News & Blog

3 Ways Clinical Laboratories Can Handle Supply Chain Issues

The clinical laboratory plays a vital role in the healthcare industry. Clinical laboratories are responsible for the testing and analysis of specimens to aid in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Due to the complex nature of the healthcare supply chain, clinical laboratories often face numerous challenges when it comes to gathering the supplies and materials that they need. These challenges can include long lead times, high costs, and limited availability associated with obtaining goods and materials.

Helpful Tips for Laboratory Inventory Management

Proper laboratory inventory management is essential when it comes to making sure that your laboratory is fully stocked with the needed inventory for everyday use. It can be a challenging and difficult task making sure that you don’t run out of any supplies for your laboratory. At McShane Welding and Metal Products we work with buyers of laboratories when it comes to ordering our laboratory lock boxes. A common problem that we sometimes see here is that our customers need to have their laboratory lock boxes overnighted by Fed-Ex because they didn’t realize they were completely out of laboratory lock boxes. Today we would like to help you prevent having to do that by give you some tips to help you to continue to keep your laboratory supply shelves fully stocked.

McShane Welding and Metal Products History

For the past 49 years, McShane Welding and Metal Products has been transforming metal into solutions for all of our customers across the United States. The company first started out as a fabrication business but eventually expanded into the laboratory, home delivery, and recycling industry. William McShane was the original founder of McShane Welding and Metal Products. Originally from Youngstown, Ohio William and his family decided to move to Erie, Pennsylvania in 1961. Upon his arrival to Erie, William found work with a structural fabricator from 1961-1973. In 1973 at the age of 53, William decided to pursue a life long dream of running his own business. William knew that Erie was in need of a plate fabrication shop so in February of 1974, he decided to open up his own shop on West 15 th Street in Erie.

AACC 2022 Recap

The McShane Welding and Metal Products team attended the 2022 American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois from July 26 th -28 th . At the AACC Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo they showcase exhibitors that are involved in the laboratory medical field. The expo gives attendees the opportunity to speak with exhibitors and allows attendees questions to be answered. AACC 2022 had over 300 speakers, 250 educational sessions, and 200 different product categories in attendance. The American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo has been going on annually for 74 years.

Shatto Milk Company

McShane Welding and Metal Products is happy to have Shatto Milk Company as one of our milk box customers. Shatto Milk Company has been a customer of ours for the past 7 years. Here at McShane Welding and Metal Products, we feel very honored to play a small role in helping to bring Shatto’s products to the homes of their loyal customers. In today’s blog we wanted to share Shatto Milk Company’s story about their fourth generational family business. This story inspired us, and we hope that it will do the same for you.

Are Your Samples Getting Overheated in the Sun?

As summer quickly approaches, the hot weather will soon be coming. When it comes to the summer heat, laboratory lock boxes that are waiting for courier pickup can get overheated because of hot temperatures, which then causes pre-analytical errors. For patients that need immediate test results so that their health care provider can have a better understanding of how to treat them, this can be devastating and can put them in a life-or-death situation. Unfortunately, this is a very common problem that occurs throughout the United States. Here at McShane Welding and Metal Products we are proud to help the clinical laboratory industry keep their specimens cool with our insulated laboratory lock boxes and frozen specimen containers.

How Ice Cream is Made

We’ve all heard that saying “You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream.” That quote couldn’t be any truer. As we begin, to approach summertime our taste buds start to crave the cool and refreshing taste of ice cream. Ice cream has been a popular treat for over 100 years. In fact, it is believed that the emperors of the Tang Dynasty were the very first people to eat ice cream. This specific ice cream was made from cow, goat, and buffalo milk that was heated with flour. It was quite different than the ice cream we eat today. Countries around the globe enjoy and eat their fair share of ice cream. In Italy ice cream is referred to as gelato, in Japan it’s mochi, and in India it’s kulafi. Ice cream is being enjoyed by millions of people all over the world every day. In this blog, we are going to discuss the ice cream manufacturing process and how McShane Welding and Metal Product’s insulated home delivery porch boxes are being used by creameries for ice cream home delivery.

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is an annual celebration that honors laboratory professionals and the role that they have in the health care industry. It is always celebrated the last full week of April. Medical Laboratory Professionals Week started in 1975 as National Medical Laboratory Week by the American Society for Medical Technology which is now called the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. The goal for Medical Professionals Week is to raise public awareness of laboratory professionals and pathologists and an appreciation for the important impact on the lives of patients. Originally, it was called National Medical Laboratory Week until 2005 when the name was changed. NML week is organized by 17 national clinical laboratory organizations. Today, there are over 300,000 clinical laboratory professionals.

BoxLock Smart Access Technology

In the specimen logistics industry, there are 1.3-1.4 billion specimens that are collected here in the United States each year. Unfortunately, there is a risk that some specimens can either get lost or damaged. Losing a specimen can be quite a costly problem as it can be up to a $15,000- $20,000 loss. If something were to go wrong with a specimen there is a seventy percent chance that it will occur in the pre-analytical phase before it even makes it to the laboratory.

Western Veterinary Conference

Our Sales and Marketing Director Chris Kwiatek and Hilary Helsley our Sales and Marketing Assistant attended the Western Veterinary Conference from March 6th—9th at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chris and Hilary went to the conference to learn specifically about the clinical testing evolution in the veterinary industry; and to generate additional interest in McShane’s lab lockers.

4 Questions You Should be Asking Before Deciding on a Medical Courier Provider

Choosing the right medical courier provider is important especially when it comes to needing lab samples, medical records, test results, images, and other specimens to be picked up and delivered in a timely and safe way to their destination. When choosing a medical courier provider, you should ask these four questions to see if that medical courier company would be the right fit to work for your company. Questions that are asked should pertain to the medical courier company’s experience, equipment, reliability, availability, and discretion.

McShane Metal Expands

Paula Kezer once said, “Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.” That’s exactly what we are doing here at McShane Welding and Metal Products.

In November of 2021, McShane Welding and Metal Products opened a new office in Erie at 901 West 12th Street, Suite 201. The company has grown leaps and bounds since it first opened its doors in 1974. McShane Welding initially started in the fabrication business. In 1980, the company then decided to get into milk box production when they obtained Kartel Industries. McShane Welding wanted to expand their product lines and then decided to venture into the medical manufacturing business.

Meeting The Challenge of Covid Testing

The Covid-19 Pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives. With the ongoing potential for new variants as well as a wide range of related health concerns, it seems Covid and it’s aftereffects will be with us for some time to come. For Laboratories, this means significant and ongoing demand for testing. In particular, Covid testing introduced a new set of logistical challenges for testing laboratories which included potential modifications to our line of Laboratory Lockboxes (Lab Lockers) to allow for installation in more public locations such as pharmacies and drive-through testing sites. Most importantly, the new Covid test collection process also had to address a frightening new reality; the highly contagious and deadly nature of Covid-19 and it’s variants.

Given these many challenges, it was not long before one of our test-laboratory customers approached us to help them develop a box more specifically designed for Covid test collection.

Opioid Settlements - Reinvest in Prevention and Diversion

According to the NIH, more people died of overdoses in the United States in 2020 than any other one-year period in our history. This accounts for a 30% increase year-over-year as anxiety and fear over the pandemic led to greater drug abuse and increased rates of addiction. And sadly, deaths too. Legal or illegal, stolen and shared, opioids are responsible for the majority of overdoses in the U.S. today. To protect families and communities from this terrible opioid epidemic, experts suggest common sense solutions including properly locking and securing all medications. This simple step prevents unauthorized access to drugs by individuals; especially minors. McShane’s medical lockboxes are specifically designed for that purpose.

ESC-10 and the cold chain of custody

Laboratory test samples and specimens are vulnerable when they travel, and often a lower temperature must be maintained to preserve their integrity. While refrigerators and freezers are standard equipment in all medical offices and the testing laboratories, test samples often take a long journey from the office to the testing lab. During transit, they must be protected from damage and it is critical to maintain a cold “chain of custody”. To address this, leading labs prefer a portable specimen container to protect vials and maintain proper temperatures. McShane’s ESC-10 is considered one of the best designed portable specimen containers in the industry. It is the preferred solution for many top testing labs since 1997. 

Holiday season is coming - so are the porch pirates

In 2021, a staggering 76% of US adults shop online with e-commerce representing $4.2 trillion in worldwide sales. These dramatic increases in online shopping and home delivery have also led to a rapidly growing problem with package theft. Each year, the escalating costs from package theft frustrate consumers and companies, alike. With the 2021 holiday season approaching, package thieves, so-called “porch pirates'', are gearing up for their busiest months of the year. However, there are steps that savvy consumers can take to prevent package theft. McShane’s Delivery SENTRY products were designed specifically to protect your valuable packages. Placed into a rugged steel home delivery box, your packages are locked and secure\ from theft. And only you have the key.

McShane’s sales and marketing team recently exhibited at the Home Delivery World expo in Philadelphia, PA.

Despite Hurricane Ida’s best effort to sink us, we had a great time. One of the important topics for couriers, dairies, grocers and other companies offering home delivery of products is last mile logistics; and in particular those critical last few feet. McShane’s branded porch boxes are rugged and insulated. They are a great solution for keeping perishable goods fresh, protecting deliveries from the elements and reducing theft as well. Our boxes are custom branded so they are also a powerful tool for promoting your company’s brand in the neighborhood. With that important message in mind, we were excited to see this recent article in Supplychain Dive featuring two of our valued customers, Lisa Stearns, owner of Mountain Dairy and Matt Shatto of Shatto Milk Company. Both were interviewed at the Home Delivery Expo about the challenges of keeping perishable items fresh during their long journey through the supply chain; especially those last few feet onto the customer’s porch. The article is very informative and we sincerely appreciate the kind comments by Matt and Lisa. Here at McShane Metal Products we are proud to be part of their delivery solution.

You can read more here https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/last-mile-feet-logistics-dairy-grocery-home-delivery/606049/

A Guide to Picking the Right Courier Lockbox

Buying the right laboratory equipment is critical to maintaining your high standards. Likewise, a courier lockbox is a critical link in the chain of custody for laboratory specimens and test samples. Holding specimens in a secure, insulated location for collection is integral to a reliable and efficient laboratory.

The Unprecedented Steel Demand

In the past year, we have seen an unprecedented demand for steel that has pushed steel prices to a record high; surpassing the 2008 record. Steel costs vary by type of steel and availability. However, raw material prices can be an indicator of future steel costs. Like all manufacturers, McShane has been severely impacted by a spike in our material costs. Steel has increased by more than 30% already and the trend is likely to continue for much of 2021. Unfortunately, we are unable to absorb material cost increases this high. For that reason, McShane must increase our pricing. This is in addition to the 8% price increase launched January 4, 2021.

Home Delivery Safety Checklist

According to C+R Research, 25 million dollars worth of packages/services are stolen daily. Package theft has become a significant problem for online shoppers. For many, the convenience of online is being ruined by the harsh reality of so-called porch pirates. In addition to the costs and inconvenience, it can be unsettling to know a stranger has violated your residence. With the average online order being above $100+, we have put together a checklist to follow when receiving packages on your porch.

Couriers, The Essential Frontline Workers

Due to the pandemic, consumers are rapidly adopting virtual shopping and home delivery services. They are ordering a much broader selection of products including personal items, groceries and dairy products. This change has led to explosive increases in home delivery by traditional courier services, online delivery services as well as grocers and dairies. Due to the pandemic, both consumers and couriers prefer contactless deliveries which reduce their potential exposure to infection. OSHA has provided a slideshow about couriers and delivery safety during the pandemic. However, this has also led to a new concern about unattended deliveries which are highly vulnerable to theft. McShane’s Branded Porch Boxes provide an excellent solution for delivery companies, grocers, or dairies. Providing your customer with a secure Branded Porch Box promotes your branded service and most importantly, provides your essential employees and your customers a contactless delivery experience. 

Shop Safe And Secure This Holiday Season

There is no doubt that this 2020 holiday season is very different. Due to the pandemic, the number of people shopping virtually has dramatically increased. Recognizing this, retailers are more heavily focused on their eCommerce presence. This includes offering their seasonal “doorbuster” deals online so consumers can avoid crowds but don’t miss out on discounts. Unfortunately, along with the explosion of online shopping, more and more consumers are experiencing package theft. Many consumers are looking for creative solutions to prevent precious gifts and packages from being stolen. McShane’s Delivery SENTRY products were designed specifically to allow contactless delivery of your valuable packages into a secure and rugged lock-box, where only the consumer has the key.

Preventing Package Theft This Holiday Season

According to the New York Times, even Santa Claus is a little nervous this holiday season as the large crowds are to be avoided and social distancing will most likely be in full effect. Because of the dramatic changes in the way we live, online shopping during the 2020 holiday season is forecasted to break all previous sales records. Across the U.S. and throughout the world, consumers will do a much larger portion of their holiday shopping online; according to SalesForce. As a result, package theft by so-called “Porch Pirates” is at an all-time high. And likely to increase as consumers receive many more packages delivered to their homes. This holiday season, more than ever it is important to protect and secure your valuable packages. McShane’s range of rugged Delivery SENTRY lockboxes were designed to provide today's consumer with a secure option for home delivery.  

The Delivery SENTRY Advantage

According to a recent survey, 1 in 5 Americans say they have been victims of theft by “porch pirates” since the start of COVID-19. This increase in theft is due to the massive growth in online purchasing and home delivery. American consumers are getting a significant percentage of their household necessities delivered to their door and with theft on the rise, they need solutions to keep these unattended deliveries safe and secure. McShane Welding is here to help by offering our Delivery SENTRY line of Home delivery lockboxes to keep your packages, goods, and perishables protected. Our Delivery SENTRY come in a range of sizes to accommodate your needs and are equipped with the unique SentryLok, as well as tethers and other mounting options to help protect your valuable deliveries from porch pirates.

Work Smarter, Not Harder.

The Clever Foot Lever ™ was developed to reduce the pull-back effort of large rack systems allowing users to manage heavier and more awkward loads with greater ease. The Clever Foot Lever ™ is a tough and powerful lever installed on your professional hand truck. It is designed to neatly retract so it is available when you need it but out of the way when you don’t. And the improved leverage may be especially helpful for smaller stature people. The Clever Foot Lever ™ is available from McShane Welding pre-installed when you order a new Magliner™ or you can buy the Clever Foot Lever ™ as a separate accessory you can easily add to your favorite brand of professional hand-truck. Our Clever Foot Lever ™ was invented by people who understand the daily challenges of professional delivery drivers, material handlers, and the Military. The Clever Foot Lever let’s you work smarter, not harder.

McShane Welding Launches New Website

McShane Welding and Metal Products has launched a brand new site for those looking for metal solutions including a range of innovative metal box products such as their laboratory lockboxes, courier/medical boxes and Delivery Sentry^TM. McShane also specializes in industrial fabrication, welding, finishing services. The new site provides visitors with useful information about the people at McShane, their excellent products and services, and most importantly their unwavering commitment to our customers today and in the future.

Holiday Challenges for the Recovering Addict

Recovering opioid addict Brett Fabert had been clean for two and a half years, right up until Thanksgiving. That’s when the 34-year-old Salt Lake City man saw friends and family drinking and he decided to join them. Shortly afterward, he went back to his old drugs of choice — heroin and cocaine. Fabert was so ashamed of his relapse, he cried about it for two days. The holidays are a time to eat, drink and be merry. But what if you’re a recovering opioid addict? Then the season for parties and good times can be a tough one to navigate.

Is Marijuana a Gateway to Opioids?

“It started for me with pot, and just progressed to hell.”
“Weed didn’t do it for me. But, definitely, weed started it all for me.”            
— Chasing the Dragon

For decades, health officials and politicians have debated whether or not marijuana is a gateway to more powerful drugs, such as opioids.

Opioid Quiz: How Much Have You Learned So Far?

For the past two and half years, we at McShane Welding and Metal Products have been keeping you abreast of the opioid crisis and its frightening ramifications. Have you been paying attention?

Americans in Pain

In the average nation, only about 20 percent gave one of those responses. And in the Philippines or South Africa (both still considered developing countries), just 11 percent reported feeling pain that often.

Making Cents of Copper: How Much Do You Know?

It was the first metal to be smelted from ore (around 5000 BC), the first metal to be cast into a mold (4000 BC), and the first metal to be alloyed (with tin, around 3500 BC). It’s copper, and it has a multitude of current applications.

But how much do you know about it? Let’s find out…

The Heroin Addict Next Door

According to medical experts, about 85% of the population can take a pain pill and never develop a craving for it. But what about the others? The ones whose brains don’t work that way?

Fossil Discoveries: When Miners Dig Up the Past

While carving through rock at the Millenium Mine, a vast Alberta oil sand pit near Fort McMurray, Funk clipped something much harder than rock.

Keeping K-9 Units Safe from Opioids

As a police K-9 unit in the Broward County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department, they had assisted in a federal drug raid earlier that morning. Now, Primus was exhibiting signs of opioid overdose and was in serious distress.

Six Delivery Trends You Should Know About

You don’t have to look far to realize that our world, especially the business world, is moving faster and faster. We expect information, transportation, and a multitude of goods and services to be instantly available to us. And when we order products online, we want them now.

First Responders and the Opioid Crisis: When the Helper Needs Help

After years of fighting the opioid epidemic on the front lines, first responders (law enforcement, paramedics, and other safety professionals) are starting to need support as well. 

What Ohio Is Doing Right to Combat Its Drug Problem

These two scenarios exemplify Ohio’s dire state of affairs with regard to its drug problem. In 2017, opioid overdose was a way of life (and a way of death) in the Buckeye State. In Montgomery County, the coroner’s office had to rent refrigerated trailers just to keep the bodies from piling up.

Today’s Technology…Brought to You by Lithium

From our electric vehicles and portable electronic devices, to life-saving pacemakers and other medical implants, battery power is everywhere. The technology is growing exponentially,  and there appears to be no stopping it.

Opioids and the Elderly: When Grandma Is Addicted

A 2003 National Institutes of Health study appeared to state the obvious when it reported that “the prevalence of pain increases with each decade of life.” Subsequent studies have indicated that adults aged 65 and older are 80% more likely to complain of moderate-to-severe pain than are their younger counterparts.

Welders Hold the World Together

Twenty-three years ago, the American Welding Society (AWS) established April as National Welding Month in order to recognize the industry and tradespeople who strive to keep the world together — one weld at a time.

Adderall Epidemic “Waiting in the Wings”

Adderall is a prescription amphetamine that helps people (usually, children) with ADHD improve their focus and manage their symptoms. The American Journal of Psychiatry has reported that 4.4% of U.S. adults also have ADHD.

Salt of the Earth: How Much Do You Know About It?

It’s the only rock we humans eat. We expect it on our fries and pretzels, and we keep a supply of it on our dinner tables (hence, the name “table salt”). Without it, you die. (Too much, and you also die.) But how much do you really know about good ol’ sodium chloride? Take our quiz to see if you’re really worth your salt—or if it’s back to the salt mines for you!

When Healthcare Professionals Abuse Drugs

When healthcare professionals abuse drugs, the results can be devastating. A single addicted healthcare worker who resorts to “drug diversion” (i.e., stealing drugs), can endanger thousands.

Do 12-Step Programs Really Work?

Ever since the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, 12-step programs have become the standard for alcohol and drug addiction treatment. Narcotics Anonymous officially began in Los Angeles in 1953. It has since spread to more than 140 countries.

FDA Approves “Super Opioid” Dsuvia, Despite Crisis

If you’re wondering how a new opioid painkiller (dubbed a “super opioid”) could have received FDA approval while this country is in the throes of an opioid crisis, you’re not alone. In fact, critics of the FDA move include the chair of its own advisory committee, Dr. Raeford Brown.

Four Repercussions of Confronting the Opioid Crisis

Doctors face intense pressure to cut back on opioid prescriptions, especially for the treatment of chronic pain. While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) doesn’t track the number of Americans with chronic pain, some health experts estimate it to be as high as 100 million. That’s a lot of people taking pain meds.

How Effective Is Methadone Treatment?

Methadone is not the only medication used to treat drug addiction. But it appears to be the most successful. And it’s certainly been around the longest–since 1964.

Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: Treasure or Curse?

Not only is this lost mine alleged to be rich in gold, but it’s also commonly viewed as cursed. Decapitations and other strange deaths, as well as numerous vanishings, shroud the legend. As a result, it’s become one of the most famous lost treasure tales of all time.

Children: Secondary Victims of the Opioid Crisis

Since 2004, the number of children admitted to hospitals for opioid overdose has nearly doubled. That’s according to a recent University of Chicago study. The biggest increase was among kids ages 1 to 4, which the researchers attributed to “the exploratory nature of young children.”

Goodbye Porch Pirates & Hello McShane’s Heavy-Duty Package Delivery Lock Box

E-commerce sales worldwide are forecasted to nearly double between 2016 and 2020. As of February 2017, 43 percent of U.S. consumers had purchased items online. The convenience of purchasing online–especially when many e-tailers offer free shipping–has helped fuel the dramatic increase in online sales.

The Future of Construction: Self-Healing Concrete

No matter how carefully it’s mixed or reinforced, all concrete eventually cracks. And given the right conditions, those cracks can lead to collapse. But what if, in the future, the concrete structures that surround us were able to self-heal cracks? As it turns out, several research teams from around the world are developing just such a material.

Opioid Overdose ER Visits Continue to Climb

According to the most recent report issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency room visits associated with opioid overdose increased about 30% across the country, from July 2016 to September 2017.

Suicide and the Opioid Crisis: A Tangled Web

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the alarming results of its most recent study of suicide in this country. According to the report, U.S. suicide rates have increased in nearly every state over the past two decades. Even worse, half of the states have seen increases of more than 30%.

Experimental Opioid Court Strives to Save Lives

But this court is unlike any other. It’s the nation’s first opioid crisis intervention court. Unlike typical drug courts, this program gets users into treatment within hours — not weeks — of their arrest. The whole purpose of this court is to save lives.

Death Has a New Name: Fentanyl

Fentanyl is far more potent than heroin—50 to 100 times more potent. It was developed in the 1960’s to treat intense pain which occurs in the final stages of cancer. And its potency can work miracles. But it can also kill.

Is Portugal Winning the War on Drugs?

It all started in the 1970’s, when young Portuguese men were drafted to fight the country’s wars in the African colonies. Many of these soldiers returned home with drug habits — habits that were often embraced by their countrymen, who were getting their first taste of freedom after Portugal’s political revolution.

Modern-Day Heroines Fighting Overdose Battle

In fact, heroin use in Huntington is so prevalent that a new catch phrase has emerged: “Narcanned.” The term refers to the brand name for naloxone, the opioid blocker that reverses overdoses. As in, “How many times have you been narcanned?”

Drug Abuse Treatment: What Are the Options?

The United States is in the grip of the worst drug abuse epidemic ever. If you or someone you know are among the estimated 2.1 million Americans suffering from opioid addiction, how do you get help?

Fortunately, numerous treatment options are available. But before you can understand the treatment, you must first understand the addiction itself and its effect on the brain.