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The History Of The Paint Brush

Paint brush manufacture dates back to prehistoric times, when wall and cave drawings suggest some form of brush was used. Brushes have been discovered in Egypt, which were made from split palm leaves, and it is an accepted fact that writing brushes were used by the ancient Greek and Romans.

In modern brush making, the process of grading hairs and making handles is carried out by machine, the actual building up of hair and placing in the ferrules is done by hand, the bristle of hair being arranged in carefully graduated lengths. Nowadays old brush settings such as resin pitch and glue have been superseded by vulcanised rubber and synthetic cements.

The part of the brush which does the brushing is called the bristle, because for many centuries bristle was the chief material used to make brushes. Bristle comes from hogs, pigs and boars, and from no other sources. It has many desirable properties which make it ideal for use in brushes, but it is very expensive to manufacture. For this reason many other materials are used, collectively being known as brush filling materials.

For centuries the West yielded sufficient quantities of bristle for our needs, but by year 1800, imported White Russian bristle was considered to be more desirable, and was available until the Russian Revolution. We then turned to China for ours needs, the bulk of which is black and is considered to be more inferior. Domesticated pigs no longer yield sufficient quantities, so we are now dependent on countries like Russia, China, India, Poland and Australia.

Bristle is naturally curved, and so before it can be used it must be straightened. The property of the bristle varies according to the country of origin. The length of bristle is usually in the region of 2 to 7 inches. The colours are normally white, yellow, grey or black. Grey or black Russian bristle tends to be rather coarse. China black is stiff but fine, and Siberian white or lily has the best quality but is rare. One feature common to all types is the fine tapering along it’s length, and split ends known as the flag. This is most useful, because it enables a more even spread of paint, and more paint can be loaded onto the brush.

The search for bristle substitutes led to the experimental use of artificial silk fibres such as rayon and nylon. These synthetic filaments are hard wearing, but because they are smooth and non-absorbent they carry far less paint. It is a known fact that a brush requires a period of ‘breaking in’ before it achieves perfect condition. During this period the flag end is worn away by abrasion, and is replaced by a fine tapering point. This is not possible with nylon. The use of horse hair, which comes from the mane or tail is normally used to make jamb dusters and cheap retail brushes.

Mexican fibre is extracted from the leaves of a plant. In it’s natural state it is off-white and has a pasted appearance. There are about 20 different plants that are used for this purpose, and all must be cleaned, combed and cut before use. Brushes made from these fibres are generally not suitable for good work.

Brushes which are classed as ‘soft hair’ are used in furnishing industry. Many are often from small furry animals, such as the tails of the squirrel, badger, polecat and pony. Another soft hair comes from inside the ears of cattle, known as ox hair. Red and black sable is obtained from Siberian sable and other members of the weasel family. These are mainly used for sign-writing, graining, guilding and art work.…

The Cost of Green Manufacturing: How Will the Green Economy Trend Affect My Job?

As green manufacturing (manufacturing materials, equipment, and products that are eco-friendly or will be used in such endeavors) expands, so does the unease at what seems like a temporary trend in manufacturing. Sure, green manufacturing is much more of an industry and a lot stronger than the skinny jeans/jeggings trend in retail. However, it is still very new and embodied by concepts and practices that buck the time-tested standards. Naturally, many investors, local governments, and even workers are wary of putting their faith into a green manufacturing plant. The “fad” component isn’t their only worry.

Policy Dependence

The incentives given to lure green business to certain states and to promote such activities in the U.S. are often the backbone of green plant funding. The fear is that a recession or change in the political climate could wipe out that funding, causing the companies to have to scrounge for investors. In a bad economy, investors are hard to find. Furthermore, there is the concern that public policy that now supports green manufacturing could vanish with legislation, leaving the companies, and the towns they support, on their own.

Playing Techno Catch-up

Another issue is the technology used to process, produce, and manufacture the green products. In many cases, it is either too expensive to mass-produce or not developed enough to support a large-scale manufacturing effort. In other cases, the technology is very new. The processes and equipment are either untested under standard use or too new to know yet how they would hold up. Technology used to produce things like magnesium fuel cells, electric cars, and solar powered appliances must catch up before green jobs can take a firm foothold in American industry.

Workforce Skimp

The last unique problem with green manufacturing is the amount of automation in the firms that have gotten past the technological “newness”. These firms rely heavily on the technology that eliminates tasks traditionally left for human operators. Green plants that have been welcomed throughout the U.S. open to disappointed locals who find that the number of job openings is significantly less than a traditional manufacturing plant. Furthermore, many of the positions require degrees that are not found in the local area. Thus, people brought from outside the community fill positions. This serves as further insult to injury.

The abundance of green jobs and green plant openings in the next few years are met with mixed feelings and rightfully so. Until a stronger grasp is made in the technology and financial divisions, the futures of the plants are uncertain. The types of jobs offered are not help either.…

One thing to consider is the regulatory framework of the agency. Do they have a track record of providing good service? Do they offer competitive rates? Do they have a location close to your house? All these are essential questions to ask yourself before selecting an insurance agency. And there’s also one more thing to keep in mind: Do they offer a free consultation? Are they regulated? How long do they operate? How much do they charge? These and more are the things you need to know about insurance agencies.

Regulations

The state and federal governments largely determine the regulation of insurance agencies. Each state has its own rules regarding how an insurance agency may operate, including how the agents may obtain licenses and their duties. This legislation serves to protect consumers from unscrupulous insurance firms. The following are some of the most significant rules that govern insurance agencies. In general, these rules govern the sale of insurance products and the practices of insurance agents.

State legislatures adopt many of these laws to regulate the insurance industry. Regulatory rules have a range of objectives and purposes, including consumer protection and ensuring the solvency of insurance companies. They also ensure that insurance agencies are accountable to consumers and ensure that policies are affordable. Some states do more than others, but not all. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has produced model laws that states are encouraged to adopt. Among these are laws that require insurance companies to have a certain amount of capital, which helps protect consumers.

Costs

The most common costs in the insurance industry are related to back-office operations. These processes are extensive and must be verified for all insurance policies and claims. These processes are costly and time-consuming. These processes are critical to risk mitigation, but they also represent a large part of the costs of insurance agencies. Therefore, companies with efficient back-office operations can lower costs and improve customer service. Here are some tips for cutting insurance costs:

The most expensive insurance agencies are those with diverse product lines. They have to advertise for each brand and maintain separate sales channels for each brand. Although economies of scale will typically follow a multi-line model, the higher operating costs of insurance agencies do not reflect this complexity. Moreover, increasing regulatory burdens and consolidation of insurers have made these operations more complex. Thus, the prices of insurance agencies are generally higher than those of insurers specializing in one type of insurance. However, some companies offer affordable commercial insurance Irvington NJ which you may want to look into.

Locations

There are several legal requirements that insurance agencies must meet to be licensed. The agent in charge is the licensed and appointed individual who oversees all employees working within the agency. Each business location must have a licensed agent working full-time at that location. In addition, the agent must hold the necessary licenses for the lines of insurance transacted at that location. In California, a licensed agent must be the agent in charge at each location.

A licensed insurance agency must designate a single agent as the chief agent at each branch location. Agents working at a place without a licensed agent are not allowed to engage in any insurance activities. Similarly, insurance agencies must designate an agent in charge at each branch location and file a form indicating the agent’s name, license number, and physical address. After establishing the branch location, the agency must notify the Department of its officers and owner changes.

Competitors

The competition between insurance agencies is moderate. The study found that the match was reasonable from 2001 to 2006. However, the study noted that the competitiveness of insurance agencies was not affected by being associated with a bank and receiving foreign investments. This suggests that it is essential for the government to implement pro-growth policies. In addition, competition should be moderate because hyperinflation negatively impacts the industry. While the study did not identify any specific policy, it found that medium competition among insurance companies has led to more activities among insurance firms.

As competition grows, insurance agencies need to differentiate themselves from other competitors. For example, PEOs, DTEs, and other employers offer similar services to employers. To compete with these organizations, insurance agencies need to develop a thought leadership strategy that allows them to stand out and demonstrate their expertise. For example, insurance agencies must understand the problems faced by employers and deliver the right experience at the right time. Moreover, they should offer technology that helps employees get the most out of their benefits.…

Business Card Design Software – Create Stunning Cards!

There are various significant tools and elements that support a business in promoting its brand in the market and industry. One of those tools is a business card, which may be a tiny piece of paper but an effective means to market a brand name amongst the industry players. We may have realized that cards work very competitively in promoting a company, but it is a fact that the design of the card should be unique and impressive. This is true because there may be hundreds and thousands of cards in the market. In an ocean of cards, it is difficult to be able to create a recognition for one’s brand. A card design which is informative and attractive helps a business leave a mark upon people that lasts long enough to help people recognize your brand easily. As a businessperson, have you been thinking of designing your own cards for your company? If your answer is yes, then you can create a personalized card design for your organization with the help of a capable software program.

Many business card design software programs are easily available at the net, and you can even create them online by following some of the simple instructions. Such software programs have pre-made templates and designs to help users initiate the process of designing. You can add gradients and text effect to make your creation outstanding and different than the rest of the cards. It is necessary to ensure that the card design that is chosen reflects your business aptly. If your business is related to computer equipment or software development, then the design of your card can be sleek as well as modern. If you are involved in the trade of clothes and apparels, then floral design that looks stylish and chic can be used in your cards.

Neutral colored background and simplicity are two key factors, that should be maintained when you are designing your card. Using too loud colors will make your creation look amateur, and it might fail to have a positive effect upon people. To make it easy for people to contact you when you hand over your card to them, put all necessary information about your organization. Name, address, land line and mobile phone numbers, website as well as an email address, all of these are needed to be printed on the cards. Before using any card creating software, it would be best to check the free trial version to get an idea about how the tool works.…

Disc Printing – Learning the Basics

After you’re done putting data on your blank CDs, you’ll now have to turn to another important part of disc manufacturing: disc printing. It’s important to look for ways to clearly label your CDs and DVDs, so the information or media you stored on them can be identified easily. Some people prefer to just use regular stick-on CD labels or write on them with a permanent marker, but if you’re in the CD manufacturing business, you’ll need to have the right equipment and disc packaging materials to make sure your CDs look appealing to your audiences.

Many small business owners prefer to do disc printing and duplication themselves, but the problem is they can take an excessive amount of time, and sometimes money. If not done properly, it can result in badly manufactured CDs. For this reason, many businesses go to disc manufacturing companies to help them make their DVD and CD printing appear professionals.

A disc printing company usually has a team of designers who use various design software to create the layout of the disc. If their customers have some design ideas for the disc, the designers will immediately notify them of what will work best with the shape and size of their disc. This will also include the CD or DVD packaging.

To understand how disc printing works, it’s very important to understand the different methods and to know which one will give you the best results for your needs. There are two popular examples of disc printing methods: screen printing and digital printing.

Screen printing has been used for a wide range of applications, such as t-shirt design printing and other textiles, but it’s also used for CDs and DVDs. Screen printing works by applying a thick layer of ink on a stencil, then scraping off the excess ink, and pushing the remaining ink through the small stencil holes, creating an image on the disc’s surface. It’s pretty simple, but it has disadvantages. For one, the fine details and lines can disappear.

Compared to screen disc printing, digital printing has more advantages. There’s no need for messy application of the inks and the image quality, such as photographs, will be as realistic as your original image. Because of its efficiency, it can save more money and time for the company and customers. CD printing becomes faster and the product is delivered to the customers earlier.

Before you settle for a disc printing company and printing methods, take a look around at your options. Do some research, ask for a quotation and read testimonials. You should also stick to a budget. Soon enough, you’ll settle for the company which will best fit your needs.…

Liquid Nutritionals Contract Manufacturing – Beverages and Vitamins Considered

When it comes to some products, outsourcing not only makes sense, indeed, it’s the only logical choice. Some large manufacturers like to do as much as possible in-house, yet an executive or entrepreneur must also realize that to make a profit and to gear up operations quickly, that’s typically not possible, nor does it make any sense really.

Look at the modern automobile, the companies like Ford, GM, Chrysler, which do the bulk of the big piece assembly, but most of the component level parts that go into that assembly are done by subcontractors, and contract manufacturers. There is a very good reason for this.

Now then, let’s talk about Liquid Nutritionals – things like liquid supplements, fortified sports and energy drinks, and other such products. Why manufacture all that if each of your supplement products is one type of product in a long line up of your product offerings? It makes much more sense to find a company that uses GMP – Good Manufacturing Processes and is fully compliant with all applicable regulations.

Yes, as a company you’d want to make sure they were FDA and ATF certified and registered – and that they had a laboratory, as well as a Six Sigma style manufacturing set-up. You’d want decent terms on all orders, and you’d need to make sure they were flexible to take special order, rush orders, and capable of handling all your private label needs too.

Okay, okay, I know easier said than done, and yet, this is what you’ll need if you want to have an all-encompassing product line, which you will need if you wish to compete in this age of customization, persnickety and demanding consumers, and a marketplace without forgiveness. We are talking about consumers desiring the best products, the best price, and all delivered yesterday or one-step ahead of JIT.

Are you beginning to see some of the challenges of outsourcing liquid nutritionals, and why you have no choice but to hire a contract manufacturer, one which can get the job done for you – on time, and in real-time; indeed, I think you do understand now don’t you? And that was precisely my reason for bringing this to your attention, because this is serious business in a very serious and a growing industry sector.

Please consider all this and think on it all – if you have any comments or questions, be sure to email me at your earliest convenience.

Additional Reference:

1.-Book: Outsourcing Solutions, by Carleen Nelson, 155 pp, 1998, ISBN: 1-890394-017.…