WORKING NOISE! WHEN YOU VISIT THE SHOP, KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM US AND OURS TO YOU AND YOURS!
WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT MADE OUR PROJECTS SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR, INCLUDING OUR EMPLOYEES, GENERAL CONTRACTORS, END USERS, MUNICIPALITIES, SUPPLIERS AND VENDORS, AND LOOK FORWARD TO AN EXCITING 2016!
THIS PICTURE WASN'T EVEN STAGED!
THESE PICTURES WERE TOTALLY STAGED...
BEING TRULY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO MEANS YOU'RE ALWAYS LEARNING. HERE AT WHK, WE LEARN FROM OUR PAST GENERATIONS, OUR SUCCESS, OUR MISTAKES, OUR CLIENTS AND SUPPLIERS, AND OUTSIDE SOURCES. BELOW ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SOURCES FOR STAYING IN TUNE WITH CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRENDS :
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION (AISC) : AISCs EXTENSIVE LIBRARY COVERS EVERYTHING FROM BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS TO NEW TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND APPLICATIONS FOR FABRICATION.
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL, AND REINFORCING IRONWORKERS (IW) : OUR INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF IRONWORKERS OFFERS GREAT SPECIFIC TRADE INFORMATION IN THEIR MAGAZINE. THE IRONWORKER MAGAZINE CONNECTS TRADESMEN, UNIONS, AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND INFORM US OF NOTABLE PROJECTS, TRENDS AND UPCOMING LEGISLATION. (REMEMBER, THE PERSONAL IS POLITICAL!)
WOMEN BUILDERS COUNCIL (WBC) : THE WOMEN BUILDERS COUNCIL NOT ONLY UNITES WOMEN CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS IN THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA, BUT ALSO STAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF COMMUNICATING MWBE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS.
CLASS CENTRAL : WHILE THE INTERNET IS FULL OF USELESS KNOWLEDGE (CAT VIDEOS ANYONE?), ONE OF IT'S BEST KEPT SECRETS IS MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOCs). THESE FREE COURSES, MOST OF WHICH ARE SELF PACED, GIVE YOU ACCESS TO BASIC ENGINEERING CLASSES, OR, OUR FAVORITE, STEEL 101. MANY OF THE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED BY HARVARD, MIT AND STANFORD. TAKING A MOOC MAY NOT GET YOU A P.E. STAMP, BUT IT DOES HELP YOU GROW YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY, UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF YOUR TRADE.
FORBES ENTREPRENEUR AND HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW : ALTHOUGH THESE RESOURCES AREN'T NECESSARILY CONSTRUCTION SPECIFIC, THEY DO OFFER SOME GREAT ADVICE ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS. BECAUSE THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS SO UNIQUE, IT CAN BECOME INSULAR AND, UNFORTUNATELY, KEEP US FROM STAYING CURRENT ON IMPLEMENTING BETTER BUSINESS PRACTICES.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR FAVORITE SITES, AND BE SURE TO SHARE YOUR OWN!
A SENIOR STEEL ESTIMATOR AT ONE OF THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN THE THE WORLD ONCE TOLD ME THAT HE COULD TELL IF SOMEONE WAS THE REAL DEAL FROM WHAT THEY KNEW ABOUT PASSIVATING STAINLESS STEEL.
AT WHK, WE'RE CERTAINLY THE REAL DEAL, SO HERE GOES!
STAINLESS STEEL IS STAINLESS BECAUSE OF PROTECTIVE CHROMIUM OXIDES ON THE SURFACE OF THE MATERIAL. WHETHER AT THE ORIGINAL MILL, THE SUPPLIER OR THE FABRICATION SHOP, STAINLESS STEEL CAN BE SCRATCHED, PITTED OR OTHERWISE EXPOSED IN THE COURSE OF NORMAL PROCESSING. THIS EXPOSURE OF IRON CAN ALLOW FOR RUST TO FORM. PASSIVATING STAINLESS STEEL WORKS TO COUNTERACT THAT EXPOSURE.
THE MOST COMMON AND PROFESSIONAL PROCESS INVOLVES CLEANING THE STEEL WITH NITRIC ACID, WHICH CLEANS THE STEEL AND SERVES AS AN OXIDIZING AGENT. ALTERNATIVELY, STRONG CONCENTRATIONS OF CITRIC ACID CAN BE USED TO PASSIVATE THE STAINLESS STEEL. BY REMOVING FREE IRON AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS FROM THE SURFACE OF THE STAINLESS, THE CHROMIUM IS REOXIDIZED.
FUN FACT : LITTERED AROUND OUR WEBSITES YOU MAY HAVE FOUND SOME REFERENCES TO BREWING AND DRINKING ALCOHOL. CONVERSATIONS ON PASSIVATING STAINLESS STEEL ARE SOMETIMES PART OF BREWERS FORUMS BECAUSE MANY BREWERS USE STAINLESS STEEL VESSELS, WHICH CAN SOMETIMES BEGIN RUSTING DUE TO EXPOSURE TO CLEANING CHEMICALS.
BEFORE
WHK HAS CALLED ROCKLAND COUNTY ITS HOME FOR OVER 40 YEARS. THAT'S WHY WHEN WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE STONY POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RESTORATION OF THE PYNGYP SCHOOLHOUSE, WE WERE HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED! WE DESIGNED THE RAILINGS TO CURRENT CODE, WHILE TRYING TO REPLICATE AN ORIGINAL STYLE.
AFTER
IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED THIS OUT YET, I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT : AT WHK WE LOVE WHAT WE DO! PART OF THAT LOVE COMES FROM A GENUINE INTEREST IN OUR FIELD, FROM THE GENERAL TO THE NITTY-GRITTY.
WHILE WE MOST CONSTRUCTION APPLICATIONS CALL FOR HOT ROLLED STEEL, SOME SPECIAL PROJECTS REQUIRE COLD ROLLED STEEL. CHECK OUT THE VISUAL BELOW OUTLINING THE BASIC DIFFERENCES. ENJOY!
IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BEST IRONWORKERS ARE ALSO EXPERT BEER DRINKERS. AMBULANCE BREWHOUSE ASKED US TO MIX BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE BY DESIGNING AND FABRICATING A CUSTOM ARCHWAY. WE OBLIGED WITH A HOP-CENTRIC FOCAL PIECE - AND THE BEER WAS DELICIOUS TOO. CHEERS!
WHEN YOU WORK IN A FIELD THAT LITERALLY HAS THE WORD "MISCELLANEOUS" IN THE TITLE, SOME PEOPLE NEED CLARIFICATION : WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO? WHILE OUR CAPABILITIES STATEMENT COVERS THE BASICS, WE USE THE 3D MODELING SOFTWARE, TEKLA, TO ILLUSTRATE THE DETAILS.
USING TEKLA IN-HOUSE, WHK IS ABLE TO GENERATE 2D AUTOCAD FORMAT DRAWINGS, ALONG WITH 3D ISOMETRIC DRAWINGS AND OUR SHOP FABRICATION DRAWINGS IN ONE GO. NOT ONLY DOES THIS WORK TO STREAMLINE OUR PROCESSES, BUT IT'S STRONGEST ATTRIBUTE IS THAT IT ALLOWS THE CUSTOMER TO HAVE A CLEAR VIEW OF WHAT THEY'RE ORDERING.
ONE OF OUR BEST EXAMPLES OF THIS OCCURRED A FEW YEARS AGO WITH A MAJOR PHARMACEUTICAL CLIENT. THROUGHOUT A PROJECT, WE WERE NARROWING IN THE DIMENSIONS AND FEATURES OF A STAINLESS STEEL PLATFORM. HOWEVER, DURING THE APPROVAL SIGN OFF, THE SCIENTISTS WERE CONSULTED. UPON SEEING THE 3D DRAWINGS THEY NOTICED FUNCTIONALITY ISSUES WITH THE WAY THEY WANTED TO USE THE APPLICATION. HAVING SEEN ONLY 2D DRAWINGS UP TO THAT POINT, WHICH THEY DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND, THERE HAD BEEN MISCOMMUNICATION. LUCKILY, SINCE FABRICATION HAD NOT STARTED, WE WERE ABLE TO REWORK THE PLATFORM TO MEET THEIR NEEDS SAVING THE PROJECT BOTH TIME AND MONEY.
WHK IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN CERTIFIED AS A WBE IN NEW YORK CITY!
(CERTIFICATE MWCERT2015-610).
TYPICALLY, WHK PERFORMS FABRICATION ONLY PROJECTS IN NYC, BUT WE MAY TAKE ON A SPECIFIC PROJECTS SO BE SURE TO CHECK IN!
AFTER FABRICATION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME OF OUR TRUSTED SUBCONTRACTORS, WHK HAS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE MANY FINISHES. ONE OF THE
MOST COMMON FINISHES WE UTILIZE IS
HOT DIP GALVANIZING.
HOT DIP GALVANIZING IS THE PROCESS OF DIPPING FABRICATED STEEL INTO A VAT OF MOLTEN ZINC. IT IS A CORROSION PROTECTION METHOD USED MOST FREQUENTLY ON APPLICATIONS THAT WILL BE EXPOSED TO WEATHER OR WET ENVIRONMENTS. HOT DIP GALVANIZING APPEARS AS A DULL GREY FINISH.
BECAUSE HOT DIP GALVANIZING PROTECTS STEEL, THE WORK MUST BE FABRICATED FIRST (I.E. STAIRS, RAILINGS, CANOPY), THEN HOT DIP GALVANIZED. WELDS OR CUTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE GALVANIZED FINISH HAS BEEN APPLIED MUST RECEIVE COLD GALVANIZING (ZRC) PAINT AT THOSE JOINTS FOR PROTECTION.
THIS IS THE MOST BASIC OVERVIEW AND THERE ARE MANY INTRICACIES TO THIS PROCESS! FOLLOW THE LINKS OR REACH OUT TO US WITH MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HOT DIP GALVANIZING WORKS AND WHAT TYPES OF APPLICATIONS MAY REQUIRE HDG.
STEPS IN THE HOT DIP GALVANIZING PROCESS :
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AS WHK HAS TRANSITIONED FROM SECOND TO THIRD GENERATION AND RECEIVED IT'S WBE CERTIFICATIONS, WE'VE BEEN GETTING NOTICED! CHECK OUT SOME OF THE ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTING OUR COMPANY!
REDC / PTAC : SUCCESS STORIES : W.H. KASSNER, INC.
WE USA : TUCK-WBENC EXECUTIVE PROGRAM
WBENC PRESIDENT'S REPORT : 2014 TUCK-WBENC EXECUTIVE PROGRAM
WHILE IN THE CAPITAL REGION, ELLIE VISITED ONE OF OUR MAIN SUPPLIERS, ALBANY STEEL. OUR FAVORITE SALES REPRESENTATIVE, GEORGE DRESCHER, OFFERED AN AMAZING TOUR OF THEIR FACILITIES! CHECK OUT THE GALLERY BELOW AND PREPARE TO BE WOWED!
THEIR INVENTORY SYSTEM IS AMAZING! THE VERTICAL RACKS ARE 90' HIGH AND ARE ACCESSED BY THE WAREHOUSE CRANE.
THIS IS THE WAREHOUSE CRANE THAT ACCESSES THE VERTICAL INVENTORY SYSTEM. THINK OF THE EFFICIENCY (BOTH SPACE AND TIME-WISE) THIS INVENTORY SYSTEM OFFERS!
HERE'S A CLOSE UP OF THE VERTICAL RACKS.
TURNS OUT ALBANY STEEL IS CAPABLE OF BENDING, WHICH HELPS IN CASES LIKE THIS WITH SMALL OR NON-TRADITIONAL PIPE SECTIONS.
ANOTHER CUTOUT CLOSE UP.
10 INCHES THICK!!!
AUTOMATED CUTTING TABLES ALLOW FOR PRECISION AND REDUCE DROPS.
TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING!
ALBANY STEEL HAS 2 OF THESE TABLES. ONE IS SET UP FOR HANDLING THINNER MATERIAL, AND THE OTHER FOR THICKER SHEETS.
THE SAW IS FED BY AN ELABORATE CONVEYOR SYSTEM AND IS RELAYED INFORMATION BY CAMERAS TO INCREASE PRECISION.
ORGANIZED AND COLOR CODED
YOU CAN'T BE A STEEL SUPPLIER WITHOUT A BIG YARD.
WOAH!
THIS SHOT BLASTING CHAMBER CLEANS STEEL OF ALL OXIDATION AND RUST.
NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S RUSTY STEEL!
LAST WEEK OUR PRESIDENT ATTENDED THE NEW YORK STATE MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (MWBE) FORUM IN ALBANY. HUNDREDS OF PUBLIC AGENCIES AND PRIVATE COMPANIES SHOWCASED WHILE THOUSANDS OF MWBE BUSINESS OWNERS AND REPRESENTATIVES WERE IN ATTENDANCE. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY PRESENTATIONS, AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFIC PANEL DISCUSSIONS. THIS YEAR, THE CONVERSATIONS WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY UPLIFTING, BY CONGRATULATING PROGRESS, AND CHALLENGING, IN HIGHLIGHTING NEED FOR INDUSTRY CHANGE AHEAD.
FEW RAILINGS LOOK AS SOPHISTICATED AS WELL DONE CABLE RAILS. THIS PROJECT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED FOR THE NEW OFFICE OF A LOCAL ARCHITECT, ARI AUFGANG. HIS AESTHETIC CHOICE TO STAY WITH SQUARE AND RECTANGULAR TUBE ELEMENTS HELPED TO CREATE A REFINED INDUSTRIAL FEEL.
OTHER CABLE RAIL APPLICATIONS CAN BE FURNISHED ENTIRELY IN STAINLESS STEEL, AND RECEIVE ACORN NUTS TO COVER THE CUT END OF THE CABLE.
BEFORE HEADING TO THE SITE, WE TAKE OUR TIME AND ASSEMBLE MOST OF OUR PROJECTS. THIS PRACTICE ELIMINATES ERRORS IN THE FIELD WHETHER INSTALLATION IS BY US OR OTHERS. GOING THIS EXTRA MILE IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WITH PLATFORMS AND STAIRS THAT WILL BE RECEIVING SOPHISTICATED FINISHES SUCH AS HOT-DIP GALVANIZING, ANODIZING OR POWDER-COATING.
STAY TUNED ON OUR BLOG FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THOSE FINISHES!
RIGHT HERE IN OUR ROCKLAND COUNTY BACKYARD, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PROJECTS THAT NEED OUR SERVICES. CHECK OUT OUR LATEST INSTALL OF A CUSTOM GRATING FLOOR AT UNITED WATER'S WELL 84. WE DO REPEAT WORK WITH CLIENTS OF THE HIGHEST ESTEEM SUCH AS UTILITIES AND PHARMACEUTICALS COMPANIES.
STAY TUNED FOR OUR UPCOMING CLIENTS PAGE, TO GET AN IDEA OF OTHER COMPANIES WE WORK WITH.
WOLFGANG HUGO KASSNER ATTENDED COOPER UNION COLLEGE IN NEW YORK CITY, AFTER HIS FAMILY FLED GERMANY IN ANTICIPATION OF WORLD WAR II. IN 1939, HE GRADUATED WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN.
HE PASSED ON HIS PASSION FOR HIS WORK TO HIS SON AND GRANDCHILDREN. EVERY DAY AT WHK, WE WORK TO LIVE UP TO HIS LEGACY.
WHEN THIS ASI MODEL 415 ISO-ROLL DOOR WAS INSTALLED YEARS AGO, WE'RE SURE IT DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS DESTINED FOR GREATNESS! APPROACHING 1 MILLION RUNS, THIS DOOR IS A TESTAMENT TO THE QUALITY OF THESE CLEAN ROOM DOORS.
WORKING WITH ASI TECHNOLOGIES FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WHK IS A PROUD SALES REPRESENTATIVE AND INSTALLER FOR THE COMPANY'S PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT LINE.
WE USUALLY PREFER THE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION THAT GETS DIRT UNDER OUR FINGERNAILS, BUT WE'RE PROUD TO PRESENT OUR NEW WEBSITE! A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING, WE AT W.H. KASSNER, INC. ARE EXCITED TO SHARE OUR WORK WITH THE WORLD.
THIS "WORK-IN-PROGRESS" BLOG WILL PERIODICALLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE STRENGTHS AND DETAILS OF OUR WORK, BOTH ABSTRACTLY AND ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS. STAY TUNED!
YOU CAN REACH US VIA THE CONTACT PAGE IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK.
