The Benefits of Industry Information from Industrial Journalism:

Niche Journalism and Online Trade Outlets

There are staggering statistics concerning the use of digital media by the average American, with estimates of eight hours a day or higher. This digital media use includes news and information platforms from national headlines on mass media to niche topics from specialized operations. Trade outlets fall into niche journalism and have risen from traditional print subscriptions to open online resources, taking up a percentage of that daily digital consumption and providing valuable insights for industry professionals.

Trade outlets focus on specific industries and include a narrow audience, meaning curated information by industry experts presented in more detail and with tangible takeaways. For instance, a metal shop owner may see concerning economic news in the mainstream media but can get a better picture of what this directly means for their business via a trade outlet. That’s where Tim Heston comes in. He’s the Senior Editor at FMA Communications, the organization behind The FABRICATOR.  

Meet Tim Heston

Mr. Heston attended Ohio University and majored in journalism, specializing in B2B media. To beat the Northeastern winters, he began writing for a welding publication in Miami and has continued covering manufacturing for most of his career, landing at FMA Communications in 2007.

In the last 16 years, he has been inside hundreds of shops and attended numerous trade shows. His day-to-day revolves around industry research, phone calls, emails, tradeshows, and facility visits to absorb the latest news and information on businesses, technologies, and processes. Heston has found manufacturing technology keeps progressing and demanding coverage, but the fundamentals still require review. Not only do they need to be revisited concerning the latest advances, but to be reintroduced to younger readers and those moving into other areas and positions. Heston is an advocate of the fundamentals, which he says lays the foundation for understanding and adaptation.

“Covering metal fabrication is like peeling back an onion. There’s always something to write about.”

Tim Heston

The Evolution of Journalism and Manufacturing

FMA launched The FABRICATOR in the early 1970s to serve the growing metal fabrication industry. These weren’t machine shops or stamping houses, though many did (and still do) offer those services. Instead, these businesses adopted manufacturing technology that could cut, form, and weld without hard tooling. In the 1970s, this included CNC turret punch presses, press brakes, and even some early forms of laser cutting.

Pre-globalization, there was loyalty to work, customers, and trade publications. When Mr. Heston began his career, he talked with industry veterans who spent decades learning and perfecting their trade. For instance, veteran press brake operators could unfold parts in their heads. He says there was an intimacy with specific processes that isn’t as common today. He learned jargon, read handbooks, and took courses to communicate what the industry was doing and where it was heading.  

Fabrication and print journalism faced similar challenges going into the late 1990s as technology continued advancing. Automation changed the emphasis from parts produced per minute on a specific machine to part-flow velocity through the entire plant. Modern machines and modern controls allowed for the quick ramp-up of new employees. Writers also had a quick ramp-up thanks to the internet as a core source of research, and as print distribution decreased, the need for online content increased. 

The Generational Shift and Its Challenges

With things boiled down to 1s and 0s thanks to simulation and software, a generational shift begins. Manufacturing as a family-oriented business is hard to scale up, and with baby boomers retiring, succession planning has become difficult as the younger generations saw the effects of globalization and chose not to pursue manufacturing. The skilled labor shortage and turnover stem from a similar result and remain the biggest challenge for the industry.

While The FABRICATOR still reports on the fundamentals, best practices, and emerging technologies, it also has begun to focus more on broader business strategies that help fabricators navigate through this new age. How businesses run now that technology is in the fold can help solve these problems. Mr. Heston learns a lot from innovative business owners and how they make their businesses a great place to work. The exploration of lifting employees from pushing buttons and feeling unfulfilled to becoming real operators starts with cross-training and going beyond the shop floor. Technology is now driving conversations on culture and opportunity. 

Answering Questions and Being a Prognosticator

When attending tradeshows and conferences, Heston looks to dig up technology that everyone is talking about or that no one is talking about—looking to find out why. For instance, he just returned from an international show in Italy to get an angle on the European industry. He found that everyone was talking about a 40-kilowatt fiber laser technology competing with the plasma cutting market. What does this mean? He’s working to find out.

On the opposite point at a different event, he found another fiber laser, a multi-laced beam for laser welding that no one was talking about. Why? Once he investigated, he realized it could be a game changer when applied beyond welding to cutting and other metal fabrication processes. That got people talking.

As an industry reporter, Heston writes about technology without bias, but he has his own opinions too. Could this technology be a harbinger of change, or is it destined for obscurity? Sometimes he gets it right—other times, not so much.

For instance, back when CO₂ laser cutting was thoroughly entrenched, around 2007, came news of another kind of laser that some said would change just about everything in the precision sheet metal business: the fiber laser. Heston conceded that, at first, he just didn’t believe the hype. He thought fiber laser adoption would occur slowly, over years or perhaps decades. After all, at most shops he visited, less expensive CO₂ lasers seemed to suffice. But then, within just a few years, fiber lasers’ market share exploded. Yes, they were (and are) expensive, but they proved to be extraordinarily productive, and their return on investment just made good business sense.

Sometimes, Heston’s hunches are right on the mark. For instance, about a decade ago Heston started writing about a new kind of press brake, one that was still manually operated but could change its tools automatically. When he saw the automatic tool change (ATC) brake in action, he immediately thought how it could change the part-flow game through the forming department. Press brake setup time could become inconsequential. And for the many who’ve adopted the technology since, that’s just what happened.

Regardless of whether Heston’s hunches turn out right or wrong, putting this information out there to inform businesses so they can wade through the markets is invaluable. 

The Economy

A big concern of business owners today is the economy, and niche journalism provides industry-specific information they can apply directly to their operations. Heston mentions The FMA’s economist has called the situation a sectoral recession. The sectors getting hit hardest in this climate involve discretionary spending, such as recreational vehicles. Meanwhile, areas like agriculture and infrastructure are seeing gains.   

Heston said lending in manufacturing remains strong because you have concrete assets and a strong, established business model. In metal fabrication, if you manage your materials and maintain delivery, there’s no question about how you make money. Success isn’t a guarantee, but the business model isn’t a mystery.

Investment in capital equipment remains solid due to high demand, though equipment lead times can vary greatly thanks to lingering supply chain challenges. New machines and automated systems might come with high price tags and long lead times, but fabricators often compete without them.

As initiatives to get capacity back up in the U.S. continue, the mergers and acquisitions environment remains strong. Investors are looking at operations that can get to market quickly and are making upgrades via marketing, automated quotes, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Think of a purchasing agent—it’s important they find you, that your processes are clear, and that they can get a quick quote back to engineers so that your business stays in the conversation. 

Reading a Trade: Where to Start and Why it Can Help

The FABRICATOR gets high traffic to their online archives because there’s a need for foundational information as professionals explore new areas and cross-train their teams. These fundamentals empower how you talk to clients and your team, plus promotes further exploration. Heston encourages looking at the fundamentals, checking out all the booths at the tradeshows, asking questions, and digging deeper.

Knowledge is power and can help inform business decisions as technology continues evolving. Even in a time of constant change, Mr. Heston notes one trend that has remained stable—people who enter this industry love technology, mechanics, and producing tangible things.