Heat Treat Radio’s editor, Bethany Leone sits down with Heat Treat Today publisher and creator of Heat Treat Boot Camp Doug Glenn to discuss this one-of-a-kind heat treat training event. There’s nothing like it in the North American heat treat industry and you’ll want to send one or more of your people to this entertaining and informative event.
Below, you can watch the video, listen to the podcast by clicking on the audio play button, or read an edited transcript.
The following transcript has been edited for your reading enjoyment.
Bethany Leone (BL): Well, Doug, you get to be on this side of the microphone, which is great to have you at Heat Treat Radio and, of course, as our audience says, you’re always up to something crazy, unconventional, very interesting. So, why don’t you tell us about this Heat Treat Boot Camp that you’re concocting?
Doug Glenn (DG): Yes, thank you, Bethany. It is good to be interviewed by you, too!
Heat Treat Boot Camp is an idea that came about as the result of years and years of being exposed to the industry and knowing that a lot of the new people in the industry, (and also even some people with experience), would really like to know a lot more about the industry without having to spend 5, 6, 7 years just experiencing it, learning ‘on the job,’ if you will. So, the whole idea behind the Heat Treat Boot Camp is to cram 3 to 5 to 7 years’ worth of information into the heads of the attendees of the Heat Treat Boot Camp in a day and a half of classes. So, it is a very condensed tutorial on the North American heat treat market.
BL: I know I am eager to be a part of this and try to glean as much information as I can. Doug, when is it going to be? Have you determined those dates?
DG: Yes, we just signed the contract with the hotel. It will be on October 31st thru November 2nd. I do want to emphasize to people that on October 31st it starts in the evening of October 31st. That’s an optional reception- you can come, get comfortable in your hotel room, come down and have a few drinks and hors d'oeuvres with the rest of the heat treat community. The real education part starts on Tuesday, November 1st and we will go a full day. Then, that evening, we will go out and do some sort of special soon-to-be-announced event in the evening where we have a little fun out on the town in Pittsburgh somewhere. Then, we have a half day of classes on Wednesday, with lunch wrapping it up.
We are considering adding a plant tour on Wednesday afternoon. We haven’t determined that yet for sure, but that’s a possibility. Basically, all day Tuesday for classes, half day Wednesday for classes and then you either go home or you decide to go with us on a plant tour, if we end up providing that.
BL: You mentioned a hotel. Are you willing to share which hotel it is or is that going to be a surprise?
DG: No, I did forget to mention it. It’s going to be at the Hotel Double Tree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown. What’s kind of cool about this is it is right in the shadow of the US Steel Tower building. When you walk out the front door of this hotel, you look up and there is the US Steel Tower building. I think there is no place more appropriate for a heat treat boot camp than right in the shadow of the US Steel Tower. It’s going to be very exciting. It’s a great venue. There are genuinely nice people there and I think everyone should enjoy it.
BL: And you’re talking about speakers, too. Who are these speakers going to be? (I already know one because I’m looking at him.)
DG: Right, most everybody that comes is going to be subject to my speaking, yes. There are going to be about seven different presentations. I think I’ll be doing four and Thomas Wingens from WINGENS LLC International Industry Consultancy out of Sewickley, PA (a suburb of Pittsburgh) will give other more technical talks. I do want to emphasize these talks are not going to be heavily technical. This is really going to be about the players in the industry, (who are the companies in the industry that are making heat treat equipment and/or ancillary products), what are the products, the processes, the markets, and the materials. Those are the five main areas that we’re going to be covering.
BL: You got into this at the beginning, but can you share for our listeners again who exactly is going to benefit? It’s about the basics, but can you get into that a little bit more: maybe the positions that people hold that would want to keep their eye out for this?
DG: Good question. The answer is that it can be anybody that’s in the industry that feels like they need to know more. Ideally, it will probably be new employees who have just recently started in the heat treat industry. Typically, employees of some of our suppliers or employees of commercial heat treaters. It can also be new people in our core market (or our core listeners or readers). Captive heat treaters in the aerospace, automotive, medical and energy markets as well as any other general manufacturing would also benefit from this. But I anticipate a large number of the people who will be attending are those who are suppliers to the industry who want to send their new employees as well as people who may not be so new, but who would like to learn more about the heat treat industry and what it is they’re doing every day. Those are the people.
There is one other audience I will tell you about. We may get some of these people and that is an audience of investors and/or investment bankers, if you will, or lawyers — people who are interested in merges and acquisitions. This would also be an excellent place for them to come to get the lay of the land for the North American heat treat market and who does what. Of course, Thomas and I will be around to answer specific questions if people have specific questions.
BL: It sounds like there’s going to be a lot of people who want to learn something or who are constantly learning and usually trying to navigate, or are in the middle of navigating, that transition.
How is this training going to be different? Very clearly for our listeners, how is this different than any other training offered?
DG: I’ve been in the North American heat treat market for 30+ years now. There is nothing like what we’re going to offer. I know a lot of the different trainings that are out there and there is nothing like Heat Treat Boot Camp. It’s going to be very much basics, but it’s not going to be the basics of metallurgy and heavy in the process information; it’s really going to focus on the commercial side, if you will. You’ll get enough of the technical side. For example, we’re going to explain things like heat — where does it come from, how is it transferred? But we’re not going technical on that. It’s going to be very basic so that everybody can understand. There are two or three places where heat comes from and how it transfers. There are two or three ways that heat transfers from place to place. We’re going to cover some of that.
We’re going to talk about the equipment that is used in the marketplace — everywhere from the most basic box furnace up to some of the most sophisticated type of equipment that’s out there. And how is it used? We’re going to talk about induction heating. We’re going to talk about air and atmosphere furnaces. We’re going to talk about vacuum furnaces. And all the ancillary equipment that goes with it like burners, heating elements, atmosphere, insulation, and refractories. I mentioned atmospheres — either industrial gases and/or on-site generation with endothermic, exothermic, or even on-site hydrogen generation. And we’re going to talk about cooling systems. We’re going to talk about all those things and make sure people know, on a very basic level, what are those things and where they fit into heat treat.
There is no other seminar or webinar like Heat Treat Boot Camp. It is absolutely unique, and I’m really excited about it. I’ve been looking forward to doing this for years and years and I’m hoping it goes well.
BL: That’s great to hear, Doug, and thanks for sharing. So, it’s a lot of the basics. We’re looking at terms. We’re looking at people. We’re looking at the major players, and how everything in heat treat and the industry works together.
Anybody listening? If you are thinking you want to attend, start gathering your questions now because Doug and Thomas will be addressing them coming up this October/November.
How can people sign up or learn a little bit more about Heat Treat Boot Camp? Where can they find information?
DG: It’s very simple. The website is heattreattoday.com/bootcamp. Registration should open early April, so if this is beyond April, it should be there. I would love, love, love to see you there. I think it’s going to be a blast and a really great time, so I’m hoping to see a lot of people.
BL: Thanks for sitting down with us, Doug, and letting me host this episode of Heat Treat Radio.
For more information:
www.heattreattoday.com/bootcamp
Doug Glenn
Publisher
Heat Treat Today
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