Industry information, company news and more in this month's column by National Driller's editor.

Raising Your Prices

Some very encouraging news on the never-ending drilling-contractors-don’t-charge-enough-for-their-services front: Prices are on the rise. A recent Web poll at www.thedriller.com asked, “In response to current market forces, what will happen to the prices you charge for your products and services?” The results:

• Increase dramatically – 21 percent
  
  
• Rise moderately – 32 percent
  
  
• Inch up a smidge – 26 percent
  
  
• Remain exactly the same – 7 percent
  
  
• Decrease a bit – 6 percent
  
  
• Drop significantly – 8 percent

That Other November Holiday

Thanksgiving gets most of the attention, but is there a more significant holiday than Veterans Day? That’s Veterans Day – no apostrophe (it’s commonly misspelled on calendars). It is an American holiday honoring its 25 million military veterans who’ve served our country, and is celebrated Nov. 11, the same day as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world. World War I officially ended in June of 1919, but the fighting actually stopped on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. President Woodrow Wilson introduced Armistice Day in 1919, and it became a sanctioned holiday in 1926, and then a legal national holiday in 1938. In 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day. In 1968, in an effort to facilitate a natural three-day weekend, the observance was moved to the fourth Monday in October. That didn’t go over well with veterans groups; they wanted it put back to Nov. 11 (that happened in 1978) to cement its status as an important observation, in step with New Year’s Day, Indepen-dence Day, Thanksgiv-ing and Christmas – holidays that don’t move their dates. Sadly, that’s hardly the case. Even though it’s a full-on federal and state holiday, government offices and banks are about the only things closed – and they’ll do that on Monday, the 12th.

TEi Rock Drill's Open House

The friendly folks at TEi Rock Drill Inc. were more than gracious hosts for the company’s open house that took place last month at TEi’s Montrose, Colo., headquarters. Participants came from all over the globe to attend educational seminars, visit the manufacturing facility and test-drive equipment. Look for a full report on the event in next month’s issue.

Charitable Contributions

Flint & Walling has awarded $1,000 to three charitable organizations that were nominated by Flint & Walling dealers in participation with the company’s PrimeTimes professional dealer rewards program. Those organizations:

• Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch/Girlstown USA, nominated by Brownfield Irrigation of Brownfield, Texas.
  
  
• Reliable Enterprises, nominated by Chehalis Well Drilling of Centralia, Wash.
  
  
• Chino Valley Recreation Foundation, nominated by R. W. Turner & Sons of Chino Valley, Ariz.

“When our Charitable Committee reviews applications for contributions, they give priority to organizations that promote self-sufficiency, education and personal growth,” notes company president Scott Lechner. “We are honored to be able to contribute in a small way to the encouragement of those ideals in their respective communities. As a family-owned business, we feel it is important to continue to support our family-owned dealer base and the charities that they support in their communities.”

Government Agencies to Play Nice

The U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have agreed on new steps designed to improve water quality on National Forests and Grasslands. The two organizations recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement that enables both agencies to increase coordinated efforts to manage, protect and restore the health of the nation’s water resources. “This agreement highlights the benefits that can be created when federal agencies acknowledge a shared vision and come together to work toward a common goal,” says Forest Service chief Abigail Kimbell. “By combining the organizational strengths and capabilities of the Forest Service with EPA’s Office of Water, we are leveraging the best assets of both agencies to improve water quality on national forest lands.”

More than 60 million Americans get their water from sources on the National Forests in addition to municipal water supplies. Watersheds play an important role in supporting aquatic species and biodiversity and provide recreational opportunities to millions of visitors each year. Data shows that approximately eight percent of all water quality impairments nationally are located on National Forest System lands. Leading causes of these impairments include elevated temperatures, excess sediment, and habitat modification.

Important National Show Note