Buy American or dig your own grave (and your children's)

This is a fantastic, common sense explanation of why folks should Buy American Made products, real 100% American Made Products. At Ultra Aluminum Mfg., Inc. in Howell, MI. we manufacture fencing, gates, railing and use American Extrusions, shipped, assembled, powder coated and packaged by Americans for Americans to install and enjoy for decades to come...(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tncqJWWGow4&feature=colike) Check this 15 min. video out

 

If the government won't help, then the people must do it themselves. Let's say 300,000,000 Americans each simply reallocated 1 dollar per day, spending 1 dollar less on foreign-made goods, 1 dollar more on American-made goods. (That's $30 per month, per person, and it is not an extra $30 per month, but just where you spend it!) After a year, this would add up to $109,500,000,000. What could the real, productive American economy do with an extra $109.5 billion? How about 2,737,500 new jobs paying $40,000 per year?  

It seems bizarre that most Americans are so blind to the problem and the obvious solution.


"Americans losing jobs, a suffering economy, bad consequences for the U.S.'s future and the exploitation of disadvantaged countries are all serious problems that stem from deindustrialization.  By purchasing from corporations who practice deindustrialization one is adding to and approving of the problem.  Think of the proposal, Americans should buy American made products, it makes sense to act upon it.  The only way to change or prevent this is to not support multinational companies and to buy American made goods." - More:  Why Buy American? - by Laura Ramos - E306 Rhetoric and Composition - University of Texas at Austin

 


Buy American: Not a New Approach

The U.S., like most countries, has long protected certain domestic economic sectors.  Nations legitimately protect certain industries for national security reasons.  Other procurement preferences often define permissible suppliers for government-funded projects.  In the U.S., examples include the "Buy American Act" for certain U.S. government procurements and construction projects, the "Buy America" law mainly for federal transit grants to states and localities, and the "Berry Amendment" for some Department of Defense purchases.  The ARRA Buy American provision is broader than other U.S. procurement restrictions in some respects, but narrower than the public debate might imply.  READ MORE: (Read the PDF)

The greed of us all wanting lower prices is also cutting our own throats in the process. 

 The government and businesses, as well as the consumer has forgotten what made this country the greatest in history. 

To just flush it all away, and end up just another poor socialist country is a tremendous waste of our divinely inspired founding fathers vision, and the lives of all those that fought and died to keep us a free nation and a great Republic.

Ultra Easy Access Control

     Now Ultra Aluminum Mfg., Inc. is going all out to provide the highest quality in service, design and integration of gates and the operators that move them. Even if you choose to use a gate from somewhere else, you will still benefit from the accessories that come from a leader in gate manufacturing (Ultra) blended with one of the World's Top 5 Gate Operator Manufacturers (BFT).  Right now we are offering special incentives to companies that focus on access control installation and service. 

 

Contact Dan Evans at UltraAccess@gmail.com and check out the new website coming soon at www.UltraAccessControls.com

 

 Is recommended for large Industrial and Municipal Installations...

And is available in a solar version called EcoSol that can save budget dollars on line voltage runs to perimeter or add profit and ultimate reliability...

Adjustable in both speed of travel and torque. It can move fast and then slow down for the last few inches of closure.

 Making each installation 
.........Ultra Easy
is our goal, while maintaining reliability
you can be proud to have your name associated with.


When a swing gate is needed, we have a value-priced
option that can keep you competitive.

  When you got Sun Power,
                 ....why Not use it?

 When there are tax credits for U.S. Homeowners....
       ...why Not take them?


 special limitations may apply...

Remember,

 you can always contact me directly

    Darrin Jones ultraaluminum@gmail.com 

or 

Contact Dan Evans at UltraAccess@gmail.com 

and check out the new website coming soon at www.UltraAccessControls.com

Many ways to stay informed

   In the Fence Industry there are many ways to stay informed. Most of you know and participate in many of these:

1. Become active member of your regional AFA
2. Visit Fence Tech every year and check out the booths
3. Subscribe to World Fence News (May Issue Ultra makes cover again), Fence Post Magazine or other trade journals
4. Use the Internet to browse and research new products and approaches
5. Read and Subscribe to blogs written specifically on the product line you offer
6. Join Social Networks and Groups to discuss varying subjects
7. Get out there in the real world and visit your suppliers, your allies and even your competition

 This last one is what brings me to discuss most of what you will find on this blog. I go out in the field and see something that reflects well on this industry or I see something that shows that the folks that just want to make a quick buck and are not focused on doing the job well. My standard for a good fence, gate or railing installation is simple;

 I ask three questions:

    Does this installation serve the intended purpose reliably?


    Was this installation made in such a way that it will continue to serve its intended purpose for at least a couple of decades (if not more)?


   Does the installation add to the overall aesthetics of the scene or does it detract?

 For a Great Fence, my standards are much higher. Here is a photo of a INDUSTRIAL Premium Grade Installation in Plano that garnered letters of praise from the nearby homeowners all the way to the city manager. The installation was done as well as any I have ever seen. 

And here we are on the cover of this month's World Fence News again...

Ultra's Signature Railing

  For quite a while I have been focused on Gates and Access Control by Ultra, but with Spring comes the urge to be outside. Many homeowners, businesses, apartment complexes and municipal structures utilize railing that is similar to fencing but different. This post will be about some of the differences and why you can gain market-share and enhanced profitability by using Ultra's Signature Series of Railing.

   First of all, fencing is typically comes in residential, commercial and industrial strength varieties and then these are offered in 4', 5', 6' and in industrial even 7', 8', 9' & 10' heights. Railing is typically 36" in height when at a private residence and 42" when in public or commercial spaces. Both railing heights also have to be tested for added strength. According to International Building Code (IBC)  Section 1607.7.1 Handrails and guards, “Handrail assemblies and guards shall be designed to resist a load of 50 plf (0.73kN/m) applied in any direction at the top and to transfer this load through the supports to the structure.” And According to International Residential Code (IRC) Section 1607.7.1.1 Concentrated load, “Handrail assemblies and guards shall be able to resist a single concentrated load of 200 pounds (0.89 kN), applied in any direction at any point along the top, and have attachment devices and supporting structure to transfer this loading to appropriate structural elements of the building.”

  Ultra has designed and had our railing products built and tested with this in mind. So you can rest assured that our products, when installed properly will perform well on the 2nd story balcony or the 52nd floor balcony. They are not only beautiful, durable but extremely strong. Here are some photos of a recent job. (Notice the use of core-drilling versus the more common use of flange plates)

photo by: Ben Jodoin

photo by: Ben Jodoin

photo by: Ben Jodoin

 Plus you can see these with flange plates used:

This one even had a Trex "Drinking/Bar Ledge" added to it...

And this one utilizes our Boss Flanges & Boss Posts and a Continuous Cap (Madison Style in Satin/Matte White)

See more and more photos all the time at www.ultrafence.com and try out our Design Studio where you can upload a photo of a prospective site and choose the fence or railing to add, then show you customers exactly what they are getting. This is a GREAT Sales Tool when utilized!

Ultra Access Controls

We are still the same group that helps you provide your customers the strongest aluminum alloy fence.

  We are the same group that brought you Ultrack Cantilever Gates, Estate Gates and Signature Railing

     We are the same group that brought you the Defender Series of Industrial Grade Fence to compete.

         

        We are the same group that brought you more standard colors, textures and styles.

           

           We are the same group that brought you Revolution Hidden Gate Operators.

              We are the same group that brought you Eclipse Privacy Panels.

                We are the same group that brought you plasma cut Medallions.

                   We are the same group that brought you V-Track Gates.

                     We are the same group that brought you glass railing.

Now, well into the 21st Century, we bring you many, many more True Buying Benefits (TBB) that you can carry out into your market. With these tools in the hands of the right sales organization, YOU can excel and dominate while others struggle and push their cheap Chinese products.

   

                    

 

Now call your Ultra RSM and get the most competitive pricing on the Best Access Control Devices!

                 

As Green as Green can BE

Green energy, green products and green living have undoubtedly been the buzz words of
the last few years. However these terms have people wondering what green really means.
Does it mean savings for both yourself and the environment? Is a green product really
better than its non-green counterpart? Does green really make sense in this situation?

When it comes to aluminum, which UltraFence.com semi-custom driveway gates are all
made from, the answer to all those questions is a resounding YES! 

First, is the best part: the savings. Aluminum is a much less
expensive option than steel, but why it is less expensive is
what also makes it green. Aluminum is one of those few
cutting edge materials referred to as C2C (cradle-to-cradle);
this means at the end of its life as one product it is born again
as another product. Aluminum can be recycled over and over
without degrading or losing any of its innate characteristics.

Virtually 100% of the internal scrap of our aluminum
producers is reprocessed and converted into a usable raw
material source for the extruded aluminum used in our gates.
No waste is a key for cost control and environmental
protection; and at the same time we are saving energy doing
so.





*Recycled aluminum takes only 5% of the energy necessary to produce virgin aluminum. 

Aluminum, a green product, is a better choice than steel because of its long life, structural
strength and corrosion resistance. These factors are making aluminum the preferred
material choice of forward-thinking designers, engineers, material specifiers and other
throughout the world. One key factor that makes aluminum an environmentally better
choice than steel is the fact that steel has to be galvanized in order to withstand outdoor
conditions - 

aluminum does not get galvanized like steel does. 

The galvanization process has been linked world wide to
environmental hazards. Although controls have been put in
place in most modernized countries to curb this effect,
those controls cost money to the supplier - so if you find a
low priced steel gate most likely it is galvanized
somewhere the controls are not implemented because low
price of galvanized steel and environmentally responsible
galvanization of steel are generally opposites. One of the
main issues with galvanization is the waste water run off.
During the galvanizing process, steel undergoes a pickling
process. The pickling process involves immersing product
material through a series of tanks to clean and prepare the material
prior to immersion in a molten zinc bath. Two major sources of
waste water are generated from the galvanizing process: waste acid
and acidic rinse water. Waste acid is generated as a result of a
build up of iron and other impurities in the acid which greatly
reduces its effectiveness for pickling. The acid must be disposed of
properly which takes up landfill space - if it is not disposed of
properly it causes environmental damage. Acid rinse waters from
the galvanizing process are acidic and contain low metals. This
water is in the same situation as the acid - even if disposed of to a
treatment plant still produces a sludge that has to be deposited in
landfills. Lastly, zinc is used in the galvanization process.
Zinc processing produces air emissions and solid waste emissions.
The emissions include particulates, zinc fumes,
volatile metals, flux fumes and smoke, rubber, plastics and zinc scrap. 


For your future driveway gate - green really does make sense, for both
you and the environment: 

• Our aluminum suppliers comply with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System created by the U.S. Green
Building Council. This is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for
developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. 

• Aluminum is one of earth's most plentiful recyclables: saving money, energy, and
landfill space. 

• The future value of having an aluminum gate vs. steel gate has yet to be seen in its
totality. The U.S. Green Building Council, citing McGraw-Hill Construction's
Green Outlook 2009 report predicts that by 2013 the overall green building
market could more than double. Using green products in your current home
additions will reflect on the future green value of your home as it increases in
importance for sustainability.

• Aluminum makes a gate that will stand the test of time; it is trusted everywhere in
major building projects. In Chicago more than one million pounds of aluminum
were used in the construction of the 111 S. Wacker Drive building in Chicago's
Loop. This includes in the building's unitizing curtainwall system, façade,
structural components, and elevator cab framing.

Your source for American made aluminum driveway gates:
Ultra Aluminum Mfg., Inc: www.UltraFence.com, 1-800-656-4420

For Commercial or Industrial Gates consider :

True Buying Benefits from Ultra