Mr. Darrell Aldrich

Darrell Aldrich, general manager of Northwestern Industries, Inc. in Seattle, Wash., explained that in order to produce the flattest glass possible, his company developed high standards internally using inspection with the zebra board."When we added laminating to our manufacturing capabilities, flatness became even more important.We then implemented measuring instruments to quantify the distortion.This removed much of the subjectivity of what is acceptable distortion."Aldrich added, "With good equipment and properly trained operators, we believe we can and do produce tempered glass with minimal distortion."
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"Our experience has been that nickel sulfide stones are very rare," agreed Aldrich.
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"We have rarely heard of customers experiencing spontaneous breakage," commented Aldrich.
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"Foreign matter on the glass can become fused to the glass during tempering," added Aldrich.
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"We clean our furnace rollers every week to prevent a buildup of contamination," said Aldrich.

"Everyone had to deal with the impact (of increasing fuel costs)," says Darell Aldrich, general manager of Northwestern Industries in Seattle, who points out the number of changes his company has made.

He says, on one hand, quotations have been adjusted to reflect some of the increased cost, while on the other, the spike in fuel charges has brought about many internal changes in order to reduce operating costs and absorb some of this expense.For example, the company has divided business between its plants based on location.

"With a start-up of a new plant (Yuma, Arizona) in January, we've been able to substantially reduce freight costs," adds Aldrich.

While the following changes will not save on fuel, he says they will help in other areas."We're doing a better job of scheduling so that trucks leave our dock either full or close to it," says Aldrich.

Darrell Aldrich (Laminating Div.)Northwestern Industries, Inc

The Forum featured noted speakers and presenters including: Gifford Pinchot III (Founder, Pinchot & Company; Co-Founder and Chairman, Bainbridge Graduate Institute), Eugene Kahn (Vice President, Sustainable Development, General Mills), Kevin Martinez (Senior Manager, Community Affairs, Starbucks), Darrell Aldrich (General Manager, Northwestern Industries), Timothy Taylor (President & CEO, Environmental Home Center), Sam Anderson (Executive Officer, Master Builders of King & Snohomish Counties; Chair, Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County), Rhys Roth (Co-Director, Climate Solutions), Mayor Greg Nickels and others.

Darrell Aldrich, General Manager of Northwestern Industries and an executive

Darrell Aldrich, General Manager, darrella@nwiglass.com

The featured speakers are Dennis Mills and Darrell Aldrich.
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Mr. Darrell Aldrich is general manager for Northwestern Industries in Seattle, Washington.Darrell started his career in the glass business over 20 years ago.He was employed with Viracon for much of the decade of the 1970's, responsible for engineering and product development.During his tenure he designed process equipment and was issued a patent for an automotive sunroof.The first half of the 1980's Darrell moved to Seattle as one of the original founding partners of Pan-Lam Inc, a glass-laminating firm.Interpane Coating recruited Darrell as Director of Operations, responsible for the start-up of the Deerfield, Wisconsin coating plant.In the late 1980's through the early 1990's Darrell joined Laminated Glass Corporation in Telford Pennsylvania.The development of new processes, acquisition of equipment for insulating, and tempering were accomplished, after reconstruction from a major fire.Darrell also developed the security glazing business.Darrell is a member of SIGMA, GANA, ASTM and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

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The Forum will feature the following noted speakers and presenters: Gifford Pinchot III (Chairman, Bainbridge Graduate Institute), Eugene Kahn (Vice President, Sustainable Development, General Mills), Lauren Moore (Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, Starbucks), Darrell Aldrich (General Manager, Northwestern Industries), Timothy Taylor (President & CEO, Environmental Home Center), Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, and many more.

Darrell Aldrich, General Manager of Northwestern Industries and Timothy Taylor, President & CEO of the Environmental Home Center, along with representatives from other local businesses will speak on expanding in sustainable market niches, increasing their profits by conserving resources and attracting new customers that appreciate "environmentally-friendly" companies.

- Darrell AldrichNorthwestern Industries, Inc.
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Darrell Aldrich, general manager of Northwestern Industries, Inc. in Seattle, WA, explained that in order to produce the flattest glass possible, his company developed high standards internally using inspection with the zebra board."When we added laminating to our manufacturing capabilities, flatness became even more important.We then implemented measuring instruments to quantify the distortion.This removed much of the subjectivity of what is acceptable distortion."Aldrich added, "With good equipment and properly trained operators, we believe we can and do produce tempered glass with minimal distortion."
...
"Our experience has been that nickel sulfide stones are very rare," agreed Aldrich.
...
"We have rarely heard of customers experiencing spontaneous breakage," commented Aldrich.
...
"Foreign matter on the glass can become fused to the glass during tempering," added Aldrich.
...
"We clean our furnace rollers every week to prevent a buildup of contamination," said Aldrich.